The Pentagon Papers by Neil Sheehan

Author:Neil Sheehan
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781631582936
Publisher: Racehorse
Published: 2017-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

The Launching of the Ground War:

March-July, 1965

Highlights of the Period: March-July, 1965

Within a month of the start of Operation Rolling Thunder, the Pentagon study says, the Johnson Administration had made the first of the decisions that were to lead, in the next months, to American assumption of the major burden of the ground war in South Vietnam.

Here, in chronological order, are highlights of these months:

MARCH 1965

The first “Rolling Thunder” air strike hit an ammunition depot and a naval base. Two Marine batallions were deployed in Vietnam.

APRIL 1965

The President approved an 18,000-20,000-man increase in “military support forces” and “a change of mission” for the marines “to permit their more active use . . .” Memo noted his desire for “all possible precautions” against “premature publicity” and to “minimize any appearance of sudden changes in policy.”

John T. McNaughton, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, urged that the 173rd Airborne Brigade also be deployed.

Ambassador Maxwell D. Taylor called this “hasty and ill-conceived.”

The conferees at a Honolulu strategy meeting agreed to urge an increase in U.S. troops to 82,000.

George W. Ball, Under Secretary of State, proposed that the U.S. “cut its losses” and withdraw instead, the study says.

MAY 1965

The Vietcong “summer offensive” began, the analyst says. There were about 200 Marine casualties during April and May.

JUNE 1965

Gen. William C. Westmoreland, commander in Vietnam, said the U.S. must “reinforce our efforts . . . as rapidly as practical.” He asked for a total of 44 battalions.

The State Department announced that U.S. troops were “available for combat support.”

The first major ground action by U.S. forces took place northwest of Saigon.

Gen. Westmoreland, in reply to the Joint Chiefs, made a “big pitch . . . for a free hand to maneuver the troops around . . .” the analyst says.

Ambassador Taylor “confirms the seriousness of the military situation” and the “very tenuous hold” of the new government, the study goes on.

General Westmoreland was given the authority to use U.S. forces in battle when necessary “to strengthen” South Vietnamese forces.

Mr. Ball, the analyst writes, opposed the increase in ground troops, saying it gave “absolutely no assurance” of success and risked a “costly and indeterminate struggle.” He urged a “base defense and reserve” strategy “while the stage was being set for withdrawal.”

William P. Bundy, the history says, urged the President to avoid the “ultimate aspects” of both the Ball and Westmoreland proposals. He said that U.S. troops should be limited to a supporting, “reserve reaction” role.

JULY 1965

The President initially approved the deployment of 34 battalions, about 100,000 men; 44 battalions were finally agreed to, for a total of 193,887 troops.

The history says this decision was “perceived as a threshhold—entrance in Asian land war . . .”

By the end of the year, the history notes, U.S. forces in South Vietnam totaled 184,314.

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