U.S. Leaders Agree to Expand the American Military Presence in Vietnam

April 20, 1965

HONOLULU PARLEY ON VIETNAM OPENS: McNamara to Join Taylor and Military Commanders New York Times; Ne

Overview

Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Earle G. Wheeler, U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam Maxwell Taylor, MACV commander General William Westmoreland, and other senior U.S. officials meet in Honolulu, Hawaii to discuss U.S. strategy in Vietnam. With Johnson’s increasing resolve to defend South Vietnam with American military power, and with North Vietnam’s clear determination to continue fighting despite American bombs, the officials agree to continue ROLLING THUNDER’s airstrikes and to increase U.S. military ground forces from about 33,000 to 82,000. President Johnson approves these decisions by May 15.1

¹John M. Carland, Stemming the Tide, May 1965–October 1966, United States Army in Vietnam (Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army, 2000), 19; Frank E. Vandiver, Shadows of Vietnam: Lyndon Johnson’s Wars (College Station, TX.: Texas A&M University Press, 1997), 102–104; Mike Gravel, The Pentagon Papers: The Defense Department History of United States Decisionmaking on Vietnam, volume 3 (Boston: Beacon Press, 1971), 705–706 (https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/pentagon3/doc256.htm (link is external) ); William P. Bundy, Ulysses Sharp, and William Westmoreland were also participants.