Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXVIII, Laos
June 1964 to January 1965: U.S. Support of Operation Triangle; Diplomatic Efforts To Revive the Geneva Settlement; the Beginnings of the Air War Against Infiltration Through the Laos Panhandle: Document List
Document 101: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Washington, June 24, 1964, 10:54 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Immediate. Drafted by Trueheart and William Bundy, cleared in substance with McGeorge Bundy and McNaughton, cleared by U. Alexis Johnson, and approved by William Bundy. Also sent to Bangkok and repeated to Saigon, London, Paris, New Delhi, and CINCPAC.
Document 102: Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Washington, June 27, 1964.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 69 A 7425, Laos 381, Jan-June 1964. Secret. A note on the source text indicates McNamara saw it.
Document 103: Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Washington, June 27, 1964.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 69 A 926, Laos 000.1—Sensitive, (092 Laos), 1964. Top Secret; Sensitive.
Document 104: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Washington, June 27, 1964, 7:01 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared with McNamara and in substance with Rusk, and approved by William Bundy. Also sent to Thailand and repeated to Saigon, Paris, London, and CINCPAC.
Document 105: Memorandum From the President's Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson
Washington, June 28, 1964.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Muong Soui, Operational Triangle, Vol. I, 6/64–7/64. Secret.
Document 106: Memorandum for the Record
Washington, June 29, 1964.
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80–B 1285A, Meetings with the Pres, 1 May–31 Oct, 1964. Secret; Eyes Only. Dictated by McCone and transcribed by his secretary. The meeting lasted from 5:38 to approximately 6 p.m. (Johnson Library, President's Daily Diary)
Document 107: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Washington, June 29, 1964, 7:52 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Trueheart and William Bundy; cleared in draft with Rusk, McNamara, and McGeorge Bundy; and approved by William Bundy.
Document 108: Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hughes) to Secretary of State Rusk
Washington, July 1, 1964.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. VII, Memos, 7/64. Secret; No Foreign Dissem.
Document 109: Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Harriman) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy)
Washington, July 11, 1964.
Source: Library of Congress Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, Laos 2. Secret; Personal.
Document 110: Note From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk
Washington, July 14, 1964.
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, WPB Chron, July/Dec 1964. Secret.
Document 111: Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (McNaughton) to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Washington, July 15, 1964.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 69 A 7425, Laos 381 (9 Apr 64), Laos Operations. Secret. A note on the source text indicates that McNamara saw it.
Document 112: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Washington, July 16, 1964, 8:57 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by William Bundy; cleared with McGeorge Bundy, Trueheart, and McNaughton; cleared in substance with Rusk and Forrestal; and approved by William Bundy. Also sent to Bangkok and repeated to Saigon, MACV, and CINCPAC for POLAD.
Document 113: Memorandum From James C. Thomson of the National Security Council Staff to the President's Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Washington, July 23, 1964.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XII, Memos, 7/64. Top Secret.
Document 114: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
Washington, July 26, 1964, 3:17 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Limdis, Drafted by William Bundy; cleared in draft with Green, Trueheart, Barbis, and Sol Polansky of EUR/SOV; and approved by William Bundy. Also sent to Moscow and Vientiane, and repeated to Paris, Ottawa, New Delhi, Warsaw, Bangkok, Saigon, and CINCPAC for POLAD.
Document 115: Memorandum From the Secretary of State's Special Assistant for Vietnam Affairs (Sullivan) to Secretary of State Rusk
Washington, July 27, 1964.
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, WPB Chron, Jul/Dec 1964. Top Secret. Sent through William Bundy.
Document 116: Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk
Washington, undated.
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, WPB Chron, Jul/Dec 1964. Secret. Bundy's handwritten note on the source text indicates it was probably dated July 28.
Document 117: Memorandum for the Record
Washington, July 28, 1964.
Source: Johnson Library, John McCone Memoranda, Meetings with the President, 1/4/64–4/28/65. Secret; Eyes Only. Dictated by McCone and transcribed by his secretary on July 29. Bromley Smith also prepared an account of this meeting. (Ibid., National Security File, NSC Meetings, Vol. 2, Tab 9, 7/28/65)
Document 118: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union
Washington, August 1, 1964.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Confidential; Priority; Exdis; Verbatim Text. Drafted by Rusk; cleared by Trueheart, the White House, and Richard H. Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs; and approved by Rusk.
