161. Editorial Note
On October 7, 1965, from 12:45 to 1:50 p.m., President Johnson met with Secretary of Defense McNamara, Acting Secretary of State Ball, and McGeorge Bundy. Bundy left the meeting at 1:20 and Ball left at 1:30 p.m. (Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary) No other record of this meeting has been found, except an agenda that lists Vietnam as one of four items to be discussed. Under Vietnam are three sub-topics: “1. Rolling Thunder, 2. New voluntary organization, 3. Domestic debate.” (Ibid., National Security File, Memos to the President, McGeorge Bundy, Vol. XV)
According to a memorandum from William Bundy to Ball, October 7, the Department of Defense informed the Department of State that Rolling Thunder was not to be a topic for discussion at the October 7 meeting with the President. (Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 72 D 219, Rolling Thunder—1965) The reference to a new voluntary organization is apparently to efforts by Dr. Howard Rusk to extend voluntary medical services and personnel to South Vietnam’s war victims and veterans. An October 6 memorandum from McGeorge Bundy to the President, describing Howard Rusk’s recommendations and containing a note that it was to be “Put on the Pres’s desk,” is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, McGeorge Bundy, Vol. XV. In an October 7 memorandum to Chester Cooper, William Jorden previewed the upcoming demonstrations of October 15-16 in the United States and abroad against the Vietnam war and discussed the composition of the protest movement within the United States. (Ibid., Country File, Vietnam, Vol. XL, Memos (A))