128. Memorandum for the Record0
SUBJECT
- Daily White House Staff Meeting, 3 December 1963
- 1.
- Mr. Bundy presided throughout the meeting.
- 2.
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Cambodia. Bundy asked Komer and Alexander to check with the State Department to see what line they are going to take on a neutral Cambodia. Bundy said he had talked with Hilsman, who was most cooperative about the messages sent out without White House clearance.1Bundy said this was fortunate because this morning Lodge had come in with some complaints, citing the importance of Cambodia to Vietnam.
There seems to be some difference of opinion about our policy toward a neutral Cambodia. Some of the military leaders in Vietnam have stated that a neutral Cambodia would be a plus factor. Other Vietnam militarists disagree, however. The same division apparently exists within our State Department. Bundy said there is a line to be followed here—implying a neutral Cambodia—but that it had to be very carefully developed and followed. In Forrestal’s absence, he put Komer pretty much in charge of the operation.
- 3.
- Vietnam. Bromley Smith, arriving late, asked Bundy if the Vietnam situation had been discussed. Bundy said it had, referring to the discussion on Cambodia, which seemed in fact to deal with Vietnam only peripherally. Bundy commented that his main action had been to identify (Komer) who would get blamed if things went wrong in Vietnam, as he thought they would.
[Here follows discussion unrelated to Cambodia.]
- Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, Chairman’s Staff Group, Dec. 1963, WH Staff Memos, T–213–69. Secret; Eyes Only. Prepared by William Y. Smith.↩
- See Document 125.↩