Document 119: Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Vientiane, August 3, 1964.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Repeated to London, Moscow, Warsaw, Paris, New Delhi, Ottawa, Bangkok, Saigon, CINCPAC, and USUN, and passed to the White House, DOD, and CIA.
Document 120: Editorial Note
Document 121: Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Diplomatic and Other Posts
Washington, August 13, 1964, 4:23 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Confidential. Drafted by Barbis; cleared by Trueheart, Klein at the White House, and by Vladimir Toumanoff of EUR/SOV; and approved by Green. Sent to Moscow, London, Paris, Vientiane, Bangkok, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Rangoon, New Delhi, Ottawa, Warsaw, Hong Kong, USUN, and CINCPAC.
Document 122: Memorandum From the President's Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson
Washington, August 18, 1964.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, McGeorge Bundy, Vol. VI. Top Secret. The source text indicates that the President saw it.
Document 123: Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Saigon, August 20, 1964, 3 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Also sent priority to the White House, DOD, and CIA, and repeated to Bangkok, Vientiane, and CINCPAC for POLAD.
Document 124: Memorandum From James C. Thomson of the National Security Council Staff to the President's Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Washington, August 20, 1964.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. IX, Memos, 8/64. Secret.
Document 125: Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Vientiane, August 20, 1964, 7 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret; Limdis. Repeated to CINCPAC to pass to Defense.
Document 126: Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (McNaughton) to the President's Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Washington, August 26, 1964.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. IX, Memos, 8/64. Secret.
Document 127: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Washington, August 26, 1964, 5 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret; Priority; Limdis. Drafted by Green and Trueheart, cleared by McNaughton in draft and with McGeorge Bundy, and approved by Rusk. Repeated to CINCPAC.
Document 128: Memorandum From the Commander of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Westmoreland) to the Ambassador to Vietnam (Taylor)
Saigon, August 28, 1964.
Source: Johnson Library, Westmoreland Papers, History Backup, 27 July–31 August, 1963. Top Secret.
Document 129: Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Washington, September 5, 1964.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 69 A 7425, Laos 381. Top Secret.
Document 130: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Washington, September 9, 1964, 8:17 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by McNaughton, and approved by William Bundy.
Document 131: Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Vientiane, September 13, 1964, 4 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to CINCPAC, Bangkok, Saigon, DOD, and MACV, and passed to the White House and CIA.
Document 132: Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Washington, September 16, 1964.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 69 D 7425, Laos 381 (9 Apr 64) Laos Operations. Secret.
Document 133: Memorandum Prepared in the Department of State
Washington, September 18, 1964.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Confidential. Drafted by Slutz and cleared by Trueheart and Green. Sent to the White House under cover of a memorandum from Read to McGeorge Bundy, which indicated it had been prepared at Bundy's request.
Document 134: Information Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Green) to Secretary of State Rusk
Washington, September 28, 1964.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 LAOS. Confidential. Drafted by Barbis. A note on this memorandum indicates that Rusk requested it and that he saw it.
Document 135: Information Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Green) to Secretary of State Rusk
Washington, October 1, 1964.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 19–2 US–LAOS. Top Secret. Drafted by Barbis and cleared by Trueheart. A note on the memorandum indicates that Rusk saw it.
Document 136: Editorial Note
Document 137: Telegram From the Office of the Secretary of Defense to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp)
Washington, October 7, 1964, 10:49 a.m.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XI, Cables, 10/64. Secret. Drafted by Colonel F.E. Kramer, Assistant for Laos, Far Eastern Region, ISA, and approved by Blouin.
Document 138: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Washington, October 7, 1964, 7:24 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Forrestal; cleared in substance with Rusk, William Bundy, McGeorge Bundy, and in draft with McNaughton; and approved by Forrestal and Rusk. Repeated to CINCPAC, Saigon for COMUSMACV, and Bangkok.
Document 139: Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Diplomatic and Other Posts
Washington, October 8, 1964, 11:18 a.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 7 LAOS. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Barbis; cleared by Trueheart, Clunan, and in substance with James Ozzello of EUR; and cleared by Green. Sent to Vientiane, Bangkok, Saigon, London, Paris, Moscow, New Delhi, Ottawa, Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong, and CINCPAC.
Document 140: Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Washington, October 13, 1964.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 68 A 4023, Laos 000.1–370.64 (092 Laos). Top Secret.
