Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXIII, Southeast Asia

455. Memorandum From Attorney General Kennedy to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)⁰

Washington, July 11, 1962.

In the course of a conversation in my office, Georgi¹ said that Khrushchev personally would be most appreciative if the American Government would pull its troops out of Thailand. He said he understood that the reason the troops had been sent in initially was because of the trouble in Laos and now that that had been settled, it certainly would be a great step toward peace in that area of the world if the troops that had been sent into Thailand were withdrawn.

I said I would take the matter up with the President.

After speaking to the President, the next day I told Georgi that within ten days we would start to withdraw the troops from Thailand and that I would keep him advised. He asked me if that meant that all the troops would be taken out. I replied that we would have to have some discussions and conferences with our allies; that we would start to withdraw the troops; and that I would keep him advised as to what progress we were making. I did not make a commitment that they all would be withdrawn although it was clear this was what Georgi was interested in.

If you need any further information in connection with this, give me a ring.²

0. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Thailand, Vol. III, 7/16/62–7/31/62. No classification marking. Drafted and initialed by Robert Kennedy. Bundy sent this memorandum to Ball under a covering memorandum that stated that this memorandum was also for Rusk and Harriman. Bundy stated that the Attorney General’s office records suggested that these two meetings which Kennedy described took place on June 18 and 19.
1. Reference is probably to Georgi N. Bolshakov, Information Counselor at the Soviet Embassy and editor of the magazine USSR. According to Pierre Salinger, Bolshakov was an intermediary in unofficial exchanges between President Kennedy and Khrushchev. (With Kennedy, p. 191)
2. On July 17, Bundy told Ball that he was not sure that Rusk was abreast of this private channel, which the President had used on the Thai troop withdrawals. Ball told Bundy that. he had informed Rusk of it. Bundy told Ball he was sending a copy of Robert Kennedy’s memorandum, not to circulate in the Department of State, but for Ball, Rusk, and/or Harriman’s use. (Memorandum of telephone conversation, July 7; Kennedy Library, Ball Papers, Telephone Conversations, Thailand)