State and territorial governors meet in Los Angeles to adopt a resolution expressing “support of our global commitments, including our support of the military defense of South Vietnam against aggression.” The vote was 49 to 1, with Governor Mark Hatfield (R-Oregon) casting the dissenting vote against the resolution.
Also on this day: During a White House press conference, President Lyndon B. Johnson expresses his disappointment at the reaction of a “few” U.S. allies. Johnson had been actively seeking international support for the war against the communists in Vietnam. He had hoped to solicit aid for South Vietnam from U.S. allies and non-aligned nations and at the same time build an international consensus for his policies in Southeast Asia. Although more than 40 nations did send humanitarian or economic aid to South Vietnam, the response for military forces had been much less hearty than he expected. He was eventually able to obtain commitments from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Korea, and the Philippines, who all provided troops to fight in the war.