Document 141: Memorandum From the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (Carroll) to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Washington, October 19, 1964.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 69 A 7425, Laos 381 (9 Apr 64) Laos Operations. Secret; No Foreign Dissem. A copy was sent to Wheeler. A note on the source text indicates that Deputy Secretary of Defense Vance saw it.
Document 142: Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Washington, October 22, 1964.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 69 A 7425, Laos 381. Top Secret. A note on the source text indicates that McNamara saw it on November 11.
Document 143: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Washington, November 5, 1964, 8:37 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27–14 LAOS. Secret; Limdis. Drafted by Vladimir I. Toumanoff of SOV; cleared by David H. Henry, Director of SOV, Dexter, J. Harold Shullaw, Director of BNA, Richard H. Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs, and Thompson; and approved by Rusk. Repeated to Moscow, Saigon, Phnom Penh, New Delhi, London, Paris, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Ottawa, and CINCPAC.
Document 144: Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Trueheart) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy)
Washington, November 12, 1964.
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, Working Papers, November 54, vol. III, Misc. Back Up. Top Secret.
Document 145: Information Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk
Washington, November 30, 1964.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret. Drafted by Dexter and cleared in draft by Corcoran and Robert Johnson.
Document 146: Memorandum of Conversation
New York, December 3, 1964, 11 a.m.
Document 147: Memorandum of Conversation
New York, December 5, 1964, 4 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Confidential. Drafted by Akalovsky and cleared in S on December 9. The memorandum is part II of III. The meeting took place at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.
Document 148: Editorial Note
Document 149: Memorandum of Conversation
Washington, December 9, 1964, 1 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 ASIA SE. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Akalovsky and approved in S on December 30. The memorandum indicates it was Part V of VII. This was a luncheon meeting at the Soviet Embassy.
Document 150: Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Vientiane, December 10, 1964, 7 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Repeated to Bangkok, Saigon, and CINCPAC for POLAD. Passed to the White House, DOD, and CIA. William H. Sullivan was appointed Ambassador to Laos on November 25, 1964.
Document 151: Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Washington, December 17, 1964.
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 69 A 7425, Laos 381. Top Secret. Attached but not printed was a map.
Document 152: Memorandum for the Record
Washington, December 19, 1964.
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80–B01285A, Memos for the Record, 1 Nov-31 Dec, 1964. Secret.
Document 153: Memorandum From Chester L. Cooper of the National Security Council Staff to the President's Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Washington, December 19, 1964.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XIII, Memos, 12/64–1/65. Secret.
Document 154: Editorial Note
Document 155: Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Saigon, January 7, 1965, 1 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 1 ASIA SE. Top Secret; Priority; Limdis. Also sent to the Department of Defense and White House; repeated to Bangkok, Vientiane, and CINCPAC; and passed to CIA. The source text is incorrectly dated January 7, 1964.
Document 156: Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Vientiane, January 14, 1965, 7 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret; Immediate; Ivory; Exdis. Passed to the White House, DOD, and CIA.
Document 157: Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Washington, January 19, 1965, 7:08 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Limdis; Barrel Roll. Drafted by Cleland and Barbis; cleared by Trueheart, McGeorge Bundy, in draft with McNaughton, and in substance with Admiral Mustin of J–3 of the JCS; and approved by Unger. Also sent to Saigon, and repeated to Bangkok, CINCPAC, the White House, DOD for JCS, and CIA.
Document 158: Memorandum From Chester L. Cooper of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson
Washington, January 22, 1965.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XIII, Memos, 12/64–1/65. Top Secret.
Document 159: Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Diplomatic and Consular Posts
Washington, January 23, 1965, 2:30 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27–14 LAOS. Confidential; Limdis. Drafted by Trueheart; cleared by Unger, William Bundy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Robert C. Creel, Director of Soviet Affairs David H. Henry, Salans, Thompson, and Director of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs J. Harold Shullaw; and approved by Rusk. Sent to Vientiane, Moscow, Paris, London, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, New Delhi, Saigon, Warsaw, and Hong Kong.
Document 160: Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State
Bangkok, January 26, 1965, noon.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 19–3 US LAOS. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Vientiane and CINCPAC.
Document 161: Memorandum From the Director of Intelligence and Research (Denney) to Secretary of State Rusk
Washington, January 27, 1965.
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XIII, Memos, 12/64–1/65. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Limit Distribution.