Asia 719
Participants: 811 Cambodia/2 United States of America
Outcome (and Settlement): Released (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 26–100 deaths
Narrative: The Cambodian government seized the American merchant ship Maya-
guezon on May 12, 1975. The United States, well aware of the protracted nature of the
crisis over the USS Pueblo (see MID#347), acted proactively. At the behest of Ameri-
can Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and in light of the fall of Saigon just two weeks
earlier, new US President Gerald Ford ordered a rescue mission and punitive air strike
in an attempt to simultaneously rescue the Mayaguez crew and demonstrate American
might. The result was ugly for the new Ford administration. The American ship USS
Holt took the SS Mayaguez shortly after the operation began, but the American crew—
their primary concern—was not on the ship. Unknown by Gerald Ford at the time,
and purposely concealed from him by Kissinger, the Chinese had used their influence
in Cambodia to enact the release of the American crew. The military response from
the Americans limped along until US Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger, who
was opposed to the reaction from the very beginning, discovered the crew had been
retrieved and stopped following orders with respect to the military campaign.
Coding changes: Outcome changed from Released. Settlement changed from
Imposed. Fatalities changed from Missing.
2 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/816 VIETNAM
MID#1363
Started in December 1960. See the narrative in the 365 Russia/812 Laos dyad dispute
list.
MID#3361
Dispute Number: 3361
Date(s): December 1961 to December 1962
Participants: 2 United States of America/365 Russia, 710 China, 816 Vietnam
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The United States deployed two Army helicopter companies to South
Vietnam, and American advisers began participating in South Vietnamese operations.
China and the Soviet Union warned the United States not to attack North Vietnam.
Coding changes: End Date changed from February 26, 1962.
MID#1353
Started in January 1962. See the narrative in the 812 Laos/816 Vietnam dyad dispute
list.