Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, East Asia-Pacific Region; Cambodia; Laos, Volume XVI

57. Memorandum of Discussion at the 436th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, March 10, 1960¹

Washington, March 10, 1960

[Here follow a paragraph listing the participants at the meeting and items 1–3.]

4. U.S. Policy in Mainland Southeast Asia (NSC 5809;²OCB Special Report on NSC 5809, dated February 10, 1960³)

Mr. Harr summarized the reference Special Report on the subject by the Operations Coordinating Board. He said we had now come to realize that in Cambodia Sihanouk was a much more astute politician and had much greater control over the country than when our policy on Southeast Asia was written. The operators now feel that we must direct our policy toward getting along with SIHANOUK, who has survived a number of attempts to unseat him. With respect to Laos, our problem used to be that of directing the country toward a pro-West orientation. Such orientation has now been accomplished. Laos seems to be firmly adhering to the West and to SEATO; it seems to have assumed an anti-Communist position. Laos had great confidence in the Western interest in SEATO, in the Western interest in defending Laos, and in the UN. Accordingly, Laos tends to think its fundamental problems are solved. Our task now is to prevent Laos from indulging in excesses which might provoke North Vietnamese intervention or alienate world sympathy. It is also necessary to try to provide more effective communication between the countryside and the capital city in Laos. For these reasons, the OCB had recommended that those parts of NSC 5809 dealing with Cambodia and Laos should be reviewed.

The National Security Council:⁴

a. Noted and discussed the reference Special Report on the subject by the Operations Coordinating Board.

b. Directed the NSC Planning Board to review NSC 5809, with particular reference to those parts which pertain to Cambodia and Laos.

Marion W. Boggs

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Drafted by Boggs on March 14.
2. Document 12.
3. included in the microfiche supplement. (Department of State, OCB Files: Lot 62 D 480, SEA 4)
4. Paragraphs a and b constitute NSC Action No. 2193, approved by President Eisenhower on March 15. (Department of State, S/S-NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, Records of Action by the National Security Council)