409. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/12–2956. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Paris, London, Bangkok, Ottawa, Saigon, New Delhi, and Phnom Penh.

410. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/1–257. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne, cleared by Kocher, and approved by Robertson. Repeated to Bangkok, New Delhi, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Paris, London, and to USUN for Young.

411. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Embassy in France

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/1–457. Secret; Priority. Repeated to the Department of State, which is the source text.

412. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.001/1–857. Secret.

413. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/1–1057. Secret; Priority. Repeated to London, Paris, Ottawa, Saigon, Bangkok, New Delhi, and Phnom Penh.

414. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/1–1657. Secret. Repeated to London, Paris, Ottawa, Saigon, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, and New Delhi.

415. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/–1857. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Paris, London, Saigon, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, New Delhi, and Ottawa.

416. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of state, Central Files, 751J.00/1–1957. Secret; Niact. Repeated priority to London and paris, and to Babgkok, Saigon, Phnom Penh, and Ottawa.

417. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 601.51J11/1–2257. Secret. Drafted by Byrne, cleared by SEA and FE, and approved by Robertson. Repeated to Paris, London, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and USUN for Young.

418. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/1–1957. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne, cleared by Kocher and Sebald, and approved by Robertson. Repeated to Saigon, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Paris, London, and USUN for Young.

419. Intelligence Estimate Prepared in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff of the Army, Intelligence

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.55/1–2457. Secret. Transmitted as an enclosure to a letter from Colonel Robert L. Ashworth of the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, to Kocher, January 24. Drafted in response to a letter from Kocher to the Office of the Assistant Chief of Intelligence, January 18, requesting such intelligence. According to Kocher’s letter, the Embassy in Laos received a report from French advisers to the Lao Government (telegram 1136 from Vientiane, January 17) that Souvanna Phouma was considering police action against the Pathet Lao in the event his direct negotiations with them failed. The French sources wanted to know if the United States would support such action. Kocher specifically wanted information on the Lao National Army’s capabilities against the Pathet Lao without Viet Minh assistance and an estimate of Viet Minh intentions if the Lao National Army resorted to military action. Kocher’s letter is ibid., 751J.00/1–1857, and telegram 1136 from Vientiane is ibid., 751J.00/1–1757.

420. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–857. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne and cleared by SEA, ICA, and USIA and Defense in substance. Repeated to CINCPAC, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and USUN for Young.

421. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–557. Secret. Repeated to London, Paris, Bangkok, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Ottawa, and USUN.

422. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–1357. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Paris, London, Bangkok, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.

423. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–1357. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Paris, London, Bangkok, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.

424. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–1357. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Saigon and Bangkok.

425. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–2057. Secret. Drafted by Kocher and cleared by Corcoran and Sebald. Repeated to London, Paris, Saigon, Ottawa, Phnom Penh, New Delhi, and Bangkok.

426. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–2557. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Paris, London, Bangkok, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.

427. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–2557. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Paris, London, Saigon, Phnom Penh, and Bangkok.

428. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–557. Secret. Drafted by Byrne and approved by Kocher. Also sent to Paris and London, and repeated to Saigon, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and USUN for Young.

429. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–1456. Secret. Repeated to Paris, London, Bangkok, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.

430. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–1557. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Paris, London, Ottawa, Saigon, Phnom Penh, New Delhi, Manila, Djakarta, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

431. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Kocher) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/4–1157. Secret. Drafted by Byrne and cleared with Sebald.

432. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/4–1657. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne, cleared by Kocher, and approved by Robertson. Repeated to Paris, London, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Ottawa, and New Delhi. A briefing memorandum, April 16, from Young to Robertson for use in preparation for this meeting is ibid.

433. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Young) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/4–2657. Secret. Drafted by Byrne and cleared by SEA.

434. Editorial Note

435. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/4–2657. Secret. Drafted by Young and Byrne, cleared by SEA and FE, and approved by Robertson. Sent also to Vientiane and repeated to Saigon, Phnom Penh, Paris, and London.

436. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/5–1057. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Paris, London, Ottawa, New Delhi, Saigon, Bangkok, and Phnom Penh.

437. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in France

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/5–2357. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne and cleared with SEA, WE, and FE. Repeated to Vientiane, London, Saigon, Phnom Penh, and Bangkok.

438. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/5–2557. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Saigon, London, and priority to Vientiane.