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Telcon
Prof. Rostow (Walt)
4/11/70
9:55 a.m.
K: Sorry I haven't had a chance to get back to you. President Johnson
behaved like a gentleman and apatriot.
R: All I wanted to tell you was the message was delivered.
K: He did it with such skill. Brought it up in such a really beautiful way.
Only a President knows what really bugs another President.
R: He is a strongly sensitive man which is so different from the image.
I hope it went well.
K: He did it beautifully and it came at a crucial moment.. Walt, when
you come up I will fill you in on it. I think we are within months of some
major decision on their part.
R: I believe that. As I look at it, one, they don't like the casualties they
are taking. They are feeding in new bodies reluctantly - some sort of
pressure back home. They are getting tired of being a footstool. It is
beginning to strain them. Second, Cambodia is a mortal matter for them.
Third, unless they go all the way to Vientiane and Mekong, their horsing
around in Laos is something they can only use for negotiating purposes.
K: They know they have to launch a major campaign.
R: And they have to feel that if they go to the Mekong you have something
up your sleeve.
K: That message has gotten across.
R: What Hanoi is doing in Southeast Asia is creating out of that area in
Cambodia and Laos an ethnic nationalism.
K: I have been considering taking Marshal Wright on my staff. Would that
be a good decision?
R: I found him bright and courageous. The first sign I ever had of him was
when we were visiting Thailand and he stood up against the Ambassador for
a
certain line Johnson took in a speech. He is a rare Foreign Service
officer because he combined professionality with guts and discretion.
DECLASSIFIED
E.O. 12958, as amended, Sect 3.5
NLN07-31/14 Persee 3.3(b)())..(S(C) PerLtr March 11,2009
By PGH
NARA, Date 4-3-09
SANITIZED COPY
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"ocrText": "SANITIZED COPY\nTelcon\nProf. Rostow (Walt)\n4/11/70\n9:55 a.m.\nK: Sorry I haven't had a chance to get back to you. President Johnson\nbehaved like a gentleman and apatriot.\nR: All I wanted to tell you was the message was delivered.\nK: He did it with such skill. Brought it up in such a really beautiful way.\nOnly a President knows what really bugs another President.\nR: He is a strongly sensitive man which is so different from the image.\nI hope it went well.\nK: He did it beautifully and it came at a crucial moment.. Walt, when\nyou come up I will fill you in on it. I think we are within months of some\nmajor decision on their part.\nR: I believe that. As I look at it, one, they don't like the casualties they\nare taking. They are feeding in new bodies reluctantly - some sort of\npressure back home. They are getting tired of being a footstool. It is\nbeginning to strain them. Second, Cambodia is a mortal matter for them.\nThird, unless they go all the way to Vientiane and Mekong, their horsing\naround in Laos is something they can only use for negotiating purposes.\nK: They know they have to launch a major campaign.\nR: And they have to feel that if they go to the Mekong you have something\nup your sleeve.\nK: That message has gotten across.\nR: What Hanoi is doing in Southeast Asia is creating out of that area in\nCambodia and Laos an ethnic nationalism.\nK: I have been considering taking Marshal Wright on my staff. Would that\nbe a good decision?\nR: I found him bright and courageous. The first sign I ever had of him was\nwhen we were visiting Thailand and he stood up against the Ambassador for\na\ncertain line Johnson took in a speech. He is a rare Foreign Service\nofficer because he combined professionality with guts and discretion.\nDECLASSIFIED\nE.O. 12958, as amended, Sect 3.5\nNLN07-31/14 Persee 3.3(b)())..(S(C) PerLtr March 11,2009\nBy PGH\nNARA, Date 4-3-09\nSANITIZED COPY"
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