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 Public Works, and, in fact, into any other agency concerned, with pacification. Finally, the U.S. personnel so assigned should come from among those Americans already on the spot -- partly from civilians and partly from military officers already on assignment there -- and the vacancies caused by these reassignments should be filled by recruitment from the U.S. 97/

A cable from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to CINCPAC and COMUSMACV indicated that (in addition to some questions on Laos) the Secretary of Defense wanted the views of the two senior commanders in the Pacific (CINCPAC and MACV) on a series of questions largely but not exclusively military in nature:

"1. What military actions, in ascending order of gravity, might be taken to impress Hanoi with our intentions to strike North Vietnam?

2. What would be the time factors and force requirements involved in achieving readiness for such actions against North Vietnam?

3. What should be the purpose and pattern of the initial air strike against North VienamVietnam [sic]?

4 .What was their concept of the actions and reactions which might arise from progressive implementation of CINCPAC plans 37-64 and 32-64?

5. How might North Vietnam and Communist China respond to these escalating pressures?

6. What military help should be sought from SEATO nations?"

There was a second group of queries which referred not to the possibility of military pressures of one sort or another against North Vietnam, but rather were directed mainly to the counterinsurgency efforts within South Vietnam.

1. What were their views on providing four-man advisory teams, at once, for each district in the seven selected provinces, and later in all of the 239 districts in SVN?

2. In what other ways could military personnel be used to advantage in forwarding the pacification program in the seven selected provinces?

3. What was the current status of:

a. The proposed increase in regular and paramilitary forces of the GVN, including the expansion of the VNAF, the reorganization Rh