Political instability within South Vietnam; U.S. retaliatory air strikes against North Vietnam January 1–February 11
61. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Johnson Library, John McCone Memoranda of Meetings with the President. Secret; Eyes Only. Dictated by McCone and transcribed in his office. The meeting began at 3:25 p.m. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)
62. Telegram From Director of Central Intelligence McCone to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy), at Saigon
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, International Meetings and Travel File, McGeorge Bundy—Saigon, Vol. I. Secret. The date and time stamped on the source text are February 4, 11:13 a.m., which is apparently the time of reception in Saigon. This would make the time of transmission in Washington in the late evening, February 3.
63. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files: FRC 68 A 5612, Org 7 Visits. Secret. Drafted by Manfull. According to Taylor’s diary he had a private meeting with Bundy at 9 a.m., and the general meeting began at 9:30 a.m. (National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-274–69)
64. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, International Meetings and Travel File, McGeorge Bundy—Saigon, Vol. I. Secret.
66. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to Director of Central Intelligence McCone
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, International Meetings and Travel File, McGeorge Bundy—Saigon, Vol. I. Top Secret; Immediate; Nodis. The source text bears the handwritten notation: “Seen WP Bundy 2/5.” Attached to the source text is another copy of the telegram forwarded by McCone to the White House for Bromley Smith’s attention. A stamped date and time on this copy indicates that it was received at the White House at 4:07 p.m. on February 4.
67. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Received in the Department of State at 6:51 a.m.
68. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Repeated to DOD, the White House,CIA, and CINCPAC for POLAD. Received in the Department of State at 7:32 a.m.
69. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Department of State, INR/EAP Files: Lot 90 D 165, SNIE 53–65. Secret; Limited Distribution. The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of AEC, NSA, and the Departments of State and Defense participated in the preparation of this estimate. The estimate was submitted by the Director of Central Intelligence and concurred in by all members of the U.S. Intelligence Board, except the Assistant Director of the FBI, who abstained because the subject was outside his jurisdiction.
70. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Drafted by Green, cleared by Richard Davis (EUR), and approved by William Bundy.
71. Telegram From the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council (Smith) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy), at Saigon
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, International Meetings and Travel File, McGeorge Bundy—Saigon, Vol. I. Top Secret. Repeated to the CIA for McCone. The date and time stamped on the source text indicate that it was received in Saigon on the morning of February 5, although the hour is illegible.
72. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, International Meetings and Travel File, McGeorge Bundy—Saigon, Vol. I. Top Secret; Exdis. The source text indicates the conversation was conducted over a secure line. The conversation apparently took place at about 8 p.m. Washington time, or 9 a.m. February 5 Saigon time, and was tape recorded at the National Military Communication Center. A draft transcript made at the NMCC is in Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S.
73. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD.
75. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 1–1 VIET S. Secret. A note on the source text indicates that a copy was passed to the White House at 10:05 a.m.
76. Summary Notes of the 545th Meeting of the National Security Council
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Meetings File, Vol. 3. Top Secret; Sensitive; For the President Only. Prepared by Bromley Smith. The concluding time of the meeting is from the president’s Daily Diary. (Ibid.) For other records of this meeting, see Document 77 and Johnson, The Vantage Point, pp. 124–125.
77. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Johnson Library, John McCone Memoranda of Meetings with the President. Secret. Prepared by Colby on February 7. The time of the meeting is from the President’s Daily Diary at the Johnson Library. The meeting was the 545th meeting of the NSC. For another record of this meeting, see Document 76.
78. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 71 A 6489, Viet 381. Secret. Prepared by Vance.
79. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Priority; Nodis; Eyes Only. Received in the Department of State at 3:13 a.m.
80. Summary Notes of the 546th Meeting of the National Security Council
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Meetings File, Vol. III. Top Secret; Sensitive; For the President Only. Prepared by Bromley Smith. For another record of this meeting, see Document 81
81. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Johnson Library, John McCone Memoranda of Meetings with the President. Secret. Prepared by Colby. For another record of this meeting, see Document 80.
82. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Exdis. Drafted, approved, and initialed by Thompson.
84. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, International Meetings and Travel File, McGeorge Bundy—Saigon, Vol. II. top Secret. Bundy met with the President from 10:48 to 11:25 p.m. on February 7. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary) At a press briefing at the White House the following day, Press Secretary George Reedy said that Bundy had met with the President about 11 p.m. the previous evening, but “there were no substantive conversations, he merely left with the President a few written notes, a few papers for night reading.” (Ibid., National Security File, International Meetings and Travel File, McGeorge Bundy—Saigon, Vol. II) This memorandum and annex were presumably among the papers left with the President.
85. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Flash; Nodis. Received in the Department of State at 10:22 p.m. on February 7.
86. Memorandum of Meeting
Source: Johnson Library, NSC Meetings File, Vol. III. Top Secret.
87. Summary Notes of the 547th Meeting of the National Security Council
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Meetings File, Vol. III. Top Secret; Sensitive; For the President Only. The meeting lasted until 11:35 a.m. (Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary) For another record of the same meeting, see Document 88.
88. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80 BO 1285, Meetings with President, 1 Feb-30 Apr 65. Secret; Eyes Only. Dictated by McCone and transcribed in his office.
89. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Tyler) to Acting Secretary of State Ball
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Confidential. Drafted by David H. Henry of the Office of Soviet Union Affairs.
90. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hughes) to Acting Secretary of State Ball
Source: Department of State, Ball Papers: Lot 74 D 272, Vietnam (Misc) I. Top Secret; Limit Distribution. The date is handwritten on the source text.