180. Memorandum of Conversation1
SUBJECT
- Southeast Asia and Viet-Nam
PARTICIPANTS
- Chancellor Ludwig Erhard
- President Lyndon B. Johnson
- Walt W. Rostow (intermittently)
- Hermann Kuesterer (German interpreter)
- Harry Obst (American interpreter)
The President brought up the subject of Indonesia.2 He outlined the situation there and the scope of American assistance and emphasized how much was at stake. What had happened there was a great victory for the West but had not been sufficiently publicized by the news media. One reason why the US government had not emphasized the success too much was that there had been some uncertainty if the improved situation was definitely there to stay. Because of this uncertainty it was extremely important for the Free World to assist in any way possible. This might tip the scale in their favor. The US would aid Indonesia to the tune of several hundred million dollars. He asked the Chancellor if the German government could find a way to help the Indonesian government through such measures as the sale of machine tools on favorable credit terms.
The Chancellor said he agreed that this was an important area. The attitude of the FRG toward Indonesia had changed since the disposal of Sukarno. He would see what he could do in this direction.
He assured the President of his great admiration for his handling of the crisis in Southeast Asia, that the President had gone to the limit of his possibilities unhesitatingly, which showed his great courage and firmness to support the cause of freedom all over the world and stem the Communist tide.
He emphasized that the results of the Vietnamese elections had been a very good thing.3 It had answered those critics that contended that the [Page 439] United States was defending South Viet-Nam against Communism against the will of the South Vietnamese.
The President said there were some hopeful signs in Southeast Asia. He mentioned the Manila Conference which he was going to attend.4 He said the solution of the Viet-Nam conflict would greatly enhance not only his own image and prestige but also that of the Chancellor who had been giving the American side his warm support.
The President then suggested that the talks be continued on the flight to Cape Kennedy and the communiqué issued later in the day.5
The Chancellor agreed.
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Germany, vol. 11. Confidential. Drafted by Obst and approved by Bromley Smith of the White House on December 2. The meeting was held at the White House. The source text is marked “Part 3 of 3.” Part 1 is Document 179. Part 2, dealing with educational exchanges, is not printed.↩
- Reference is to the suppression by the Indonesian army of a Communist-inspired coup.↩
- The elections were held September 11.↩
- October 24–25.↩
- Johnson and Erhard left the White House by helicopter at 2:24 p.m. for Andrews Air Force Base and then flew to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida where they arrived at 3:36 p.m. The President and Chancellor participated in a motorcade and tour of the space facility. They returned to Washington at 8:55 p.m. (Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary) For text of Johnson’s remarks at the Space Center, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966, Book II, pp. 1074–1077.↩