144. Memorandum Prepared for the President1
SITUATION IN VIET-NAM
A marked intensification of subversive activities directed by the Communist regime in Hanoi has been the major recent development [Page 408] of interest in the Republic of Viet-Nam. These activities include larger scale guerrilla attacks and increased terrorist assassinations. The more aggressive Communist tactics probably reflect primarily a reaction to the progress being achieved by the free Government of Viet-Nam under President Diem’s vigorous leadership.
President Diem has become seriously concerned with the increased Communist activity and is giving urgent attention to a strengthening of internal security measures. At his request U.S. representatives are working closely with Vietnamese officials in the preparation of plans to strengthen the over-all efficiency of the government’s counter-subversion effort, including plans to streamline the chain of command and to step up efforts to enlist the confidence and support of the Vietnamese civilian population. These plans may call for increased U.S. assistance in counter-guerrilla training and for certain specialized U.S. equipment to combat the particular tactics which the Communists have now adopted.
The International Supervisory and Control Commission (ICC), established under the 1954 Geneva Agreements to supervise the cease-fire in Vietnam and staffed by representatives of India, Canada and Poland, still declines to take action on requests from the Government of Viet-Nam to cite Communist subversion as a violation of the Geneva Agreements. The Polish representative on the ICC, supported to date by the Indian Chairman, maintains there is no evidence to prove this subversion is directed by the Communist regime in North Viet-Nam. The Indian representatives on the ICC, nevertheless, have in recent months begun to display a more cooperative attitude toward free world interests. They recently have taken the position with the Canadian representatives, that a proposed expansion of the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group in Viet-Nam would not be contrary to the Geneva Agreements.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/4–2160. Confidential. Drafted by Laurin B. Askew, Officer in Charge of Cambodia Affairs. Cleared by Usher, Anderson of SEA, and Steeves and in substance by L/FE and Flesch. According to a covering memorandum from Calhoun to Goodpaster, Major John Eisenhower telephoned a request for this information to McElhiney of S/S on April 18. On the original memorandum in the Eisenhower Library, the President wrote that it was “prepared at my request” and initialed it. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series, Indochina)↩