February-May 1962: U.S. Sanctions Against Phoumi Nosavan and the Nam Tha Crisis


287. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–362. Secret; Priority. Repeated priority to Vientiane.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 851J.10/2–462. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Cross, cleared by Cleveland and Rice, and approved by Harriman. Repeated to Bangkok, London, Paris, Geneva Fecon, and CINCPAC.


289. Memorandum for the Record

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, Laos 7, T–028–69. Secret. Prepared by McCrea of DOD/ISA.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–662. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Cross, cleared by Rice and Cleveland, and approved by Harriman. Repeated niact to London and to Bangkok and Paris.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–662. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Cleveland and Cross, cleared by Rice, and approved by Harriman. Repeated to London, Bangkok, Paris, and CINCPAC for POLAD.


292. Memorandum From the President’s Military Representative’s Naval Aide (Bagley) to the President’s Military Representative (Taylor)

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, Laos 7, T–028–69. Secret.


293. Memorandum From the President’s Military Representative’s Naval Aide (Bagley) to the President’s Military Representative (Taylor)

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, Laos 7, T–028–69. Secret.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–1362. Secret; Niact. Repeated to London, Paris, Bangkok, and CINCPAC POLAD.


295. Memorandum From the President’s Military Aide (Clifton) to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 2/20/62–2/22/62. Secret.


296. Memorandum From the President’s Special Representative for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 2/2/62–2/22/62. Top Secret.


297. Memorandum of Conference With President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Chester V. Clifton Series, Conferences with the President, Vol. I, 1/25/61–12/27/62. Top Secret. The off-the-record meeting took place in the White House Cabinet Room.


298. Telegram From the White House to Vientiane

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 2/23/62–2/28/62. Top Secret. This unnumbered telegram was not sent through Department of State channels. This cable was apparently dispatched on February 23, but the message was not delivered to Phoumi until March 6; see Document 304.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–2462. Secret; Niact. Repeated priority to London and Paris, and to Geneva for Fecon, Bangkok, Saigon, Phnom Penh, CINCPAC for POLAD, and New Delhi.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/2–2662. Secret; Niact; Eyes Only. Repeated to Bangkok, Geneva for Fecon, London, Paris, Saigon, and CINCPAC for POLAD.


301. Instructions Approved by President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 2/23/62–2/28/62. Secret. A handwritten note by McGeorge Bundy on the source text reads: “Approved by President for Sullivan-Forrestal mission at Averell’s recommendation, February 28, 1962.” Sullivan and Forrestal arrived in Vientiane on March 3.


302. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Harriman) to the Ambassador to Laos (Brown)

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Chronology, General, April 1962. Secret; Personal.


303. Memorandum From the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/62. Secret.


304. Telegram From Vientiane to Washington

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Laos: General, 3/62. Secret. A note by Bundy on the covering memorandum from Richard Helms to Bundy indicated that the President saw this telegram.


305. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–762. Secret; Priority. Repeated priority to Saigon for Admiral Felt, priority to Vientiane, and to CINCPAC for POLAD.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–1062. Secret; Priority. Repeated priority to Baguio for Ambassador Brown (who was attending the Far East Chiefs of Mission Conference), and to Bangkok, London, Paris, CINCPAC for POLAD, Saigon, Phnom Penh, Geneva for Fecon, Moscow, and New Delhi.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–1562. Secret; Niact. Repeated priority to Bangkok, and to Geneva for Fecon, CINCPAC for POLAD, Saigon, London, Paris, Phnom Penh, New Delhi, Moscow, and Seoul and niact to Tokyo for Harriman.


308. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hilsman) to the Deputy Director for Coordination (Scott)

[Source: Kennedy Library, Hilsman Papers, Chron File, 1/62–6/62. Secret. 1 page of source text not declassified.]


309. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between Acting Secretary of State Ball and the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Kennedy Library, Ball Papers, Laos. No classification marking.


310. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–2062. Secret; Niact; Eyes Only. Drafted by U. Alexis Johnson; cleared in substance with McGeorge Bundy; cleared by Rice, Koren, and Cross; and approved by Johnson. Repeated niact to Vientiane.


311. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Washington Federal Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 65 A 3501, Laos 1962, 000.1. Top Secret. Prepared by William Bundy on March 22.


312. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–2162. Secret; Niact; Eyes Only. Drafted by Cross; cleared by Koren, Johnson, and McGeorge Bundy; and approved by Rice. Also sent niact to Vientiane and repeated eyes only to Geneva for the Secretary.


313. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–2162. Secret; Niact.


314. Telegram From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–2262. Secret; Priority.


315. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–2262. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Rice, cleared by Koren, and approved by Johnson.


316. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751J.00/3–2362. Secret; Niact. Drafted by U. Alexis Johnson; cleared with Rice, Koren, Ball, and in substance with the President; and approved by Johnson. Repeated to Geneva eyes only for Secretary.