V. Slump and Recovery: The Mekong Project, 1966-1971 



The considerable impetus to the Mekong Project that followed the 

 Johnson initiative in 1965 was not sustained in the year that fol- 

 lowed. The coffers of the Coordination Committee received only $4.9 

 million (bringing the total to some $110 million) compared with re- 

 ceipts and pledge^ in 1965 of $37.2 million. There were a few signs 

 of progress in 1966 : the small Nam Pong dam in Thailand had been 

 completed in mid-March; the large Nam Ngum dam in Laos was 

 finally funded on May 4, although the bulk of pledges had been made 

 the year before; the U.S. Congress, on March 16, had authorized a 

 $200 million subscription to the capital of the Asian Development 

 Bank (matched by a Japanese subscription of the same amount) ; 

 field reconnaissances continued at Pa Mong and Sambor; studies went 

 on of resources, and organization and training in preparation for 

 operational phases; and there was slow growth of the staff support- 

 ing the Committee and its Executive. 



On the negative side, there was the continued refusal of North Viet- 

 nam to settle diplomatically for less than continued military action was 

 judged likely to achieve; the insistence of Cambodia on aloofness from 

 the United States, even where the Mekong was involved (which con- 

 tributed to delay on an important dam at Prek Thnot) ; the continued 

 expansion of the Vietnamese War; and the erosion of U.S. effort for 

 development not directly contributing to U.S. presence in South Viet- 

 nam. Troop strength of the United States military services in Vietnam 

 increased rapidly in 1965 and thereafter, reaching a peak in April 

 1969. (See Table 3.) 



TABLE 3.— U.S. MILITARY FORCES IN VIETNAM ' 

 [In thousands] 



Date Army Navy Air Force Marine Corps Totals 2 



Dec. 31, 1964 



Dec. 31,1965 



Dec. 31, 1966 



Apr. 30,1969 



Feb. 10,1972 



May 11, 1972 



1 Source: U.S. Department of Defense. 



'Totals include small contingents of Coast Guard. 



Not only was the rate of construction and new starts on Mekong 

 work unimpressive, but a record-breaking flood on the Mekong in Sep- 

 tember 1966 had caused enormous damage in the delta, wiped out a 

 large demonstration farm complex in Laos, and caused diversion of 

 supplies to aid flood-stricken refugees. 



Right up to the present day, the uneven progress of the Mekong 

 project has continued to reflect the political and military turmoil in the 

 region. The project does not appear to be regarded as an ideological 



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