Office of the Historian

342. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)1

Washington, February 7, 1956.

SUBJECT

  • Laos Force Basis, Calendar Year 1956
[Page 741]
1.
This is in response to the memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of Defense (ISA), dated 18 January 1956, subject as above.2
2.
In a memorandum dated 21 January 1955, subject: “Laotian Force Levels”,3 the Joint Chiefs of Staff informed you that, from a military point of view, they could not recommend MDAP support for Laos. Further, they recommended that any U.S. aid to Laos should be contingent upon the following:
a.
Effectiveness of the Laotian armed forces in absorbing and assimilating the U.S. support provided.
b.
Effectiveness and rate of progress of the French military mission in training Laotian personnel, both officers and enlisted, to man properly the forces to be supported.
c.
Developments in the military and political situation in Vietnam.
3.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff consider that their views as contained in the referenced memorandum are still valid. However, they consider, in view of the recommendation of the Country Team-Laos and of CINCPAC, that from a psychological, political, and morale aspect, the modest increase in the Laos Force basis from a figure of 23,650 to a figure of 25,000 is justified. The Joint Chiefs of Staff therefore recommend that this increase be allowed in the Lao national forces.
For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
Arthur Radford4
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff
  1. Source: JCS Records, CCS 092 Asia (6–25–48. Top Secret.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Document 264.↩
  4. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