225. Editorial Note
The meeting to discuss Viet-Nam with the President, scheduled for November 7, 1961, was apparently postponed. No record has been found of such a meeting on that date, and the Kennedy Log Book, as well as the Taylor and Lemnitzer Appointment Books, show no record of such a meeting. The reason for the apparent postponement has not been determined, but may have been due to the President’s heavy schedule of activities during the visit of Prime Minister Nehru.
The meeting was rescheduled for November 8, 1961, but that too was postponed. According to a memorandum of a telephone conversation between Rusk and McGeorge Bundy at 10:50 a.m. on November 8:
“B returned the call and the Sec said he spoke to the Pres about postponing the meeting today at 5 until later. He would like to shoot for the same time tomorrow. The Sec thinks those working on it have too simplified a view. B said McNamara said that. The Pres would rather wait until the Sec is ready. The Sec will stay with it and will alert B.
“Re the press conf-if asked about Taylor B thinks the Pres should say the report is still being studied and resist questions. The Sec said right and mentioned he would be over for lunch.” (Department of State, Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192, Telephone Calls)
Later that afternoon, at 3:40 p.m., Rusk called U. Alexis Johnson and asked him to inform McNamara and Taylor that there would be no meeting that afternoon. Thirty minutes later McNamara called Rusk and the following conversation took place:
“M asked when the Sec thinks we will have the meeting on South Vietnam. The Sec said it is a question of getting thoughts here and recommendations-it is more complicated than he supposed. He hopes tomorrow-will be in touch-we are trying to weave some political factors in but it is complicated.” (Ibid.)