157. Telegram From the Chargé in Vietnam (Kidder) to the Department of State1
4952. 1. I saw Ely at 1730 on April 30 to review current situation.2
2. Commenting on relative calm during last 24 hours Ely said he had made démarche to Diem through Wintrebert afternoon April 29 and had put French guards on 2 bridges over Arroyo Chinois at point where it enters Saigon River. He said he had copy Vietnamese plans [Page 326] and wished prevent fighting from spreading to dock area along river south of Arroyo. He also believes arrival General Vy may have some pacifying influence. He states Vy is meeting this evening with General Ty and Colonels [garble] and Don in attempt work out relative positions. Ely does not know whether Ty will go along with Diem or not.
3. Ely emphasized his firm belief that sole responsibility for recent trouble lies on Diem’s shoulders. Diem has insulted him numerous times and indulges in constant lying against French. Ely will not stay if Diem remains. He reiterated Diem no longer head of a government but is illegal and has no Cabinet left. He alleged only 3 Ministers remained to support Diem’s reply to Bao Dai instructions to come to Paris. He seemed surprised when I told him that I myself had seen at least 10 Ministers coming out of April 29 Cabinet meeting. Ely states that Diem should have resigned if he couldn’t control situation but had no comment when I pointed out that such action would have constituted clear-cut Binh Xuyen victory. In any case, he said, Binh Xuyen had no reason whatsoever start trouble, as it was in their interest await Bao Dai action. Ely said Diem or his friends only ones who had interest in instigating incident. In brief, Ely is personally and emotionally involved and can see only one side of picture.
4. Re Bao Dai sending General Hinh to Saigon, Ely believes it stupid mistake and has so cabled Paris, hoping Hinh can be stopped en route.
5. Ely says he has proof Viet Minh are profiting from trouble and are infiltrating and using Binh Xuyen and Hoa Hao and attempting prevent settlement of fighting.
6. Ely mentioned Ambassador Dillon’s talk with Faure (Paris telegram 4740 repeated Saigon 6893). I limited myself to stating that our Ambassador had made 3 points listed under paragraph 7a of Department telegram to Paris 3828 repeated Saigon 4756.4
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/4–3055. Secret; Limited Distribution.↩
- In an unpublished article Kidder states that he saw Ely three times on April 30 and that before the first of these conversations he received telegram 3837 to Paris, April 27, repeated to Saigon (Document 144). “So, when Ely asked me whether the U.S. would support the French in removing Diem all that I knew for certain was that further instructions from Washington would be following. Obviously they were having second thoughts there but what these were I had no idea. I was left no choice but to make up my own mind what our policy was as I would be damned if I was going to say I didn’t know. … I told Ely ‘No’. He was flabbergasted, being fully aware of Collins’ decision to urge Washington to drop Diem and believed that was to be our course of action. ‘How do you know that?’ he asked me. My reply, ‘General I know American foreign policy’.” (Randolph A. Kidder, unpublished manuscript in possession of the author).↩
- See footnote 2, Document 154.↩
- Document 140.↩