ABSTRACT
The seizure of the S.S. Mayaguez came at a time in US foreign relations when the prestige of the United States in Asia was at low ebb. This chapter examines this major international crisis and the decision-making process that led to the use of US military forces in its resolution. The first formal step in the decision-making process was the National Security Council meeting at noon on May 12 (nine hours after the seizure). The basic concept of an armed assault had been approved by the president at this midnight meeting. The question of timing then became the primary consideration. Secretary Kissinger pressed for the earliest possible commitment of forces to recapture the ship and prevent the movement of the crew to the mainland. Between the third and fourth NSC meetings, the JCS met in the Pentagon to consider the military feasibility of the proposed operations plan.
