257. Editorial Note

From 1:27 to 3 p.m. on December 17, 1968, the President met with Clifford, Rusk, Moorer, and Christian at a Tuesday Luncheon Meeting. (Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary) The topics of discussion included the return of the crew of the captured ship Pueblo and Vietnam. Christian’s notes of this meeting read:

“The President: What’s happening in Vietnam?

Admiral Moorer: The 2d NVA Division is active—but not much special happening.

“Secretary Rusk: Do we want to warn Hanoi on the consequences of an attack on Saigon?

“The President: Yes, we ought to tell them to give these talks a chance to succeed. After we’ve stopped the bombing all this time and they hit Saigon, what kind of people are we if we Don’t respond?

“Secretary Clifford: If they’ve made a policy decision to hit Saigon, then that says the deal’s off. That’s why we ought to tell Hanoi and Moscow. They ought to know before they take this course.

“The President: Dean, get that off to them. Don’t threaten—be diplomatic.” (Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File, 7/68-12/68)

Bundy reviewed this meeting’s Vietnam-related discussion topics in a December 17 memorandum to Rusk. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, S/S-S Files: Lot 74 D 164, Secretary-President Luncheon (2))

In a telephone conversation with Secretary Rusk later that evening, the President commented on the related issue of compelling GVN attendance at the Paris negotiations:

“Well, I didn’t open my mouth today, if you’ll observe. I think that we ought to quit—I honestly think that we Don’t get anything by baiting the South Vietnamese. I think that what the Communists would like for us to do is to be at war with our allies, and that’s the shape we’re getting in if we’re not careful. That’s my own judgment. I didn’t want to get into it. I just didn’t feel like getting into a discussion of it, and I didn’t. I think we’ve just got a few days and I don’t believe we’ll do any wonders in those few days one way or another. But I would—I don’t want [sic] to avoid getting into a fight with them if we can help it.” (Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of Telephone Conversation Between Johnson and Rusk, December 17, 1968, 5:26 p.m., Tape F6812.02, PNO 11)