316. Editorial Note
At a breakfast meeting at the White House on November 21, 1967, President Johnson met with his Saigon and Washington advisers. The discussion dealt mostly with Vietnam, but the President raised the issue of operations in Laos:
“The President asked about recommendations for operations inside Laos.
“General Westmoreland said he was anxious to initiate action in base area 607. He pointed out that the missiles that hit Da Nang came through this base area. He said this action would require two Vietnamese battalions and a raid of three to four days.
“Ambassador Bunker said he was anxious to see this act taken. 80% of their supplies come through Laos. ‘To give them a free hand is suicidal.’
“General Wheeler said over the past 12–18 months the enemy has built a truck road through this area. He said the Joint Chiefs of Staff agree that within the next 60 to 90 days General Westmoreland should be authorized to initiate action in this area.” (Johnson Library, Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings, 11/27/67)
The full memorandum of this meeting is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, volume V.