Policy Decisions and the McNamara and Clifford-Taylor Missions to South Vietnam June–August


282. Telegram From the Station in Saigon to the Central Intelligence Agency

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 14 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Most Sensitive. Carver forwarded the message to Read in an attached memorandum of the same day.


283. Notes of Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings. Top Secret; Eyes Only. The meeting was held in the White House.


284. Letter From President Johnson to Chief of State Nguyen Van Thieu and Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Head of State Correspondence File, Vol. I, Gen. Thieu & Ky. No classification marking.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted at the White House and approved by Francis J. Meehan of S/S.


287. Notes of Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File, Folder #4, 1/67–11/67. Top Secret. The notes were typed by Jones and sent to the President on August 19. According to a covering memorandum from Jones to the President, August 19, those present at the meeting were the President, Rusk, McNamara, Wheeler, Rostow, and Christian. The notation “L” on the covering memorandum indicates that the President saw these notes. Jones indicated that the meeting lasted from 8:35 to 9:55 p.m.; President Johnson’s diary indicates that it lasted from 8:45 to 9:50 p.m. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)


288. Memorandum for the 303 Committee

Source: National Security Council, Records of the 303 Committee, Vietnam 1965–1969. Secret; Eyes Only.


289. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the Station in Saigon

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 14 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Most Sensitive. An August 19 covering note from Carver to Read indicates that the telegram was sent via CAS channels, although no telegram number appears on the attached draft.


290. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27–14 VIET/PENNSYLVANIA. Top Secret; Flash; Nodis. Received at 6:49 a.m. Kissinger met with his contacts once in the morning and once in the evening on August 19.


291. Text of Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Memos to the President, Vol. II, 8/3–27/67. Confidential; Exdis. The telegram was retyped for the President; in an August 21 covering memorandum transmitting the retyped copy to the President, McPherson wrote: “It is a long but rather eloquent explanation of Vietnamese politics and of the Prime Minister’s attitude. It is a plea for understanding and tolerance. And it notes that the Vietnamese do not need ‘any lesson in honesty and patriotism from any quarter.’ It is clearly designed to meet Congressional criticisms. I thought you would like to read it. I assume the Senate and House will give it appropriate exposure.” The notation “L” on the covering memorandum indicates that the President saw the telegram. In his 17th weekly report to the President, Bunker noted that peace had become the major issue in the South Vietnamese Presidential campaign. (Telegram 3824 from Saigon, August 23; Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 8B(1) [A] Bunker’s Weekly Report to the President; printed in full in Pike, The Bunker Papers, pp. 128–137)


292. Memorandum of Conversation Between the Ambassador at Large (Harriman) and Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Special Files, Public Service, Chronological Files, August 1967 General. Personal and Top Secret; For Personal Files Only.


293. Memorandum for the Record

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, S–AH Files: Lot 71 D 461, Kissinger Project. Secret; Nodis. Prepared by Chester Cooper.


294. Notes of Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings. Top Secret; Eyes Only. The meeting was held in the White House.


295. Text of Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Memos to the President, Vol. II, 8/3–27/67. Secret; Exdis. No transmittal time is indicated. Repeated to CINCPAC. The text printed here was retyped for the President; in a covering note transmitting it to the President, August 26, Jorden wrote: “The attached cable from Ambassador Bunker reporting on his latest talk with Prime Minister Ky is of interest. The Prime Minister’s estimate of the Thieu-Ky vote is going down, but he is still confident of winning.”


297. Telegram From the Ambassador to Vietnam (Bunker) to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, White House Cables-Back Channels-Incoming, Outgoing. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Sent via CAS channels.


298. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Helms to President Johnson

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (Helms) Files, Job 80–B01285A, DCI (Helms) Chrono., Aug.–Dec. 1967, 01 Aug-31 Dec 1967. Secret; No Foreign Dissem. Drafted by P. Walsh with the concurrence of R.J. Smith, Deputy Director for Intelligence. Helms sent the paper to Rostow on August 30 with a covering note that reads: “This is the additional paper you requested last evening. Since it was entirely your initiative, I leave entirely to you whether or not you pass this on to the President.”


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Received at 11:58 a.m. and passed to the White House. In a covering note to the copy of the telegram sent to the President, August 31, Rostow wrote: “Herewith Ambassador Bunker looks backward and forward at the Vietnamese political process as we come down to the wire on the election.” (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 8B(1) [A], Bunker’s Weekly Report to the President) This telegram is printed in full in Pike, The Bunker Papers, pp. 138–146.


300. Memorandum From William J. Jorden of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) and the White House Press Spokesman (Christian)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Misc. Memos, Vol. 3B. Confidential.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 15 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Miller; cleared by Leonhart, Habib, Bundy, and representatives of USIA, AID, and DOD; and approved by Katzenbach. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD.


302. Memorandum From the Ambassador’s Special Assistant (Lansdale) to the Ambassador to Vietnam (Bunker)

Source: Center for Military History, Dep CORDS/MACV Files, Lansdale (1967–1968). Secret. Copies were sent to Locke, Westmoreland, Komer, Calhoun, Hart, and Jacobson.


304. Memorandum From William J. Jorden of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Misc. Memos, Vol. 3B. Secret.


305. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant (Jones) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File, Folder #4, 1/67–11/67. No classification marking. The notation “L” on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.