423. Memorandum From the President’s Military Representative’s Naval Aide (Bagley) to the Military Representative (Taylor)0

SUBJECT

  • Thailand and SEA
1.
In connection with the responsibilities of the new Special Group (CI),1 there are three papers given to you by Ambassador Young which are of interest:
  • Tab A— Defensibility of SEA and US commitments.2 This proposes increased regionalization of US policy and the establishment of an “Agri-metro” system of village strong points in NE Thailand. To offset the static nature of the village system, it envisages a leap frog strategy of hit and run operations and Communist territory based on the centers of strength in the “Agrimetro”. The main points made in this paper are underlined.
  • Tab B— Agrimetro Plan. This paper develops in detail the village plan. Each system would be a self-sustaining complex of villages around a rural strong point with the rural strong points hooked to one agrimetro center. Each such system would be provided with a mobile defense in depth commanded from the agrimetro center. (This is not unlike the Israeli system. An adaptation of this procedure is under joint study by Burma and Israel for placement in the Burma–China border area.)
  • Tab C—Outline Analysis of the Ambassador’s Memorandum to Sarit.3 This provides the essentials of a US-Thai counter-insurgency program including security and politico-economic measures. It includes the “Agrimetro” Plan.
2.
Related to these broad policy papers are the most recent US overtures towards Thailand to arrest their increasing unrest and discontent. These are contained in two telegrams:
  • Tab D— DepTel 1006 to Bangkok, 12 [16] Jan.4 Using the Bowen Economic Mission Report5 as base, suggests joint efforts to develop an economic development program in Thailand. Lists other actions the U.S. is prepared to take in the economic and social fields. (Whatever the reason, this action is long overdue. The immediate task is to assure the follow-up is prompt and is put in some sort of Country Plan context.)
  • Tab E— Bangkok Tel 998, 13 Jan.6 Text of letter from Amb. Young to Sarit. Outlines U.S. policy and purposes re Laos, and confirms the Amb’s planned meeting with Sarit in two weeks to discuss Thailand security and development. In para 6 of the text, there is further emphasis on the U.S. idea that use of Lao territory for interference in SVN and Thailand will be lessened by Soviet promise to respect a neutral Laos.
3.
The State Policy Planning Staff is commencing a study of ways and means to improve relations among the free nations of Asia. Special weight is being placed on a number of bi-lateral contacts and agreements rather than a regional approach. The study is just getting underway, but offers potential usefulness to the SEA problem if new angles are devised. I mention it because this type of work often gets lost at the action levels, after it is distributed by the Planning Staff, unless it gains high level interest.
WHB
  1. Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, Thailand (#1) 12, T-029-69. Secret.
  2. On January 18, 1962, the National Security Council issued NSAM No. 124, which established the Special Group (Counter-Insurgency) for the purpose of assuring unity of effort and the use of all available resources in preventing and resisting subversion, insurgency, and related forms of indirect aggression against friendly countries. The group was chaired by the President’s Military Representative, General Maxwell D. Taylor, and had as its other members Deputy Secretary of Defense Gilpatric, Director of CIA McCone, Administrator of AID Hamilton, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lemnitzer, Deputy Under Secretary of State Johnson, Director of USIA Murrow, and Special Assistant to the President Bundy. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, NSAM 124) A text of NSAM No. 124 is printed in United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 12, pp. 442–444.
  3. Neither Tab A nor Tab B was attached. Neither has been found.
  4. Apparent reference to the attachment to Document 412. See also footnote 1, Document 414.
  5. Not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, 892.00/1–1662)
  6. See Document 416.
  7. Not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/1–1362)