6. Fact: The United States began bombing targets in Laos in October, 1964
Before the election was held in the United States, American aircraft struck targets in Laos, flown by both American and South Vietnamese pilots, in an attempt to interdict supplies reaching North Vietnamese and Viet Cong units in South Vietnam. Johnson was presented with options in December on how to bring the North Vietnamese to an agreement to withdraw their forces from South Vietnam. Johnson’s choices included heavy air launched reprisals against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong units, followed by “graduated air war”, and the deployment of ground troops to support the South Vietnamese. By December, 1964, the planning to deploy American combat forces was well advanced.
