Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXVIII, Laos

328. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, January 22, 1968.

I talked with Bill Sullivan on Saturday, January 20. He explained he thought we would be better off if the bombing [of North Vietnam] were stopped in May, rather than now, since in Laos that was the beginning of the rainy season which lasts until the autumn. The North Vietnamese trucks get bogged down in Laos during this period and the roads are unusable.

From Bill Sullivan’s standpoint, this idea has two values:

(1) It automatically contributes to taking “no advantage” in Laos.

(2) He is afraid if the bombing is stopped in the North during the dry season, there will be a marked increase in bombing in Laos. This might have adverse repercussions in our relations with Souvanna Phouma as well as make Souvanna’s position of “neutrality” more difficult with Soviets and others.

W. Averell Harriman ²

1. Source: Library of Congress Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, Sullivan, William H. Secret; Personal Files Only.
2. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.