154. Editorial Note
On May 5, Senator Mike Mansfield of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee wrote separately to General Williams, Chief of the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam, and Secretary of State Herter inquiring about a United Press International despatch of the same day which stated that because of the deteriorating security situation in Vietnam, the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group was being doubled. Mansfield asked a series of questions to determine the reasons for the increase, how the decision was made, and by whom it was approved. Mansfield’s letter to Williams is printed, along with the United Press International despatch in question, in United States–Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pages 1276–1278.
General Williams sent the following explanation to the Department of Defense to be passed as a letter to Senator Mansfield:
“Dear Senator Mansfield: Your letter of 5 May passed to me by DOD received Saigon 19 May. Full reply enroute by airmail. As interim reply UPI dispatch number 31, May 5, 1960 to which you refer not entirely factual. Specifically US training staff not being doubled as stated in UPI dispatch. The 350 US ‘civilian technicians’ mentioned in news items as sorting and shipping arms left by French [Page 442] forces undoubtedly refers to US military personnel of the temporary equipment recovery mission, short title TERM, now in process deactivation. Maintenance of total overall MAAG–TERM advisor strength of 385 for time being is at urgent request GVN with full concurrence Ambassador, CINCPAC, DOD, State Department and myself. Total advisor strength to be considerably lower than total 850 US and French MAAG at time of Geneva accords and slightly lower than total MAAG–TERM strength. Following sentence classified Confidential: Change over of TERM excess to MAAG ends subterfuge as actually TERM has had undercover mission as logistical advisors since activation. Project began before current step-up guerrilla activities. Small number US experts in guerrilla warfare recently brought in on TDY as substitutes for regular MAAG advisors and are within previous overall strength. It is my personal opinion MAAG should and can work itself ‘out of job’ with possible reduction approximately 15 per cent in June 61 and approximately 20 per cent reduction yearly thereafter depending of course on readings taken at subsequent dates. Very truly yours. Signed Williams” (MAGCH–CH 691, May 20; Center of Military History, Williams Papers, TWX s 1960 (71); printed in United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pages 1279–1280. General Williams” full reply is printed as Document 166.)
On May 10, Secretary Herter responded to Mansfield in a letter similar to that of Williams. The Secretary did note additionally that the International Control Commission had approved the transfer in April as not in contravention of the Geneva Agreements, that it was done with the knowledge and approval of the Secretary of State, and that while the security situation in Vietnam was not a threat to the Diem regime, it was a long-range problem for Vietnam. (Telegram 2053 to Saigon, May 11; Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5–MSP/5–1160)