238. Notes of Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File, Meeting with Foreign Policy Advisers. Secret. There is no drafting information on the source text, but the notes were taken by Valenti. The time of the meeting, which was held in the Cabinet Room, is from the President’s Daily Diary. (Ibid.)

239. Special Intelligence Supplement

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-311-69. Secret; No Foreign Dissem. Prepared jointly by CIA and DIA. A table entitled “DIA Results of Strikes on DRV Targets Thru Tuesday, 14 December 1965” and a distribution list are not printed.

240. Memorandum From the Ambassador at Large (Harriman) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Vol. XLIII, Memos (B). Secret. This memorandum was sent to the President who saw it on December 31. (Memorandum from Bundy to Johnson, December 31; ibid.) Harriman sent a copy of this memorandum to Rusk. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Johnson, President, ’65)

241. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27-VIET. Secret; Exclusive Distribution. Drafted by Squire and approved in S on December 27. The meeting was held in the Secretary’s office.

242. Editorial Note

243. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Policy Planning Council and Counselor of the Department of State (Rostow) to President Johnson

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 12 VIET S. Secret. According to a December 24 memorandum from Read to Rusk, Rostow felt “some pressure to get his paper to the White House today.” Rusk approved sending it immediately. (Ibid., POL 27-14 VIET)

244. Memorandum From the Legal Adviser (Meeker) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret. Prepared at the request of the President who wanted key officers in the Department of State below the Secretary and Under Secretary level to present him with ideas on new diplomatic initiatives in Vietnam. (Memorandum from Read to Rusk, December 24; ibid., POL 27-14 VIET)

245. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson, in Texas

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Vol. XLIV, Cables. Top Secret; Exdis. The President was at the LBJ Ranch in Texas, December 21-January 2, 1966.

246. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations European Office to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27-14 VIET. Secret; Nodis. The source text does not indicate a time of transmission; the telegram was received at 2:33 p.m.

247. Paper by Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Department of State, Ball Files: Lot 74 D 272, Misc. Vietnam, Vol. IV. No classification marking. Cooper, in The Lost Crusade (pp. 293-294), describes and quotes from this paper. He states that it was prepared by Rusk “in considerable haste” for the benefit of Vice President Humphrey, Harriman, and the other high-level emissaries sent to other countries to explain the U.S. position in potential peace negotiations. Also printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1966, pp. 740-742.

248. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Department of State, Bundy Files: Lot 85 D 240, WPB Chron. Top Secret. Prepared at the President’s request; see footnote 1, Document 244.

249. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, McGeorge Bundy, Vol. XVII. No classification marking. There is an indication on the source text that the President saw the memorandum.

250. Letter From the President’s Consultant on Vietnam (Taylor) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, White House Central Files, Confidential File, ND 19/CO 312 (Situation in Vietnam, 1964-1965). Secret. McGeorge Bundy sent this letter to the President with the following comment: “Max Taylor prepared this at my request, and I think you will find it an interesting and thoughtful contribution.” A note on Bundy’s covering memorandum indicates this letter was sent to the President in Texas on December 31 at 11:45 p.m.; a notation on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.

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

Source: Department of State, Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192, Telephone Conversations. No classification marking.

252. Draft Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Johnson, in Texas

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, McGeorge Bundy, Vol. XVII. Secret.

253. Memorandum for the Record

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-310-69. Top Secret. This memorandum, dated January 3, 1966, is based on Taylor’s notes, which he took at the time of the conversation.

254. Editorial Note

255. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Pinta; Exdis. Drafted by Rusk; cleared by William Bundy, U. Alexis Johnson, Thompson, and in substance by McGeorge Bundy and Vance; and approved by Rusk. A copy of this telegram was sent to the President in Texas in White House telegram CAP 65927, December 28, 11:06 a.m. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Vol. XLIV, Cables)

256. Notes of Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and the Ambassador at Large (Harriman)

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Johnson, Pres., 1965. No classification marking. The President was in Texas; Harriman was in Washington. According to his diary, President Johnson telephoned Harriman from the LBJ Ranch at 10:36 a.m. (Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary)

257. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Burma

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S/PINTA. Secret; Flash; Nodis; Pinta. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by U. Alexis Johnson, and approved by Rusk.

258. Paper by the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, EA/ACA Files: Lot 69 D 412, Nodis/Pinta, Series 1, Vol. 1. Secret.

259. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Thompson and approved in S/AL.

260. Draft Telegram From the President’s Consultant on Vietnam (Taylor) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Sharp)

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-360-69. Secret. Also addressed to Westmoreland. Taylor sent this draft to the President under cover of a memorandum that reads: “I understand you indicated yesterday to Mac Bundy that it would be helpful if I sent some such message as the attached to Sharp and Westmoreland. If the text is satisfactory, I shall send it at once.” A note by Taylor on the memorandum indicates that the President wanted Wheeler to receive a copy as well. Apparently the telegram was sent.

261. Memorandum for Personal Files

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Divison, Harriman Papers, Secretary Rusk, 1963-1966. No classification marking. Drafted by Harriman.

262. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between Secretary of Defense McNamara and the Under Secretary of State (Ball)

Source: Johnson Library, Papers of George Ball, Telephone Conversations, Vietnam. No classification marking.

263. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the Under Secretary of State (Ball) and President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, Papers of George Ball, Telephone Conversations, Presidential Conversations. No classification marking. The President was in Texas; Ball was in Washington.

264. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Nodis; Pinta. The source text does not indicate a time of transmission; the telegram was received at 4:35 a.m.

265. Telegram From the Embassy in Burma to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27-14 VIET. Secret; Immediate; Nodis; Pinta. The source text does not indicate a time of transmission; the telegram was received at 7:15 a.m.

266. Telegram From the Embassy in Poland to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Flash; Nodis; Pinta. The source text does not indicate a time of transmission; the telegram was received at 8:47 a.m.

267. Telegram From the Embassy in Poland to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Nodis; Pinta. The source text does not indicate a time of transmission; the telegram was received at 12:26 p.m. and passed to the White House.