January to December 1968: The Fall of Phou Pha Thi; Reassessment of Policy; Laos and the Paris Peace Talks; Increased Bombing in Laos


326. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler) to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 73 A 1250, Laos 385.1, 1968. Top Secret. A note on the source text indicates that McNamara saw the “brief.”


327. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler)

Source: Center of Military History, Westmoreland Papers, Message Files, COMUSMACV, 1 Jan-31 Jan 1968. Secret. Repeated to Westmoreland.


328. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Library of Congress Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, Sullivan, William H. Secret; Personal Files Only.


329. Central Intelligence Agency Information Cable

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XVIII, Cables, 1/68–1/69. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Routine.


330. Memorandum From the County Director for Laos and Cambodia (Herz) to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, EA/Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Files: Lot 75 D 394, TS. Top Secret. Drafted by Slutz. Copy sent to Habib.


331. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Bohlen and approved in S on February 19. The source text is Part II of VI.


332. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Bundy) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Bohlen)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret. Drafted by Slutz and cleared by Herz.


334. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Laos and Cambodia Affairs (Herz) to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, EA/Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Files: Lot 75 D 394, TS. Top Secret. Drafted by Slutz and Herz.


335. Memorandum From the Acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (McConnell) to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 73 A 1250, Laos 385.1, 1968. Top Secret. A note on the source text indicates that the Deputy Secretary of Defense saw this memorandum.


336. Memorandum From the Director of Intelligence and Research (Hughes) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 5 EE (1) Laos, 10/67–12/68. Top Secret; Exdis.


337. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/Admin Files: FRC 73 A 1304, Laos 385.1, 1968. Top Secret.


338. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Westmoreland) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp)

Source: Center of Military History, Westmoreland Papers, Message Files, COMUSMACV, 1 Mar-31 Mar 1968. Top Secret; Limited Distribution. Repeated to Wheeler.


339. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Repeated to Bangkok, Saigon, London, Moscow, and CINCPAC.


340. Central Intelligence Information Cable

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Laos, Vol. XVIII, 1/68–1/69. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Controlled Dissem; No Dissem Abroad; Background Use Only. According to a note on the source text, advance copies were transmitted to the White House, State, DIA, Army, Navy, Air Force, JCS, NIC, NSA, and OCI.


341. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Immediate; Limdis. Repeated to JCS, CINCPAC, CINCPACAF, 7th AF, and 7/13 AF.


342. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Repeated to JCS, CINCPAC, CINCPACAF, COMUSMACV, 7AF, and 7/13 AF.


343. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Repeated to Bangkok, Saigon, CINCPAC, COMUSMACV, JCS, 7th AF, and JCS.


344. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Priority; Limdis. Repeated to Bangkok, Saigon, CINCPAC, JCS, COMUSMACV, 7 AF, and 7/13 AF.


345. Note From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Cambodia 5 E (2)a, 1/68–10/68. Top Secret.


346. Special National Intelligence Estimate

Source: Department of State, INR/EAP Files: Lot 90 D 165, SNIE 58–68. Secret; Controlled Dissem. The CIA, the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State and Defense, and the National Security Agency participated in the preparation of this volume. All members of the USIB concurred with its release except the representatives of the AEC and FBI who abstained because the topic was outside their jurisdiction.


347. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Exdis; No Distribution Outside Dept.


348. Letter From the Country Director for Laos and Cambodia (Herz) to the Ambassador to Laos (Sullivan)

Source: Department of State,EA/Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Files: Lot 75 D 394, TS. Top Secret; Official-Informal.


349. Memorandum From Marshall Wright of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 5EE (1) Laos, 10/67–12/68. Top Secret; Exdis.


350. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Read) to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret. For the additional drafting information on this study, see Document 348. Sent also to Steadman, Special Assistant to Clifford, and on April 2 to Taylor at the White House. (Department of State, Central Files, DEF 1–1 LAOS)


351. Telegram From the Embassy in Laos to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Secret; Exdis.


352. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Warnke) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Nitze)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 72 A 1499, Laos 000.1—(Laos 381), 1968. Top Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Mobley.


353. Letter From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Habib) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Steadman)

Source: Department of State, EA/Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Files: Lot 75 D 394, TS. Top Secret. Drafted by Slutz.


354. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 72 A 1499, Laos 000.1—(092 Laos), 1968. Top Secret; Sensitive.


355. Memorandum From Robert N. Ginsburgh of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Cambodia 5 E (2)b, 1/68–10/68. Top Secret; Sensitive.