266. Editorial Note
At the 418th meeting of the National Security Council, September 10, Allen Dulles gave the briefing on “Significant Developments Affecting U.S. Security.” Dulles reported to the Council on Laos and the following discussion ensued:
“In Laos, Mr. Dulles reported, there had been no great change in the military situation. It was possible that the Communists were removing the evidence preparatory to the visit of the U.N. Commission. The latter has no authority to carry out inspection in North Vietnam; accordingly Communist forces will probably be withdrawn into North Vietnam while the Commission is in the area. The Communists are concentrating on guerrilla warfare to exploit the weakness of the Laotian forces and the doubtful loyalty of the population. Mr. Dulles then displayed a map depicting the penetration of pro-Communist forces into Sam Neua and Phong Saly provinces. Various evidence indicates North Vietnam involvement in the fighting in Laos, but no bodies of North Vietnamese troops have been found yet. Morale in the capital of Laos is high, despite some civilian-military friction; but morale in the villages is low. An effort is being made to earmark the troops which could be put into the struggle against the Communists. Thailand is considering furnishing some good, U.S.-trained forces; South Vietnam is thinking of sending troops [less than 1 line of source text not declassified].
“Secretary McElroy asked whether the U.N. Commission would leave observers in Laos when it departed. Mr. Dillon said the U.S. position was that the lower-echelon officials of the Commission should remain in Laos for some time, even if the senior members stayed only a short time. It would be useful if some U.N. officials were put in a forward position. It would also be useful if the Commission carefully examined the whole situation in Laos, in order to refute the North Vietnam charge that the U.S. has bases in Laos and is commanding the Laotian army. Mr. Gray suggested that the Council keep itself informed on the situation in Laos.”
Later in the same meeting, Karl G. Harr, Jr., Special Assistant to the President for Security Operations Coordination, briefed the Council on an Operations Coordinating Board Progress Report on Southeast Asia, August 12. The account of the brief discussion reads as follows:
“Mr. Harr briefly presented the reference OCB report on the subject. He said that notwithstanding the situation in Laos, considerable progress had been made in carrying out U.S. policy objectives with respect to Southeast Asia.
“Mr. Dillon said that the situation created by the Communists in Laos was, in no small measure, a reaction to the progress our policy had made in Laos and in Southeast Asia generally.
“The President concluded the meeting by observing that Laos would be very difficult to defend if Communist China and North Vietnam decided to attack.” (Memorandum of discussion by Boggs, September 10; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)