Office of the Historian

218. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State1

Saigon, July 11, 1963, 8 p.m.

73. Hilsman from Nolting. CINCPAC for POLAD. Had long, private and very frank talk with Thuan this afternoon after briefings here. We discussed strategy for my talk with Diem tomorrow morning.2 Thuan feels dangers of Buddhist tensions somewhat reduced, but he still worried. I have conviction that he is honestly working for government and not infected by coup plotting.

One encouraging development is appointment this morning of government commission, headed by Inspector General of Administration, a Buddhist, to receive and investigate complaints from Buddhist association regarding implementation June 16 agreements. Offsetting this, Thuan told me of request to Vice President from Buddhist leaders to come to see them in Xa Loi Pagoda. Declining this invitation, Tho countered by inviting Buddhist leaders to meet with him, Thuan and Minister of Interior Luong, or with him alone either at office or homer Buddhists declined.

Further reports and assessment this situation will follow.

Trust statement made at airport upon arrival3 was acceptable. Tried to play it down the middle by statement prepared on airplane, rather than trying to field a raft of questions dealing with extremely sensitive points in this situation.

Nolting
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POLS VIET. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC. Nolting returned to his post on July 11. An article in The New York Times on July 9, p. 6, stated that Nolting was returning to Vietnam with a personal message for President Diem from President Kennedy. Nolting did meet with President Kennedy on July 8 before he left Washington, but he was not given any message to convey. (Ibid., Office of the Historian, Vietnam Interviews, Nolting, June 1, 1984) On July 10, the Department of State informed the Embassy in Saigon that the Spokesman of the Department had denied the report and had stated: “There has been no change in our policy toward Viet-Nam, or our support for the program against the Communist Viet Cong in that country.” (Telegram 49 to Saigon, July 10; Ibid., Central Files,POLS VIET-US)↩
  2. Nolting did not cable a separate report of this conversation to Washington. For a combined assessment of his initial conversations with Diem. see telegram 85, Document 219.↩
  3. No report of this statement has been found.↩