September 19–November 27: Manila Conference; Debates Over Pacification and Stabilization of the War
269. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Meetings File, Manila Conference. Top Secret. McNamara noted on his copy of the memorandum that it was received at 8:50 a.m. on October 15 and that a copy was sent to the President. (Washington National Records Center, RG 330, McNamara Files: FRC 71 A 3470, SVN Trip, October 1966)
270. Memorandum From the Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs, Central Intelligence Agency (Carver) to Director of Central Intelligence Helms
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (Helms) Files, Job. 80–B01285A. Top Secret. Helms forwarded a copy of the memorandum to McNamara under cover of an October 16 memorandum, stating that it resulted “from a detailed analysis undertaken by the seven top officers in the Agency on Vietnam” and “had been reviewed by the Deputy Directors involved as well as the undersigned.” On his copy of the memorandum, McNamara wrote: “Prepared by Dick [Helms] at my request.” (Johnson Library, Warnke Papers, McNaughton Files, McNTN VII)
271. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State (Katzenbach) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, vol. IX. Top Secret.
272. Summary Notes of the 565th Meeting of the National Security Council
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Meetings File, Manila Conference. Secret; Sensitive; For the President Only. Prepared by Bromley Smith.
273. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27–14 VIET/MARIGOLD. Secret; Priority; Nodis/Marigold. The source text does not indicate the time of transmission; the telegram was received at 5:59 a.m.
274. Telegram From the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler) to the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Westmoreland)
Source: Center of Military History, Westmoreland Papers, COMUSMACV Message Files. Top Secret. Also sent to Admiral Sharp.
275. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by William Bundy and approved in S on October 19. The meeting was held in Ruskʼs office. In a letter to Bruce, October 18, Bundy explained that the meeting flowed from a “rather painful dinner party” on October 15 at which George Brown pressed Bundy and McNamara relentlessly for the “minimum terms” on which the United States would stop the bombing and claimed that what they told him “did not square with what he had been told by the President.” (Ibid., Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, WPB Chron)
276. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Exdis. Repeated to Canberra and Wellington and passed to the White House, DOD, and CIA.
277. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Rusk; cleared by McNamara, Katzenbach, and William Bundy; and approved by Rusk. Repeated to Canberra and Wellington, eyes only for the President through Rostow.
The President left Washington October 17 for an extended trip through Asia. He visited New Zealand October 19–20; Australia October 20–23; the Philippines October 24–26, where he attended the Manila Conference (see Document 281); Cam Ranh Bay October 26 where he visited U.S. military personnel; Thailand October 27–30; Malaysia October 30–31; and Korea October 31–November 2. He returned to Washington November 2.
278. Memorandum From the Chairman, Board of National Estimates (Kent) to Director of Central Intelligence Helms
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 70 A 6648, 350.09 Vietnam. Secret. In his October 20 covering memorandum to Helms, Kent stated that “on the whole, we think the chances are better than even that the crisis will be compromised in some fashion which will limit the damage and leave Ky about where he is.”
279. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Miller and approved in U on November 7.
280. Notes of Meeting
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Asian Trip Memcons. Secret. Drafted by Rostow (identified as WWR in the notes). The meeting was held in the Manila Hotel. Rusk, Lodge, Komer, and Westmoreland attended along with the President. (Ibid., Presidentʼs Daily Diary) President Johnson arrived in Manila about 3 p.m. on October 23. He flew from Washington to Honolulu on October 17 and stopped at American Samoa on his way to New Zealand October 18. (Ibid.) For his itinerary during his Asian trip, see footnote 1, Document 277.
282. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. LX. Top Secret.
283. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. LX. Top Secret. Repeated to CINCPACFLT, CINCPACAF, CINCUSARPAC, and CGFMFPAC. The source text is marked with an indication that McNamara saw the telegram.
284. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (McNaughton) to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Johnson Library, Warnke Papers, McNaughton Files, VNS 2, Vietnam 66–68. Secret; Eyes Only. Copies were sent to Vance, Hoopes, and Steadman.
285. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense McNamara to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, DOD. Secret.
286. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Westmoreland) to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler)
Source: Center of Military History, Westmoreland Papers, COMUSMACV Message Files. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Also sent to Admiral Sharp.
287. Report Prepared by the Joint Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Source: Department of Defense, Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 9155.3 (29 Oct 66). Top Secret. Prepared by J–3, Directorate for Operations. Forwarded to Wheeler by Goodpaster under cover of an October 31 memorandum, noting that the report was prepared in response to Wheelerʼs request. A copy of the report is also at the Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, box 193, Evaluation of the Effects of the Air Campaign.
In a November 7 memorandum to Goodpaster, signed by General Robert Taylor for the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, DIA commented on the report, noting that its judgments and statements “could be challenged by someone unwilling to depart from the relatively confined area of solid intelligence evidence,” but that, on the whole, DIA was “inclined to accept the J–3 report as a reasonable analysis of the situation.” (Department of Defense, Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 9155.3/3200 (CY 1966))
288. Memorandum From Colonel Robert Ginsburgh of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow)
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. LX. Top Secret. In his covering memorandum to Rostow, November 2, Ginsburgh stated: “Attached is my reaction to Secretary McNamaraʼs memo on Vietnam [Document 268]—which seemed to me exceedingly and excessively pessimistic.” (Ibid.) In a separate memorandum to Rostow, November 2, Ginsburgh listed the pros and cons of both a cessation and an intensification of the bombing campaign against North Vietnam and also listed the major criticisms of the bombing together with opposing arguments. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Vietnam)
290. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Nodis. Drafted in the White House, cleared by Katzenbach, and approved by Rusk. The President met with Rusk, McNamara, and Rusk from 10:35 to 11:20 a.m. on November 4. (Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary) No record of the discussion has been found. However, under a November 4 covering note in which he stated that reorganization of the revolutionary development program was on the agenda, Rostow forwarded to the President back-up papers for the meeting that included a draft of this telegram, which had originally been transmitted to the President for his concurrence in telegram 68390 to Wellington, October 18. (Ibid., National Security File, Memos to the President—Walt W. Rostow, vol. 15)
291. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Roche) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. LXI. Secret. The source text is marked with an indication that the President saw the memorandum.
292. Intelligence Memorandum
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 3 H (1), Appraisal of Bombing of NVN. Top Secret; [codeword not declassified]. The CIA forwarded the memorandum to the President on November 5.
294. Letter From the Ambassador to Vietnam (Lodge) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, vol. LXI. Secret.
295. Memorandum From the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler) to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 2EE Primarily McNamara Recommendations. Top Secret. On November 8 McNamara forwarded copies to the President (ibid.) and to Rusk (Department of State, EA/VN-Working Group: Lot 72 D 219, Rolling Thunder Memos, 1966).
296. Telegram From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson, in Texas
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Bombing. Top Secret.
297. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Department of State, EA/VN-Vietnam Working Group: Lot 72 D 219, Rolling Thunder Memos, 1966. Top Secret. Sent through Under Secretary Katzenbach. On November 1 the Department of State changed the title of the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs to the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.