Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXX, China

188. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson¹

Washington, September 20, 1966, 2:30 p.m.

Mr. President:

This is another in the China series.²

It is a recap of the Red Guards operation that makes clear the object of the exercise is an assault on the Communist Party apparatus.

What is not clear is whether the object is to yield a purged Communist Party or a kind of military takeover.

I cannot help believing that this wild trouble in China may make it easier for Hanoi to get out of the war.

Walt

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, China, Vol. VII. Confidential. A handwritten “L” on the source text indicates that it was seen by the President.
2. A retyped copy of telegram 1988 from Hong Kong, September 19, on the subject “Red Guards and Party Purge,” is attached. A copy of the telegram, September 17, is in Department of State, Central Files, POL 13–2 CHICOM.