95. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson1

SUBJECT

  • Your meeting with Eugene Black at 1:30 p.m., September 30

BlackM wishes to report on his trip to Asia.2 I expect there will be three areas of particular interest to you: [Page 231]

1.
His experiences in Cambodia. The Black visit accomplished nothing. The Cambodians adhered to their stiff position regarding Communist use of Cambodian territory, and were uncompromising about the release of the LCU crew.3 However, it is Blackʼs feeling that the Cambodians are concerned at being left behind in economic development, and are now more disposed to cooperate with international programs than at anytime in the recent past.
2.
Japan. Japanese were surprisingly responsive to Blackʼs exhortation that they should do more in Southeast Asia. In fact, they virtually pledged to double their contribution to the Asian Development Bankʼs Special Fund. Black feels that it is certain that the Japanese will be extremely active in Southeast Asia. As he sees it, the question is whether their efforts can be folded into a healthy multilateral effort sponsored by the United States—or whether the Japanese will concentrate on bilateral programs aimed mainly at seeking shortrun commercial benefits.
3.
Mekong development. Black believes things are moving along well, and the nations of the area are generally committed to moving ahead both with the large projects and the smaller ones.

Black will leave with you a written report, which will include four recommendations. The first, and most important, is that the time is ripe for the Asians to organize themselves to handle aid from the United States and Japan as the Europeans organized themselves in the OECD to handle the Marshall Plan. You might question Black on how he sees the timing of such a development, that is, is it practical now or is this something for the next administration to pursue. Black will also recommend that our aid programs for Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and ultimately Cambodia, be placed under the umbrella of an international consortium looking to the development of the Mekong Basin.

The other two recommendations are that we press forward on the Special Fund and on the mainstream Pa Mong Dam, neither of which require any action on your part that is not already afoot.

W.W. Rostow 4
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, SEA Development Program, Vol. III (Black Comm) ADB. No classification marking.
  2. Black met with President Johnson from 12:47 to 1:22 p.m. on September 30. (Ibid., Presidentʼs Daily Diary) No memorandum of conversation has been found, but Blackʼs written report to the President, September 30, is ibid., National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, SEA Development Program, Vol. III (Black Comm) ADB. There is an indication on Blackʼs report that the President saw it.
  3. On July 17 the Cambodian Navy captured a U.S. Army landing craft that had strayed into Cambodian waters. President Johnson sent Black to try to release the 11 U.S. soldiers and 1 South Vietnamese policeman held as detainees; see Documents 244248.
  4. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.