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

378. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow) to Secretary of State Rusk and Secretary of Defense McNamara¹

Washington, January 22, 1968.

SUBJECT

• Thai Troops for Viet Nam

The President accepts the case made in your recent memoranda² on the indicated subject that only combat-ready Thai forces be sent to Viet Nam.

It remains his objective, however, that the arrival in Viet Nam of the first additional Thai contingent be at the earliest possible date.

To this end he wishes to be assured:

1. That we are providing training equipment to Thailand on an accelerated schedule, so that there is no possibility whatsoever that equipment shortage could be a cause or an excuse for delay.

2. That we have exhausted every possibility of inducing the Thais to send a unit of men already trained for combat.

3. That we have set, in any case, clear target dates for the dispatch of these forces, firmly understood between ourselves and the Thais.

Walt

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 6 THAI. Secret.
2. Documents 375 and 377.