Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part IV. C. 1.djvu/25

Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011

 

TOP SECRET – Sensitive

 

DATE	EVENT OR DOCUMENT	DESCRIPTION
1 Nov 1964	VC Attack Bien Hoa Airport	The VC launch a mortar attack on the Bien Hoa airfield that kills Americans and damages aircraft. The military recommend a reprisal against the North; the President refuses.
3 Nov 1964	Johnson re-elected	Lyndon Johnson is re-elected President with a crushing majority.
	Task Force Begins Policy Review	At the President's request, W.P. Bundy heads an inter-agency Task Force for an in-depth review of US Vietnam policy and options. The work goes on throughout the month.
26 Nov 1964	Bundy Group Submits Three Options	The Bundy Task Force submits its draft conclusions to the Principals. They propose three alternative courses of action: (1) continuation of current policy with no escalation and a resistance to negotiations; (2) a significant set of pressures against the North accompanied by vigorous efforts to start negotiations; (3) a modest campaign against the North with resistance to negotiations.
30 Nov 1964	NSC Principals Modify Bundy Proposals	The NSC Principals reject the pure form of any of the recommendations and instead substitute a two-phase recommendation for the President: the first phase is a slight intensification of current covert activities against the North and in Laos, the second after 30 days would be a moderate campaign of air strikes against the DRV.
1 Dec 1964	President Meets with NSC and Taylor	The President, in a meeting with the NSC Principals, and Taylor, who returned on 23 November, hears the latter's report on the grave conditions in SVN, then approves Phase I of the proposal. He gives tentative approval to Phase II but makes it contingent on improvement by the GVN.
3 Dec 1964	President Confers with Taylor	In a last meeting with Taylor, the President stresses the need to get action from the GVN before Phase II.