The bombing pause; Assessment of the bombing program and U.S. troop requirements; Change of government in South Vietnam, May 10–June 12
288. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Flash; Nodis. The text was received from the White House and cleared by William Bundy and by the Secretary in substance.
289. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Flash; Nodis. No time of transmission is on the source text, but it was received in the Department of State at 11:45 a.m.
290. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Nodis. No time of transmission is on the source text, but it was received in the Department of State at 12:27 p.m. May 11. A copy in the Johnson Library is marked with an “L” indicating that the President saw it (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam,NODIS-LOR, Vol. II (A))
291. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, McGeorge Bundy, Vol. X. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Also sent to McNamara, Raborn, and William Bundy.
292. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 Viet S. Top Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by McGeorge Bundy, and approved by the Secretary.
293. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by McGeorge Bundy, and approved by the Secretary. Repeated to Saigon. The text of the message conveyed in the source text is also printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1965, pp. 868–869.
294. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by McGeorge Bundy, and approved by the Secretary. Repeated to Saigon.
295. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 70 A 1265, Vietnam 381. Top Secret; Limdis.
296. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, McGeorge Bundy, Vol. X. Top Secret.
297. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, NODIS-MAYFLOWER. Top Secret. The source text was transmitted to the White House on May 12 under cover of a memorandum from Executive Secretary Read to McGeorge Bundy, which noted that Stevenson had dictated the report of his conversation with U Thant to the Department by classified telephone.
298. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Repeated to London. No time of transmission is on the source text, but it was received in the Department of State at 10:35 p.m. on May 12.
299. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, NODIS-MAYFLOWER. No classification marking.
300. Paper Prepared by the Under Secretary of State (Ball)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Vol. XXXIV. Top Secret. The source text is undated but was circulated under a covering memorandum of May 13 to McNamara, McGeorge Bundy, and William Bundy for discussion at 11 a.m. on May 15. Shortly before that time Ball told President Johnson that he was meeting that day with McNamara, “Bundy,” and Acheson to discuss the plan. (Johnson Library, Papers of George Ball, Vietnam I) No record of a discussion of this plan on May 15 has been found, but see Document 304 for the discussion of the plan at the White House on May 16. Regarding the background on the plan, see Document 287.
301. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, EA/ACA Files: Lot 69 D 412, Project Mayflower. Secret; Nodis; Repeated to London. No time of transmission is indicated on the source text, but it was received in the Department of State at 2:05 p.m.
302. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, EA/ACA Files: Lot 69 D 412, Project Mayflower. Secret; Immediate;Nodis. Repeated to Vienna. No time of transmission is indicated on the source text, but it was received in the Department of State on May 14.
303. Telegram From Secretary of State Rusk to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, EA/ACA Files: Lot 69 D 412, Project Mayflower. Secret; Immediate;Nodis. Repeated to Moscow. No time of transmission is indicated on the source text, but it was received in the Department of State at 1:18 p.m.
304. Notes of a Meeting
Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File. No classification marking. The notes were taken by Valenti and transcribed later. The meeting was held in the President’s office.
305. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S/MAYFLOWER. Top Secret; Flash; Exdis; Mayflower. Drafted by Unger and approved by William Bundy and Rusk.
306. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler) to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 70 A 1265, Vietnam 381. Top Secret. A note on the source text reads: “Sec Def has seen.”
307. Letter From Clark M. Clifford to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC History of the Deployment of Major U.S. Forces to Vietnam. No classification marking.
308. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Vietnam Negotiating Files: Lot 69 D 412, Mai Van Bo 1965. Secret; Priority; Noforn.
309. Paper Prepared by the Ambassador to Vietnam (Taylor) and the Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam (Johnson)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27–14 VIET S. Top Secret. For background information on this paper, see Document 287.
310. Paper Prepared by the Ambassador to Vietnam (Taylor) and the Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam (Johnson)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27–14 VIET S. Top Secret. For background information on this paper, see Document 287.
312. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Policy Planning Council (Rostow) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Johnson Library, Rostow Papers, Southeast Asia. Secret. Copies were sent to Ball, Harriman, Thompson, William Bundy, Unger, and circulated to interested members of the S/P staff.
313. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Confidential. Repeated to Saigon and Moscow.
314. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Nodis. No time of transmission is indicated on the source text, but it was received in the Department at 10:24 a.m., and passed to the White House and to the Department of Defense, exclusive for McNamara.
315. Memorandum From Chester L. Cooper of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Vol. XXXIV. Top Secret.
316. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to the Under Secretary of State (Ball)
Source: Department of State, EA/ACA Files: Lot 69 D 412, Vietnam Negotiations, Seaborn. Top Secret.
317. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27–14 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by Unger and Thompson, and approved by Ball and Rusk. Repeated to Ottawa.