Office of the Historian

27. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to the President1

Washington, February 1, 1963.

SOUTH VIETNAM

You are meeting this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. with Secretary Rusk, Secretary McNamara, Mr. Gilpatric, General Taylor, General Wheeler, Governor Harriman, Director McCone, Mr. David Bell and Mr. William Bundy. The announced purpose of the meeting is to give you an [Page 95] opportunity to hear General Wheeler’s report2 on his trip to South Vietnam.

As a means of stimulating action, you may wish to put some of the following questions:

1.
Should General Harkins report directly to the JCS instead of CinCPac?
2.
In view of Ambassador Nolting’s completion of his two-year extension in South Vietnam in mid-April, should we consider a new appointment?
3.
Have we been as firm as we should with the GVN in putting our views across on our military, domestic and foreign policy?
4.
Is U.S. air power (“Farm Gate”) being used effectively to support our guerrilla war strategy, i.e.:
(a)
Is enough emphasis being: placed on close air support and liaison capabilities as against air strikes and interdiction?
(b)
Has it been resolved whether the Army or the Air Force will provide liaison and quick response to calls for help from our Special Forces people in exposed and isolated training camps?
(c)
Are we paying enough attention to the problem of quick reinforcement of strategic hamlets by ground and air when they are attacked?
5.
Why do we have such a bad press from South Vietnam? Should we be more forthcoming with the U.S. press in Saigon despite GVN objections?
6.
Does Director McCone feel that “Operation Switchback” (the transfer of paramilitary training [less then 1 1ine not declassified] to Army Special Forces) is progressing smoothly, or should it be stretched out to allow the Army more time to work out its funding procedures?
7.
Have we thought about the danger of creating too many separate and disorganized paramilitary organizations? Is this an efficient use of manpower? Has any thought been given to providing a police force to control the movement of peoples and goods in areas which have been cleared by government forces?

MF
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, President’s Office Files, Vietnam Country Series, Security 1963. Secret.↩
  2. Document 26.↩