318. Editorial Note
During a press conference from 4:37 to 5:24 p.m. on July 31, 1968, President Johnson fielded questions relating to Vietnam. The President denied an assertion that as a result of the Honolulu Conference his Vietnam policy had changed to where he now required a formal commitment from North Vietnam before ordering a bombing cessation. He countered that over 30,000 North Vietnamese troops had infiltrated southward during the month of July. “There is, therefore, evidence that a massive enemy effort is underway to re-equip—the President has this evidence where he can see it—and to retrain for massive attacks upon South Vietnam and particularly on certain specified major cities,” he proclaimed. He noted his determination not to stop the bombing under such conditions. For full text of the statement, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968–69, Book II, pages 856–865.