XI. U.S. Efforts To Strengthen the Government of South Vietnam, September 11–October 31
346. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to Bangkok, Vientiane, CINCPAC, and the Department of Defense. Also printed in Pentagon Papers: Gravel Edition, vol. 111, pp. 566–568.
348. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Flash. Repeated to CIA, the Department of Defense, the White House, and CINCPAC. The time of transmission is presumably midnight, September 12/13, because the cable was received at 12:52 p.m., September 13.
349. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by William Bundy and cleared in substance by Rusk and the White House. Repeated to CIA, the Department of Defense, the White House, and CINCPAC. According to a memorandum from McGeorge Bundy to the President, September 14, this telegram was approved at a 1 p.m. meeting at the White House attended by the President, Rusk, McNamara, McCone, Wheeler, and McGeorge Bundy. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Aides File, McGeorge Bundy, Memos to the President) Also published in Declassified Documents, 1979, 94E.
350. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Flash. Repeated to the White House, the Department of Defense, CIA, and CINCPAC for POLAD. Received at 5:26 p.m. Also published in Declassified Documents, 1971, 94F. The Department of State file copy is apparently in error in giving the time of transmission as 2 a.m.
351. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Westmoreland) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 319, HQDA Message Center, Reel 11925. Secret; Flash. Passed by the ICS to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the White House, and the Department of State. Also passed by other means to the Embassy in Saigon. Received in the National Military Communications Center at 3:30 p.m., September 13. No time or date of transmission appears on the source text.
352. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Also sent to CIA, the Department of Defense, and the White House and repeated to CINCPAC. Also published in Declassified Documents 1979, 95B. Taylor arrived back in Saigon at 7 a.m. on September 14.
353. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to the Department of Defense and CINCPAC.
354. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 VIET S. Top Secret, Immediate; Exdis. Also sent to CIA, Department of Defense, and the White House and repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD. According to another copy, this telegram was drafted by Taylor. (Ibid., Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 68 F 8)
355. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Also sent to CIA. the Department of Defense. and the White House and repeated to CINCPAC.
356. Memorandum for the Record by the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Aides File, McGeorge Bundy, Memos to the President. Top Secret. Also published in Declassified Documents, 1978, 129C.
357. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Policy Planning Council (Rostow) to the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State, S/P Files: Lot 70 D 199, Southeast Asia. Top Secret. The source text, which was initialed by Rostow, bears the handwritten notation “S[ecretary] saw 9/28/64.” Copies were sent to William Bundy, Forrestal, Hughes, and Thompson.
358. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Hue and CINCPAC.
359. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 13 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Repeated to CINCPAC. A copy of this telegram was sent to the President under cover of a memorandum from McGeorge Bundy, September 24. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Aides File, McGeorge Bundy, Memos to the President)
360. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 VIET S. Secret: Limdis. Repeated to Hue and CINCPAC.
361. Paper Prepared in the Department of Defense
Source: Department of State, NSC Files: Lot 70 D 265, NSC Mtg 9/25/64. Top Secret. Drafted by McNaughton. Another draft of this paper, which is the same except for minor wording changes, is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country File, Vol. XV111, Memos. Attached to the source text is a note to the Office of the Secretary of State stating that the paper was intended for a meeting with Rusk, McNamara, Ball, and others at 11 a.m., September 25. Also attached to the source text is a memorandum from Forrestal to McNaughton, September 24, which reviewed the same points, and a 2-page draft telegram to Vientiane instructing that the cross-border strikes be carried out as soon as possible.
362. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Top Secret; Exdis. Drafted in S/VN, cleared by AID, CIA, DOD/ISA, JCS, USIA, and FE/SEA; and approved by Forrestal. Repeated to CINCPAC.
363. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to the President
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country File, Vol. XVIII. Top Secret; Eyes Only. A note on the source text reads: “For delivery to the President at the LBJ Ranch tonight.”
364. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Forrestal and cleared with William Bundy.
365. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. According to another copy, this telegram was drafted by Taylor. (Ibid., Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 68 F 8)
366. Message From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Taylor) to the President
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Nodis. Transmitted as telegram 1000 from Saigon, which is the source text. According to another copy of telegram 1000, it was drafted by Taylor. (Ibid., Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 68 F 8)
367. Memorandum From the Secretary of State’s Special Assistant (Forrestal) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country File, Vol. XV111, Memos. Secret and Personal.
368. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Department of State, INR-NIE Files. Secret; Controlled Dissemination; Limited Distribution. Prepared by the Director of Central Intelligence and concurred in by the Directors of INR, DIA, and NSA. Also published in Declassified Documents, 1976, 229C.
369. Minutes of a Meeting, White House
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Aides File, McGeorge Bundy, Memos to the President. Top Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Bundy on October 6.
371. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Also sent to CIA, the Department of Defense, and the White House and repeated to CINCPAC. According to another copy, this telegram was drafted by Taylor. (Ibid., Saigon Embassy files: Lot 68 F 8)
372. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Drafted by Forrestal, cleared with William and McGeorge Bundy, and approved by Secretary Rusk. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD. An undated draft of this cable with different wording is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country File, Vol. XXV111, Cables.
373. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Also sent to CIA, the Department of Defense, and the White House and repeated to CINCPAC.
374. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to Bangkok, Vientiane, and CINCPAC. According to another copy, this telegram was drafted by Johnson. (Ibid., Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 68 F 8) Also printed in Pentagon Papers: Gravel Edition, vol. III, pp. 578–579.
375. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Confidential; Limdis. Repeated to CINCPAC.