Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
TOP SECRET
- a. Expanding Royal Lao Government control in the strategic "panhandle" of Laos, particularly along its border with South Viet Nam, to prevent the outflanking of the 17th parallel.
- b. Preventing Communist advances to the border of Thailand where they could easily supply and step up their insurgency effort among the Vietnamese ethnic minority in Northern Thailand.
- c. Bringing about a de facto cessation of further Communist thrusts into the territory of the Royal Lao Government.
It would be made clear publicly that the political objective of this military intervention is to stop Communist expansion in Southeast Asia, It would also be made clear that the forces involved would be authorized to take the required action to successfully accomplish this mission. Enemy military actions would not alter the political objective, but such actions could compel military responses not necessarily confined to Laos.
MILITARY OBJECTIVES
1. To minimize United States military involvement by obtaining increased participation and coordination among the military forces of Laos, Thailand and South Viet Nam.
2. To protect the borders of South Viet Nam, Thailand and Cambodia.
TOP SECRET
