November 1966–November 1968: Thai Combat Troops to South Vietnam; Review of U.S. Programs in Thailand; Renewed Concern About the Northeast; U.S.-Thai Election Planning


336. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand

Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 15–3 THAI–US. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Bundy, cleared in substance by William E. Lang, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, and approved by Rusk.


337. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 19 THAI–US. Secret; Exdis; No Distribution Outside Department.


338. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand

Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 19 THAI–US. Secret; Exdis; No Distribution Outside Department. Drafted by Bundy and Pickering and approved by Bundy.


339. Memorandum From the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury (Acheson) to the Under Secretary of State (Katzenbach)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, SOC 11–5 US–THAI. Secret.


340. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense McNamara to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 72 A 2468, Thailand 370. Secret. Attached to this memorandum was a memorandum to McNamara, January 13, from Assistant Secretary of State for Systems Analysis Enthoven who recommended that McNamara sign the memorandum to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.


341. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 15 THAI–US. Secret. Drafted by Bundy.


342. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. VI, Memos, 3/67–8/67. Confidential.


343. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) THAI. Confidential.


344. Report of the Thai Working Group to the East Asia and Pacific Interdepartmental Regional Group

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–1 THAI. Secret. This report was passed to the Australian and New Zealand Governments on May 13. In an attached memorandum to Rusk suggesting this action, also May 13, Bundy noted that, “This was regarded by all IRG members and by Ambassador Martin as a good report.” Bundy noted that by providing an “unaltered document originally designed for our internal use” the United States would be demonstrating its openness to the Australians and New Zealanders.


345. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Gaud)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) 10 THAI. Confidential. Drafted by Bundy.


346. Memorandum From the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Hoopes) to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 72 A 2468, Thailand 323.3. Secret.


347. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Katzenbach to President Johnson

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 7 THAI. Secret. There is no indication of a drafting officer on this memorandum. Pickering drafted a covering memorandum to Rusk recommending that he sign the memorandum to the President. King Bhumibol Adulyadej made a State visit to Washington, June 27–29.


348. Memorandum of Conversation Between President Johnson and the King of Thailand

[Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. VI, Memos, 3/67–8/67. Secret. 3 pages of source text not declassified.]


349. Memorandum From the Chief of Protocol of the Department of State (Symington) to President Johnson

[Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. VI, Memos, 3/67–8/67. Confidential. 3 pages of source text not declassified.]


351. Memorandum From the Deputy Director for Coordination (Trueheart) to the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hughes)

Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, Thailand, 1966–1967. Secret; Eyes Only. Also sent to Deputy Director George C. Denny, Jr. and Deputy Director for Research Allan Evans.


352. Letter From the Ambassador to Thailandʼs Special Assistant for Counterinsurgency (de Silva) to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, Ambassadorʼs Private Correspondence, 1967–1968. Secret; Official-Informal.


353. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File, Folder 4. Secret. On another copy of this memorandum there is note that it was sent to the President on September 14 at 8:45 a.m. (Ibid., National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Memos, 8/67–7/68)


354. Memorandum From the Ambassador-Designate to Thailand (Unger) to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret.


355. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret. Drafted by Spear.


356. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, Thailand, Lotus File, 1968–1969. Secret; Exdis.1


357. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL THAI–US. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Unger on September 19. Approved by the White House on September 23. For another account of this meeting, see Document 358.


358. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Assistant (Jones) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes Files, Folder 4. Top Secret.


359. Memorandum From Marshall Wright of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 5 D (2), Allies Troop Commitments and other Aid, 1967–1969. Secret; Exdis. A note by William Jorden on the source text indicates that he had read it.


360. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, Thailand 1966–1967. Secret. There was no drafting information on the source text.


361. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. VII, Memos, 8/67–7/68. Secret. The source text is a copy that was retyped in the White House. The Department of State copy, 1133Z, is not filed in the Central Files, but was sent to INR.


362. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. VII, Memos, 8/67–7/68. Secret. Drafted by Rostow. On October 4 Rusk sent the President a memorandum that included talking points, biographic sketches of Thanat and Pote, and a draft press release. (Department of State, Central Files, POL THAI–US) Clark Clifford had lunch with Pote Sarasin on October 5 and told him that there had been a significant drop in popular support for U.S. Vietnam policy, making the Thai troop contributions even more important. Pote stated that some in Thailand drew the opposite conclusion. Pote suggested that the President strongly urge Thanat to expedite Thai troop support. Clifford asked Bundy to pass the message to the President with his strong concurrence. (Memorandum from Bundy to Rostow, October 5; Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. VII, 8/67–7/68)


363. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Warnke) to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 72 A 2468, Thailand 370. Secret.


364. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD: FRC 72 A 2468. Secret. Drafted by Steadman. The meeting was held in McNamaraʼs office at the Pentagon.


365. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Steadman) to the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Warnke)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 71 A 4546, Thailand 320–333. Secret.1