Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume III, Vietnam, June–December 1965

218. Personal Notes of Meeting¹

Washington, December 6, 1965, 3 p.m.

PARTICIPANTS

• Rusk, McNamara, Ball, Vance, UA Johnson, McNaughton, WPB, Wheeler, Raborn, Clifford, McG. B.

Rusk and McNamara state the current military program. Chiefs concur.

A. Scenario

A. Political and Social Action Program

Clifford wonders where the Hell we are going—further & further in with no prospect of a return. Kind of war Mao Tse-tung would fight. But we must do the job—he is sure of that. Can’t we use Air Power & hold in defensive positions on ground. Without 600,000 ground troops in jungle war. Clifford remembers Korea. Can we get to the same limited goal by less costly means.

DR: retrospectively perhaps we should have done much more in 1961—maybe 200,000 men to cool ’em off quick.

Wheeler: We have got a real initiative. No one ever won anything by remaining on defensive. We already are pouring air on in SVN—a quantum jump in air power.

DR: US people will do what has to be done if they are sure that everything possible is being done.

Increasing non-military actions.

1. model provinces

2. education

3. health

4. civic action

5. progress toward elections

6. Private Foundation

Sargent Shriver to be deputy for Peace [of a] Southeast Asia Peace Agency.

Clifford’s negative argument: 1. admit you’re wrong. 2. they put you in a box if you ever resume.

Wheeler: any substantial pause will allow them to repair & move. We’ve paid price once in planes & pilots; we’ll have to pay it again; violent reaction is possible in our own public; the other side will get the wrong signal. Once you stop it’s hard to start again & you could shake GVN to its toenails.

If we increase the bombing in the North, we could argue for it now. The world is happier because of it.

Clifford: try & get the benefit of Pause without Pausing. This is the time to negotiate: an all out effort with some indication that it is a last minute effort.

1. Source: Johnson Library, Papers of McGeorge Bundy, Notes for December 6, 1965. No classification marking. These notes were handwritten by Bundy for his personal use. The meeting was held in Rusk’s conference room at the Department of State.