Korea
181. Memorandum From Cyrus R. Vance to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea—Pueblo Incident, Vance Mission to Korea (B), February 9 to 15, 1968. Top Secret. Forwarded to the President under a February 21 covering memorandum from Rostow that indicates that the President saw the report. Vance prepared a second version of this report, virtually identical to the first, except it was written in the third person and included numerous supporting documents, for dissemination to Rusk, McNamara, Clifford, Katzenbach, Nitze, Wheeler, and a select group of staff members working on Korea. A copy of that report with attachments was requested by and given to President Johnson. (Ibid., Vance Mission to Korea (A), February 9 to 15, 1968) a precis of the report was prepared for Senator J. William Fulbright, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in response to his request for information about the Vance mission. (Letter from William B. Macomber, Jr., to Fulbright, March 4, 1968; National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 7 US/VANCE)
182. Letter From the Ambassador to Korea (Porter) to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, Ambassadors’ Private Correspondence, 1967–1968. Secret. Attached to a March 4 memorandum from Bundy to Rusk, indicating Bundy sent a copy to Katzenbach, Berger, Brown, and the Korea Country Director.
183. Telegram From the Commander of United States Forces, Korea (Bonesteel) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Cables, Vol. V. Confidential; Eyes Only. Repeated to Wheeler and to CINCUSARPAC, Hawaii. Passed by Wheeler to Rostow, Clifford, Rusk, and to each of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
184. Memorandum to Holders of Special National Intelligence Estimate Number 14.2–67
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, National Security Council History, Pueblo Crisis, 1968, Vol. XI, Background Documents. Secret; Controlled Dissem. According to a note on the cover sheet, the Central Intelligence Agency, the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State and Defense, and the National Security Agency participated in the preparation of this estimate. All members of the USIB concurred with this estimate on February 29 except the representatives of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who abstained because the subject was outside their jurisdiction.
185. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State (Katzenbach) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Memos, Vol. VI. Secret; Nodis. The report was forwarded to the President under a March 7 covering memorandum from Rostow that indicates that the President saw the memorandum.
186. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27–3 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Repeated to CINCPAC. A typed copy of the telegram was forwarded to President Johnson with a March 9 memorandum from Rostow. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Memos, Vol. V) With reference to discussing the matter with Pak, President Johnson penned at the bottom of Rostow’s memorandum, “Why not meet him in Korea—LBJ”.
187. Information Memorandum From the Chairman of the Korean Task Force (Brown) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Fleck and cleared by Steadman (DOD). Copies were sent to Katzenbach, William Bundy, and Habib.
188. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27–3 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Exdis.
190. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson in Texas
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, International Meetings and Travel [Meeting with Park], April 1968. Secret.
191. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Cables, Vol. VI. Top Secret; Specat Exclusive; Immediate. Repeated to the Department of State for William Bundy. Rostow added a handwritten note at the top of this telegram that reads: “Mr. President: This Porter cable suggests why it may be useful to meet Park tonight. Bill Bundy strongly recommends. Courtesy may make it easier to be tough on the new demands and the light division.” The President went to the airport to greet Pak upon his arrival in Honolulu the evening of April 16. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)
192. Talking points for President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, International Meetings and Travel, [Meeting with Park], April 1968. Secret. The paper indicates the President saw it.
193. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp)
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, DEF 1 KOR S. Secret; Immediate; Specat. Repeated to the Department of State for Bundy, which is the source text.
194. Summary of Conversations Between President Johnson and President Pak
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Memos, Vol. VI. Top Secret; Nodis. The two Presidents met in the Library of Kaiser Estate, Koko Head, Honolulu. Prepared by Read from a lengthy memorandum of conversation. (Memorandum from Read to Rostow, April 29, and memorandum of conversation; both ibid.) This summary was forwarded by Rostow to the President, who reviewed and corrected the text; see footnotes 2 and 3 below. Pak also met with Vance and Wheeler in Honolulu April 17 1:15–4:15 p.m. The focus of their discussion was the situation in Vietnam and the need for additional Korean troops there. (Memorandum of conversation; ibid.)
195. Intelligence Information Cable From the Central Intelligence Agency
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Cables, Vol. VI. Secret; Priority; No Foreign Dissem; Controlled Dissem; No Dissem Abroad; Background Use Only.
196. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Memos, Vol. VI. Confidential; Exdis. Attached to a May 2 memorandum from Rostow to the President that indicates that the President saw the telegram.
198. Action Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Memos, Vol. VI. No classification marking.
199. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 32–4 KOR. Secret; Limdis.
200. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, National Security Council History, Pueblo Crisis, 1968, Vol. XI, Background Documents. Secret; Controlled Dissem. According to a note on the cover sheet, the Central Intelligence Agency, the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State and Defense, and the National Security Agency participated in the preparation of this estimate. All members of the USIB concurred on May 16 except the representatives of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who abstained because the subject was outside their jurisdiction.
201. Paper Prepared by the Policy Planning Council of the Department of State
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Senior Interdepartmental Group Files: Lot 70 D 263. Secret. According to the preface, the study originated from a recommendation made by Vance after his trip to Seoul in February. The Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Joint Staff, the CIA,AID, and the Bureau of the Budget contributed to the paper, although no agency was “in any way committed to the analysis and recommendations presented in the study.” SIG members were asked to review the study prior to a SIG meeting to discuss it. (Memorandum from Arthur A. Hartman to SIG members, June 26; ibid.) The paper was reviewed in the Department by the East Asian and Pacific Interdepartmental Regional Group (EAP/IRG), which discussed some of the problems inherent in the study on July 25, including the timing of several actions, funding of ROK forces, and potential withdrawal of U.S. forces from Korea. Minutes of the meeting, prepared on August 2, and a summary of IRG comments, prepared on August 6, are ibid. Jenkins sent Rostow the study and relevant documentation under cover of a September 16 memorandum prior to the September 19 SIG meeting. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, Senior Interdepartmental Group, Vol. 7, 43rd Meeting, September 19, 1968) The JCS reviewed the study and opposed its military components and recommendations in an August 21 memorandum to Clifford. (Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/OASD/ISA Files: FRC 91–0017, Korea 092 [Sensitive])
202. Information Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Cambodia 5E(3), November 1968 to January 1969. Secret.
203. Memorandum From the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Atomic Energy (Walske) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Nitze)
[Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/OASD/ISA Files: FRC 73 A 1304, Korea 471.61. Top Secret. 2 pages of source text not declassified.]
204. Report Prepared by the Department of State
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–7 KOR S. Secret. Attached to an August 14 memorandum from Read to Rostow that states the report was prepared in response to a request from the President. Rostow forwarded the report to the President by telegram. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Memos, Vol. VI)
205. Action Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Memos Vol. VI. Confidential.
206. Intelligence Note From the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Denney) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 32–4 KOR. Secret; No Foreign Dissem.
207. Intelligence Note From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hughes) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 23–7 KOR S. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Controlled Dissem.
208. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (McCain) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Memos, Vol. IV. Secret; Noforn; Eyes Only. Repeated to COMUSKOREA and DIA and forwarded by Wheeler’s office to Rostow, Rusk, and Helms.
209. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, DEF 19–8 US–KOR S. Secret; Limdis. Drafted by Bardach.
210. Action Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Korea, Vol. IV. Confidential.