Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part IV. C. 1.djvu/27

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
27 Jan 1965	Khanh Ousts Huong Government	Khanh and the younger officers oust the civilian Huong government. Khanh nominates General Oanh to head an interim regime the next day.
7 Feb 1965	VC Mortar Attack Pleiku	The VC launch a mortar attack on a US billet in Pleiku and an associated helicopter field. Many Americans are killed and helos damaged. The President, with the unanimous recommendation of his advisors, authorizes a reprisal.
	FLAMING DART I	The reprisal strikes involve both US and VNAF planes. A second mission is flown the following day.
	McGeorge Bundy Memo to the President	In an influential memo to the President after a fact-finding trip to Vietnam, Bundy concludes that the situation can only be righted by beginning sustained and escalating air attacks on the North à la Phase II. He had telephoned his concurrence in the FLAMING DART reprisal to the President from Vietnam.
8 Feb 1965	McNamara Memo to JCS	In a memo to the JCS, McNamara requests the development of a limited bombing program against the North. The JCS later submit the "Eight-week Program."
10 Feb 1965	VC Attack Qui Nhon	Thumbing their noses at the US reprisal, the VC attack a US billet in Qhi Nhon and kill 23.
11 Feb 1965	FLAMING DART II	The second reprisal strikes authorized by the President attack targets in the North.
18 Feb 1965	Coup Fails, but Khanh Ousted	A coup against the new Premier, Quat, fails when the Armed Forces Council intervenes. They seize the opportunity to remove Khanh and he is forced to leave the country several days later.
24 Feb 1965	ROLLING THUNDER Approved	The President approves the first strikes for the ROLLING THUNDER sustained, escalating air campaign against the DRV.