Page "Tet Offensive" Paragraph 111

By 22 March President Johnson had informed Wheeler to " forget the 100, 000 " men.

The President and his staff were refining a lesser version of the troop increase-a planned call-up of 62, 000 reservists, 13, 000 of whom would be sent to Vietnam.

Three days later, at Clifford's suggestion, Johnson called a conclave of the " Wise Men ".

With few exceptions, all of the members of the group had formerly been accounted as hawks on the war.

The group was joined by Rusk, Wheeler, Bundy, Rostow, and Clifford.

The final assessment of the majority stupefied the group.

According to Clifford, " few of them were thinking solely of Vietnam anymore ".

All but four members called for disengagement from the war, leaving the President " deeply shaken.

" According to the Pentagon Papers, the advice of the group was decisive in convincing Johnson to reduce the bombing of North Vietnam.