January 1964 to June 1964: U.S. Response to the Pathet Lao/North Vietnamese Offensives of February and May; U.S. Support for Souvanna Phouma During the April Coup; U.S. Photo Reconnaissance and the Retaliatory Attack of June
31. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. II, Memos, 4/16–4/30/64. Secret. There was no indication that the President saw this memorandum.
32. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Harriman) and Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff
Source: Library of Congress Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, Chronology of Telephone Conversations, April–May 1964. No classification marking.
33. Memorandum by the Central Intelligence Agency
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. II, Memos, 4/16/64–4/30/64. Secret; No Foreign Dissem. Drafted by the Office of Current Intelligence.
34. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 LAOS. Confidential. Drafted by Henry and approved in Rusk’s office on May 2. The time of the meeting was taken from Rusk’s Appointment Book. (Johnson Library) The source text indicates it was Part II of III. The meeting was held in Rusk’s office.
35. Summary Record of the 528th Meeting of the National Security Council
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Meetings, Vol. I, Tab 9. Top Secret.
36. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 LAOS. Secret; Flash; Limdis. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by Trueheart, cleared in draft by McNaughton and Forrestal, cleared in substance by Poats, and approved by William Bundy. Repeated to Bangkok for DEPCHJUSMAG and to CINCPAC for POLAD.
37. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 LAOS. Secret; Flash; Limdis. Drafted by Trueheart and William Bundy; cleared by McGeorge Bundy, McNaughton, and in substance by Rusk; and approved by William Bundy. Repeated to Bangkok, London, Paris, Saigon, and CINCPAC.
38. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense McNamara to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. II, Memos, 4/16/64–4/30/64. Top Secret.
39. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret; Immediate. Repeated to Bangkok, Saigon, and CINCPAC for POLAD. Passed to the White House, CIA, JCS, OSD, and USUN. Handled as Limdis at the instruction of S/S.
40. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Memos, Vol. II, 4/16/64–4/30/64. Top Secret.
41. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. II, Memos, 4/16/64–4/30/64. No classification marking.
42. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Harriman)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Memos, Vol. II, 4/16/64–4/30/64. Secret.
43. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80–B01285A, Meetings with the President, 1 Apr-31 May, 1964. Secret. Drafted by Colby on April 30.
44. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. II, 4/16/64–4/30/64. Secret.
45. Summary Record of the 531st National Security Council Meeting
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Meetings, Vol. 2, Tab 3. Top Secret.
46. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80–B01285A, Meetings with the President, 1 Apr-31 May 64. Secret. Drafted by Colby on May 6.
47. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27–14 LAOS. Top Secret; Priority; Limdis. Repeated to Bangkok, CINCPAC for POLAD, and Saigon.
48. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret; Flash. Repeated Immediate to Bangkok, London, Paris, Saigon, and CINCPAC. Received at the Department of State at 2:34 a.m., May 17. Passed to the White House, OSD, JCS, and CIA at 3:36 a.m.
49. Special Report of the U.S. Intelligence Board’s Watch Committee
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. IV, Memos, 5/17/64–5/20/64. Secret. This report was a result of a special meeting of the Watch Committee held at 3 p.m. on May 17 and was transmitted to members of the U.S. Intelligence Board under cover of a memorandum from Frank J. Benny, Director of the National Indications Center at the Pentagon, on May 17.
50. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Flash. Drafted and approved by William Bundy; cleared by McNamara, McNaughton, Harriman, Rusk, and the White House per McNamara. Also sent Flash to Bangkok and Immediate to Saigon. Repeated Immediate to Paris, London, Canberra, Wellington, Karachi, Manila, New Delhi, Ottawa, Warsaw, Moscow, and CINCPAC.
51. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the Under Secretary of State (Ball) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Johnson Library, Ball Papers, Telephone Conversations, Vietnam. No classification marking.
52. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Harriman) and the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Library of Congress Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Chronology, Telephone Conversations, April–May 1964. Transcribed in Harriman’s office.
53. Memorandum for the Record
Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, Chairman’s Staff Group, Box 25. Secret; Eyes Only. Prepared by W.Y. Smith.
54. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret; Flash.
55. Memorandum by the Chief, Far Eastern Division, Directorate for Plans (Colby) and the Assistant Deputy Director for Policy Support, Directorate for Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency (Cooper)
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80–B01285A, Vietnam, May, 1964. Secret.
56. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Immediate. Repeated to Bangkok,CINCPAC for POLAD, London, Paris, New Delhi, Canberra, Moscow, and Phnom Penh and pouched to Ottawa.
57. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Green) to the Assistant Secretary (Bundy)
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, Special Papers, Apr/June 1964. Secret.
58. Memorandum From the Deputy Director for Plans, Central Intelligence Agency (Helms) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. V, Memos, 5/21/64–5/31/64. Secret. Also sent to Taylor, William Bundy, McNaughton, and Clay.
59. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Immediate. Repeated to Bangkok,CINCPAC, London, and Paris. Received at the Department of State at 8:17 a.m., May 24 and passed to the White House, JCS, OSD, CIA, and USUN at 4:30 p.m.
60. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to the Executive Committee of the National Security Council
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, Special Papers, Apr/June 1964. Top Secret.