117. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam1
Washington, August
8, 1961, 10:32 p.m.
160. Task Force VN. High level interest exists in answers to following questions. Task Force Washington has partial answers given in various past Saigon messages but would appreciate your current answers by August 14.
- 1.
- What is your assessment of the likely scale and character of the Viet Cong effort over coming months?
- 2.
- When are the Vietnamese likely to produce a plan for the systematic elimination of the Viet Cong; and what ideas does Task Force Saigon have about what such a systematic plan should look like?
- 3.
- What are the possibilities of further action by Diem’s forces against North VietNam: (1) by air drops? (2) by coastal raids? What would be Diem’s attitude to an enlarged program supported by U.S.?
- 4.
- Is the counter-guerrilla training adequate which is being conducted? Do we have the necessary U.S. Special Forces personnel on the job?
- 5.
- What would be the effect upon Viet-Nam troop requirements if Diem were encouraged to push out into Laos in order to control infiltration routes? Would Diem be willing to join in a cooperative action with Laos and Thailand to clean up the panhandle of Laos? What is your assessment in Saigon of the likelihood that Sarit and Phoumi would cooperate in such an effort?
Ball
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/8 861. Top Secret; Priority. Drafted by Cottrell, cleared with S/S, initialed by U. Alexis Johnson for the Acting Secretary, and repeated to CINCPAC for PolAd.↩