Office of the Historian

152. Memorandum for the Record1

Washington, December 19, 1964.

SUBJECT

  • Meeting of Principals on Vietnam—19 December

PARTICIPANTS

  • Under Secretary Ball, Assistant Secretary Bundy, Mr. Greenfield, Mr. Forrestal, Mr. Trueheart
  • Deputy Secretary Vance, Assistant Secretary McNaughton, General Johnson, Admiral Mustin
  • Mr. Rowen
  • Mr. McGeorge Bundy, Mr. Cooper
  • Mr. McCone, Mr. Colby
1.
The meeting opened with the approval of the attached telegram2 approving four air strike missions in Laos according to the missions stated on the attached map. There was some discussion of the fact that these actions do not constitute an escalation of the situation in Laos, although the Route 7 mission might cause some reaction. It was noted that Ambassador Sullivan’s problems with respect to the previous missions have been taken care of.
2.
It was agreed that the USG would continue a stonewall “no comment” response to any Hanoi propaganda blast as a result of the above [Page 310] missions. If a plane were lost, however, the principals would assemble for consideration of the appropriate line. Mr. Greenfield pointed out that the press currently assumes that we are over Laos on a daily basis and he believed that there would be little reaction even if we were to announce the loss of a plane. Mr. Greenfield suggested that our major problem would come from leakage of our planning and program.
3.
With respect to the Cooper report on infiltration,3 Mr. William Bundy pointed out that the field is being pressed on this subject. He stated that Mr. Greenfield and others estimated that there would be little splash caused by its release. Mr. Vance stated that Secretary McNamara still prefers that it not be released. Mr. Greenfield also pointed out that it might be worth stalling as its release would give Alsop and other journalists a handle for pressure. It was agreed that the matter would be covered by gradual reference to “increased infiltration” in backgrounders and that Saigon would be authorized, if pressed by the press, to give a backgrounder giving the general figures involved.

[Here follow paragraphs 4–7 related exclusively to Vietnam.]

WE Colby
Chief, Far East Division
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80–B01285A, Memos for the Record, 1 Nov-31 Dec, 1964. Secret.↩
  2. A note on the source text indicates that all the attachments were destroyed on January 26, 1972.↩
  3. Attached to a memorandum from Cooper to William Bundy, December 4; see footnote 4, Document 153. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S)↩