283. Editorial Note
On May 4 President Johnson sent a special message to Congress requesting an additional appropriation of $700 million to meet expanding military requirements in Vietnam. Johnson indicated that the request was intended to cover the remainder of the fiscal year, and added that, “if [Page 618] our need expands,” he might have to return to Congress for additional funding. (American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1965, pages 864–868) Congress approved the request within 2 days and Johnson signed the supplemental appropriation on May 7. (Ibid., page 868) On May 18 the White House released the text of a memorandum from Secretary of Defense McNamara to the President indicating how the appropriation would be allocated. (Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965, Book I, pages 559–560)