V. The Second McNamara-Taylor Mission To Vietnam And Planning Discussions, May 8–26


147. Memorandum of a Meeting

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 69 A 926, 333 Vietnam. Top Secret; Sensitive. The source text is Enclosure A to an undated memorandum from McNamara to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of DIA.


148. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Ambassador in Vietnam (Lodge) and the Secretary of State’s Special Assistant for Vietnam (Sullivan)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country Series, Vol. IX, Memos. Top Secret. Drafted by Sullivan on May 14. Copies were sent to Rusk, Ball, McGeorge Bundy, McNamara. McCone, and William Bundy.


149. Memorandum of a Meeting

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 69 A 926, Vietnam 333. Top Secret; Sensitive. The source text is Enclosure B to an undated memorandum from McNamara to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of DIA.


150. Memorandum of a Meeting

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers. Top Secret; Sensitive. The source text is Enclosure C to an undated memorandum from McNamara to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of DIA.


151. Memorandum of a Meeting

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 69 A 926, Vietnam 333. Top Secret; Sensitive. The source text Enclosure D to an undated memorandum from McNamara to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of DIA.


152. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Exdis.


153. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Exdis.


154. Notes Prepared by the Secretary of Defense (McNamara)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, McNamara Files: FRC 71 A 4370, South Vietnam-Statements and Supporting Papers. Secret. According to the President’s Daily Diary of May 14, Johnson met with McNamara, Taylor, McGeorge and William Bundy, Bell, and Colby from 10:40 a.m. to noon. Sullivan was not listed as a participant at the meeting. Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary)


155. Message From the President to the Ambassador in Vietnam (Lodge)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Sent as telegram 1942 to Saigon, which is the source text. The message was drafted in the White House and, according to a May 14 note from McGeorge to William Bundy, it was approved by the President and McNamara. Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country File, Vol. IX)


156. Summary Record of the 532d Meeting of the National Security Council

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Meetings, Vol. 11, Tab 4. Top Secret. Drafted by Bromley Smith. A list of attendees is ibid,. Memos to the President. McGeorge Bundy, Vol. 4.


157. Message From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Lodge) to the President

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Nodis. Transmitted as telegram 2212 from Saigon, which is the source text. Also published in Declassified Documents, 1982, 002002.


158. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Bundy Files, WPB Chron. Confidential.


159. Memorandum Prepared by the Directorate of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country File, Vol. IX. Secret. A covering memorandum from McCone, May 16, brought this memorandum to President Johnson’s attention. (Ibid., SEA Special Intelligence Material, Vol. I) Also published in Declassified Documents, 1976, 21C.

At 1:03 p.m., May 16, McCone called Rusk to discuss this memorandum:

“M said he thought the situation in Viet-Nam was much more serious than Bob’s report; we are trying to deal with it isolated from Cambodia, Laos and M thought the situation there was really serious. M said that was why he produced the paper this morning, the May 15 appraisal; he thought the Sec should read it; the Sec said he had not seen it. M said we are hanging on a thread of two people—Khanh and Phoumi. M said also the great emphasis was on the military and none on his building a government, which he did not have. Sec said he was working this week end on a long message from him to Lodge; probably President, McNamara and M would see before it went out.” (Department of State, Rusk Papers: Lot 72 D 172, Telephone Conversations)

For McNamara’s report, see Document 154


160. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) 8 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Drafted by Stoneman, cleared in substance by Bell and in draft by Poats and Blouin, and approved by Sullivan.


161. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (McNamara)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 300, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 69 A 926, 092 North Vietnam. Top Secret; Sensitive. A summary version is printed in Pentagon Papers: Gravel Edition, vol. III, pp. 511–512.


162. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) 8 VIET S. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Sullivan, cleared in draft by Stoneman, and initialed by Rusk.


163. Memorandum From William Y. Smith of the National Security Council Staff to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Taylor)

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T–248–87. Top Secret. Drafted by Smith.


164. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Nodis.


165. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Nodis.


166. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret: Priority; Nodis. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by Sullivan, and approved by Rusk.


167. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to the President

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, Vol. IV. Top Secret. Also published in Declassified Documents, 1979, 473A.


168. Memorandum From the Secretary of State’s Special Assistant for Vietnam (Sullivan) to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Negotiating Files: Lot 69 D 412, Vietnam Negotiations, Seaborn. Top Secret.


169. Draft Congressional Resolution Prepared in the Department of State

Source: Department of State, S/S-NSC Files: Lot 70 D 265, NSC Meeting, May 5, 1964. Top Secret. According to a note on an agenda for the meeting on May 24 (see Document 172), this and other papers prepared for the meeting were “all working papers, no official standing.” (Executive Committee Meeting on Southeast Asia, May 24; Johnson Library, National Security File, Aides File, McGeorge Bundy, Meetings on SEA, Vol. 1)


170. Draft Memorandum for the President Prepared by the Secretary of State’s Special Assistant for Vietnam (Sullivan)

Source: Department of State, S/S-NSC Files: Lot 70 D 265, NSC Meeting, May 24, 1964. Top Secret.


171. Draft Memorandum for the President Prepared by the Department of Defense

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country File, Vol. X, Memos. Top Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text. Attachment A, “Possible SEATO Nation Contributions,” and Attachment B, “Major Forces Deployed and Alerted on D–12,” are not printed.


172. Summary Record of the National Security Council Executive Committee Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Aides File, McGeorge Bundy, Meetings on SEA, Vol. 1. Top Secret. Drafted by Bromley Smith.


173. Draft Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to the President

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Aides File, McGeorge Bundy, Luncheon with the President, Vol. I, Part 1. Top Secret Sensitive. Also published in Declassified Documents, 2979, 473B. Bundy sent this draft memorandum to Johnson under a covering memorandum with the explanation that it was his effort to put in one document both Rusk’s and McNamara’s thinking. He concluded: “There are several holes in this discussion, most notably on action in South Vietnam and on precise U. S. objectives, but there is more thinking on these topics than this particular paper shows.” (Johnson Library, National Security File, Special Meetings on SE Asia, Vol. I)


174. Special National Intelligence Estimate

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country File, Vol. X, Memos. Top Secret; Limited Distribution; Controlled Dissem. According to a note on the cover sheet, the CIA, the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State and Defense, and NSA participated in the preparation of this estimate. This estimate was submitted by the Director of Central Intelligence and concurred in by the U.S. Intelligence Board, with the Directors of INR, DIA, and NSA concurring and the representative of the AEC and the Assistant Director of the FBI abstaining on the grounds that the subject was outside their jurisdiction. Also published in Declassified Documents, 1978, 30A.


175. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 VIET S. Top Secret. Sent to the Office of the Secretary of Defense on receipt in the Department of State.