Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXVII, Mainland Southeast Asia; Regional Affairs

276. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara¹

JCSM–529–64

Washington, June 18, 1964.

SUBJECT

• US-Thai Planning (U)

1. Reference is made to the Honolulu meeting of 1–2 June 1964² and to a Department of State message, State to Bangkok 2204, dated 4 June 1964, with respect to initiation of US-Thai bilateral military planning on contingencies of joint interest.³ Specifically, the message.

a. Directed the US Ambassador to Thailand to inform the Thai Prime Minister that the United States desires to consult urgently with the RTG regarding measures to be taken in the event of a communist drive toward the Mekong.

b. Suggested that the Thais send military planners immediately to Honolulu for consultation with CINCPAC.

2. In response to the above cited message, the US Ambassador to Thailand has advised the Secretary of State that the Thais are prepared to begin consultations whenever the United States is ready, and that they prefer such consultations take place in Bangkok.⁴

3. Early stages of bilateral planning should be carefully controlled. This requirement as well as the Thai desire to consult in Bangkok can be accommodated through the use of a small CINCPAC planning group in Bangkok. The objective of this planning group will be to consult with the Thais on concept, forces, and command relations. Accordingly, pursuant to a joint State-Defense message of 13 June 1964,⁵ CINCPAC has dispatched a small planning group to Bangkok. The CINCPAC senior planner will keep the Ambassador and Deputy COMUSMACTHAI informed of developments.

4. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have considered the procedures, scope, and content of possible bilateral US-Thai military planning against the background of a series of contingencies of joint interest. These contingencies range from insurgency in Thailand through the defense of Southeast Asia. As a result, they have determined that.

a. Current US unilateral and SEATO multilateral plans provide an adequate basis for bilateral planning with the Thais. The content of US unilateral plans will not be revealed; however, illustrations of possible US reaction may be drawn therefrom.

b. Planning on the US side should be accomplished by CINCPAC and appropriate subordinates in the manner of current unilateral and SEATO planning.

c. Scope and content of plans should include clear-cut provisions as to concept, force commitments, command relationships, US use of Thai facilities, and US logistic support of the Thais.

5. The Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that.

a. CINCPAC be authorized to conduct, on a continuing basis and within the framework of paragraphs 3 and 4 above, such bilateral US-Thai military planning as may be required; such planning to be finally reviewed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

b. A memorandum substantially as contained in the Appendix be forwarded to the Secretary of State.⁶

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

Maxwell D. Taylor ⁷
Chairman
Joint Chiefs of Staff

1. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 68 A 4023, Thailand 000.1—(092 Thailand), 1964. Top Secret.
2. See Document 273.
3. Not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, DEF 1 THAI–US)
4. As reported in telegram 2106 from Bangkok, June 8. (Ibid.)
5. Telegram 2276 to Bangkok, June 13. (Ibid.)
6. Attached, but not printed.
7. Printed from a copy that indicates Taylor signed the original.