Oral history transcript, Walt W. Rostow, interview 2 (II), 1/9/1981, by Ted Gittinger

Title:

Oral history transcript, Walt W. Rostow, interview 2 (II), 1/9/1981, by Ted Gittinger

Number of Pages:

39

Description:

Guerilla warfare, especially in countries with a lack of unity under a central government; difficulties opposing guerilla warfare tactics; President Eisenhower's policy toward developing countries and his role as a reluctant innovator; special forces in Vietnam; the effect of Sputnik on escalation of the insurgency in South Vietnam in 1959; Ngo Dinh Diem's success in consolidating Vietnam; patterns of military and political communication; insurgent hierarchy; communism among Southern insurgents; the Quayle Report; North Vietnamese and South Vietnamese nationalism; the domino theory in Southeast Asia; Thailand's importance; the likelihood of China expanding into Southeast Asia in the early 1960's; Alexei Kosygin's 1965 trip to Hanoi; the major split between China and Russia and how that affected relations with Southeast Asia and the U.S.; LBJ's instructions to Rostow on how to do his job; the role of national security advisor under JFK and LBJ; Rostow's staff; the size of the White House staff and the role of the Secretary of State; Dean Rusk; unique role of the special assistant; dissention among staff members regarding foreign policy; infiltration routes from North to South Vietnam; Rostow's idea of how to end the war in Vietnam; failure to enforce the Laos accords; brief history of South Vietnam 1958-1971; General Edward Lansdale; Ellsworth Bunker; John Paul Vann; the Buddhist crisis; Ngo Dinh Nhu and his relationship to Ngo Dinh Diem; Diem's death; Syngman Rhee; Rostow's focus on certain topics while working for the government.

Contributor:

Rostow, W. W. (Walt Whitman), 1916-2003

Collection:

LBJ Library Oral Histories

Collection Description:

Go to List of Holdings

Series:

Transcripts of LBJ Library Oral Histories

See Also:

See all online interviews with Walt W. Rostow

Relation:

Go to Interviewee bio page

Rights:

Possibly copyright restricted: see deed at end of transcript for details