▁which ▁was ▁being ▁commonly ▁described ▁in ▁the ▁news ▁media ▁and ▁elsewhere ▁as ▁a ▁" st alem ate ." ▁Non eth eless , ▁Johnson ▁agreed ▁to ▁an ▁increase ▁of ▁ 5 5 , 0 0 0 ▁troops , ▁bringing ▁the ▁total ▁to ▁ 5 2 5 , 0 0 0 . ▁In ▁August , ▁Johnson , ▁with ▁the ▁J oint ▁Chief s ' ▁support , ▁decided ▁to ▁expand ▁the ▁air ▁campaign ▁and ▁ex empt ed ▁only ▁H ano i , ▁H ai ph ong ▁and ▁a ▁buffer ▁zone ▁with ▁China ▁from ▁the ▁target ▁list . ▁Later ▁that ▁month ▁Mc N am ara ▁told ▁a ▁Senate ▁sub comm ittee ▁that ▁an ▁expanded ▁air ▁campaign ▁would ▁not ▁bring ▁H ano i ▁to ▁the ▁peace ▁table . ▁The ▁J oint ▁Chief s ▁were ▁ast ounded , ▁and ▁threatened ▁mass ▁res ignation ; ▁Mc N am ara ▁was ▁sum mon ed ▁to ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁for ▁a ▁three - hour ▁dress ing ▁down ; ▁never theless , ▁Johnson ▁had ▁received ▁reports ▁from ▁the ▁C IA ▁confirm ing ▁Mc N am ara ' s ▁analysis ▁at ▁least ▁in ▁part . ▁In ▁the ▁meant ime ▁an ▁election ▁establish ing ▁a ▁constitution al ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁was ▁concluded ▁and ▁provided ▁hope ▁for ▁peace ▁tal ks . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁war ▁arg u ably ▁in ▁a ▁st alem ate ▁and ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁the ▁w ides p read ▁disapp ro val ▁of ▁the ▁conflict , ▁Johnson ▁conven ed ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁veter an ▁government ▁foreign ▁policy ▁exper ts , ▁inform ally