333. Editorial Note
On February 24, 1968, General Maxwell Taylor reported to President Johnson that he had spent 3 hours at the Central Intelligence Agency going over order of battle information on Vietnam and discussing possible “surprises” which the future might hold. Taylor summed up his impressions in a February 24 memorandum to the President. Part of the memorandum concerned Laos and reads as follows:
“Enemy Activity in Laos
“Recent enemy activity in Laos can hardly be termed an offensive since all movements have been to regain terrain which the communists have claimed since 1962. The areas attacked had been taken over by Laotian government forces in 1966 or 1967 so that the Pathet Lao probably feel that they are merely reclaiming lost property. However, the Pathet Lao supported by North Vietnamese troops are capable of moving almost anywhere in Laos and could use this superiority at any time to score a victory in concert with successes, real or claimed, in South Vietnam.”
Included in Taylor’s concluding list of “Possible ‘Surprises’ for which we should be prepared,” was “An offensive in Laos to accompany one in South Vietnam.” (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, 8 I, 1/67–12/68, Taylor Memos)