January 31, 1965 to December 1967: Demise of the Rightists; Controversy Over Interdiction Strategies; Souvanna’s Visits to the United States
252. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Westmoreland) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Vol. 58, Cables, 9/1–18/66. Top Secret; Immediate; Limdis; Exclusive. Repeated to the JCS for Wheeler.
253. Central Intelligence Agency Information Report
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XVI, Cables, 2/66–1/67. Secret; No Foreign Dissem.
254. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Unger) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs (Donnelly)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 6–12 US. Top Secret.
255. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 7 LAOS. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to Hong Kong, Moscow, and USUN.
256. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, Walt. W. Rostow, Vol. XIV, October 1–31, 1966. Secret.
257. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27–14 LAOS. Secret. Drafted by Slutz and Sophia K. Porson of Language Services and approved in Harriman’s office on October 28.
258. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret. Drafted by Hamilton and Alex Toumayan of Language Services and approved in S on October 25. According to Rusk’s Appointment Book the meeting began at 3:05 p.m. (Johnson Library) A typed note on the source text reads “Part I of VI.”
259. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XVI, Memos, 2/66–1/67. Secret. Drafted by Slutz and Alex Toumayan of Language Services on October 13.
260. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 LAOS. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Drafted and approved by Hamilton and cleared with Unger and in substance with Holland of OSD/ISA.
261. Letter From the Ambassador to Laos (Sullivan) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret.
262. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 LAOS. Confidential; Flash. Repeated flash to Bangkok, and to Saigon, COMUSMACV, and DEPCHJUSMAG THAI. Passed to the White House, DOD, CIA, and NSA.
263. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 LAOS. Secret; Flash; Limdis. Drafted by Hamilton and approved by Berger. Repeated flash to Saigon and Manila for William Bundy, who was attending the Manila Conference with South Vietnamese leaders.
264. Paper Prepared for President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XVI, Cables, 2/66–1/67. Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text. It was sent to Rostow for the President and sent for information to Jorden. Apparently this was the text of a cable sent to Manila for the President.
265. Telegram From Secretary of Defense McNamara to the Ambassador to Laos (Sullivan)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XVI, Cables, 2/66–1/67. Top Secret. Drafted and released by Richard C. Steadman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs). Bromley Smith wrote a note on the White House copy of this telegram making certain that Rostow should see it.
266. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 LAOS. Confidential; Immediate. Repeated to Bangkok, repeated to Manila, Paris, Saigon, CINCPAC, COMUSMACV, DEPCHJUSMAG THAI, DIA, and DEPCMDR 7/13th AF Udorn. Passed to the White House,CIA, USIA, and NSA.
267. Memorandum From D.W. Ropa of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Name File, Ropa Memos. Secret.
268. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Limdis. Also sent to DOD and repeated to CINCPAC, Bangkok, 7th Air Force T SN, DEPCHJUSMAG THAI, 7th/23d Air Force Udorn, 606 ACS Udorn, and COMUSMACTHAI.
269. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 2 LAOS. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Repeated to Bangkok, Hong Kong, London, Moscow, Paris, Saigon, CINCPAC, and DEPCHJUSMAG THAI.
270. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Unger) to the Under Secretary of State (Katzenbach)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret. Drafted by Slutz, Hamilton, and Unger; cleared by Hamilton, Oscar V. Armstrong, Public Affairs Officer in EAP, and Harold Kaplan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. As of November 1 the names of the Assistant Secretary and the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs was changed to East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
271. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XVI, Memos, 2/66–1/67. Confidential. The source text indicates that the President saw this memorandum.
272. Central Intelligence Agency Information Report
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XVI, Cables, 2/66–1/67. Confidential.
273. Note From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XVI, Memos, 2/66–1/67. Confidential. The source text indicates that Johnson saw it.
274. Memorandum From the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Kohler) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret. Drafted by Hamilton.
275. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 7 LAOS–VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to Bangkok and Saigon.
276. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler)
Source: Center of Military History, Westmoreland Papers, Message Files, COMUSMACV, 1 Jan-31 Mar 1967. Top Secret. Repeated to Westmoreland.
277. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Hamilton and cleared by Steadman, Unger, and Daniel Arzac of the Bureau of Public Affairs.
278. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler)
Source: Center of Military History, Westmoreland Papers, Message Files, COMUSMACV, 1 Jan-31 Mar 1967. Top Secret. Repeated to Westmoreland and General John D. Ryan, Commander in Chief, Pacific Air Force.
279. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Received at the Department of State at 4:40 p.m., February 25, Washington time.
280. Telegram From the Department of State to Secretary of State Rusk at the American Chiefs of State Conference, Punta del Este, Uruguay
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted and approved by John P. Walsh of S/S. Repeated to Moscow, London, Vientiane, Ottawa, New Delhi, Warsaw, and Saigon.
281. Memorandum From the Ambassador at Large (Harriman) and the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Rostow) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Library of Congress Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, McNamara, Robert. Top Secret; Nodis.