484. Editorial Note
On June 4, the Operations Coordinating Board approved an Operations Plan for Thailand which had been prepared pursuant to NSC 5809 (see Document 466). A copy of the plan is in Department of State, OCB Files: Lot 62 D 430, Thailand. On June 27, two copies were sent to Ambassador Johnson in Bangkok under cover of a letter from Under Secretary Herter instructing Johnson that the Plan was an action paper the implementation of which he should personally supervise. (Ibid., Central Files, 611.92/6–2758)
The plan contained 79 numbered paragraphs detailing specific subjects, areas, or programs which were to be pursued or monitored in the interest of improving U.S.-Thai relations. General guidance was provided in the opening paragraphs of the plan which read as follows:
- “a. U.S. Objectives. U.S. operations in Thailand should be conducted in the context of U.S. objectives which are: to prevent Thailand from passing into or becoming economically dependent upon the Communist bloc; to persuade the Thai that their best interests lie in greater cooperation and stronger affiliations with the rest of the Free World; and to assist them to develop toward stable, free, representative government with the will and ability to resist Communism from within and without, and thereby to contribute to the strengthening of the Free World.
- “b. U.S. Interests in Thailand. As a staunch supporter of collective defense measures with a long-standing anti-Communist policy, Thailand serves as the hub of our security efforts in Southeast Asia. Development of a broader base for these efforts depends upon continued efforts to strengthen Thailand and its bonds with neighboring non-Communist nations. Thailand’s substantial progress will bolster U.S. policy objectives throughout Southeast Asia.”