United States Support for the Royal Lao Government and Attempts to Prevent Coalition with the Pathet Lao1

1. For previous documentation on Laos, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, volumes XIII and XVI.


350. Despatch From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/4–656. Secret. Drafted by Yost. Young suggested to Sebald that he read this “outstanding despatch”, according to a memorandum from Young to Sebald, May 7. The following marginal note by Sebald was written on Young’s memorandum: “This is an excellent despatch and could be used as a ‘bible’ for conducting our affairs in Laos. WS” (Ibid.)


351. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Assistant (Special Operations) (Erskine) to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Gray)

Source: Washington National Records Center, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 60 b 1339, 400 Laos. Top Secret.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/4–2455. Secret.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/5–2256. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Bangkok, Phnom Penh, and Saigon.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.51J93/5–2956. Top Secret; Priority. Repeated to New Delhi, Bangkok, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/5–2956. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne, cleared by Young and Yost, and approved by Robertson. Repeated to Ottawa, New Delhi, Paris, London, Saigon, Phnom Penh, and Bangkok.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.51J93/5–2956. Top Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne, cleared in PSA and by Yost in draft, and approved by Robertson. Repeated to New Delhi, Bangkok, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Ottawa, Paris, and London.


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

Source: Department of State, Central files, 033.51J93/6–656. Top Secret; Priority. Repeated to London, Ottawa, New Delhi, Bangkok, Paris, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.51J93/6–556. Secret. Repeated to London, Ottawa, New Delhi, Bangkok, Paris, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.


359. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.51J93/6-756. Secret. Drafted by Corcoran and cleared in SEA and by MacArthur.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 790.5/6-856. Secret; Niact. Drafted in SEA and signed by Dulles.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/6-956. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Young and Corcoran and approved by Robertson. Repeated priority to Bangkok.


363. Letter From the Chargé in Laos (Blancké) to the Ambassador-Designate to Laos (Parsons)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/6-1156. Secret; Official-Informal. J. Graham Parsons was appointed Ambassador to Laos on May 29. He arrived in Vientiane in late July, but did not present his credentials until October 12.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 790.5/6–2356. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Corcoran; cleared by SEA, C, ICA, FE, E, and L/E (in substance); and approved by Robertson. Repeated to Bangkok.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651.51J/8–156. Secret; Priority.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651.51J/8–156. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Bangkok, London, Paris, Ottawa, Phnom Penh, Saigon, and New Delhi.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651.51J/8–156. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne and cleared in draft by SEA, ICA, and Defense. Repeated to CINCPAC, Ottawa, New Delhi, Paris, London, Saigon, Phnom Penh, and Bangkok.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751j.00/8–656. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Bangkok, London, Paris, Ottawa, New Delhi, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–656. Secret; Priority. Repeated to London, Paris, Bangkok, Ottawa, New Delhi, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.5/8–656. Top Secret; Priority. Repeated to Bangkok.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–656. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne; cleared by SEA, WE, and BNA; and approved by Sebald. Sent also to London and Paris and repeated to New Delhi, Bangkok, Ottawa, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.


372. Memorandum of Discussion at the 292d Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, August 9, 1956

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by Marion W. Boggs on August 10.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.51j93/8–1556. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne; cleared by SEA and in substance by U/PR; and approved by Sebald. Repeated to London, Paris, Bangkok, Ottawa, New Delhi, Saigon, and Phnom Penh.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/8–1556. Secret. Repeated to Bangkok, Ottawa, London, Paris, New Delhi, Phnomn Penh, and Saigon.


375. Memorandum From the Chairman’s Staff Group to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Radford)

Source: JCS Files, CJSC 091 Thailand. Top Secret. Radford wrote the following note in the margin of the source text: “There is a Joint State Def Msg of sometime around late Sept or Oct which is not mentioned here and which I would like to see. R.” The message in question has not been identified.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.51J/8–2356. Secret. Repeated to Paris, London, Saigon, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Ottawa, and New Delhi.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.51J93/8–2956. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution—No Distribution Outside Dept. Drafted by Byrne and Young, cleared by Sebald, and approved by Robertson.