U.S. MAY SEND TROOPS TO LAOS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100280023-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 1, 1999
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: June 19, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-
NEW YORK
H)RALD TRIBUNE
JUN 1 9 1964
FOIAb3b
CPYRGHT
From the Herald Tribune Bureau
WASHINGTON.
top-ranking expert on South-
east Asia says a successful
drive by the Communists in
aos could force the United
States to send American
troops to defend the Neutral-
st government there.
The statement was made
May 4 by William P. Bundy,
Assistant Secretary of State
or Far Eastern Affairs, in
estimony before a House sub-
ommittee on.foreign appro-
nations. The subcommittee
?elcased the testimony yes-
erday.
Mr. Bundy was asked
vhether he beieved the Neu-
ralists' 8,000 soldiers and the
aotian Rightists' 70,000 were
athet Lao. He said that they
ere not.
The local forces could
bly lick them," Mr. Bundy
old the subcommittee. ,But
. the North Vietnamese
an send in reinforcements
o encadre. individual units
nd also send separate units
f their own, and quickly get
ilitary ascendancy.
The only response we would
have would be to put our own
forces In there."
The " Laotian Neutralist
Premier, Prince Souvanna
Phouma, has charged for
months that Viet Mini-, Com-
munists from North Viet
Nam have been helping the
Pathet Lao. Last week the
U.S. said it had photographic
evidence of Viet Minh par-
ticipation in the fighting.
Mr. Bundy's.testimony pre-
ceded . that evidence, of
course, but its release yester-
day left little doubt that the
S. was convinced of mas-
ive North Vietnamese in-
volvement months ago, even
efore a new Red- offensive
ast month dislodged the
eutralists from the strategic
lain of Jars.
Mr. -Bundy also said the
LT.S. had opposed an at-
empted coup, against Prince
ouvanna by Rightist gcn.-
gals as a violation of the
eneva accords guaranteeing
aotian neutrality. "For them
o upset the accords at this
Ime," he said, "was to take
CPYRGHT
a civi ;va.r which they Washington and retirement,'
could not handle." said he felt the Viet Cong
"frankly," Mr. Bundy added, had improved in strength
"it comes down to our Intro- and had more weapons but
ducing forces . . . or else you ,are still not capable of
lose territory in large doses to overrunning a district 'town
the Communists." Presumably or a provincial capital -and
the introduction of American holding it."
forces would exceed the. U. S.'s An estimation of Viet Cong
current involvement in South strength was given ye5tcr-
Viet Nam. day by William H. Sullivan,
The war against the Com- special assistant 'on Viet Nam
munist Viet Cong is making affairs to Secretary of State
progress despite an estimated Dean Rusk. He said the hard-
nine-month setback caused core, trained guerrillas num-
by two government coups ber less than 30,000. They
and last year's Budhist crisis, are supported by 60,000 to
Gen. Paul D. Harkins, re- 80,000 local recruits, he said
tiring U. S. commander in . in a speech to' the Foreign
South Viet Nam, said yes- Policy Conference in Cleve-
terday. land.
in a farewell news con- Official sources in Wash-
fercnce in Saigon, Gen. Har- ington said yesterday that
kins said that with implemen- several. pilots from Thailand,
tation of the program for Laos' pro-Western neighbor,;
pacification of the provinces have been flying combat mis-!
"we are gradually winning, sions against Red positions,
back control." He said the for the Neutralist government'
Vietnamese Army is "in a of Premier Souvanna Phouma
much better position to meet But a State Department
the Communist ? insurgency spokesman, apparently pvc-
now than they were when I fcrring not to talk about a,
came here in 1962.1 1, matter involving two foreign
Gen. Harkins, who will countries, said he was "unable`
leave Saaigon' tomorrow for to confirm" the reports.
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP75-00001 R000100280023-2