851G.00/6–2846: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:20 p.m.]
3203. Admiral d’Argenlieu, the High Commissioner in Indochina, came to see me this morning and talked in a very intelligent although somewhat prejudiced fashion about the whole Indo-Chinese business. Most of the facts he touched upon were not new to me; for instance, the behaviour of the Chinese occupation troops; his own negotiations with the Viet Nam; the Viet Nam delegation now here, etc.
He insisted especially that the Viet Nam has no following in Cochin-China; that the recent terrorist methods, assassinations, etc., in Cochin-China have alienated even the few friends they had there.
Notwithstanding that fact, he says, the desire of the Viet Nam to take over Cochin-China will be the most difficult point in their negotiations with the Viet Nam delegation now here. He believes that in the long run these negotiations will be successful but they will be long drawn out and he will not stay to see them through.
It is his intention to return to Indo-China in about 3 weeks.
He then criticized the Siamese Government for failing to return the seized provinces, saying that they are using every possible device to avoid giving them up.51 He insists that the much talked of incidents of the Mekong River grew out of raids carried out from Siamese territory by bands made up of Siamese, Japanese, Laotian and Cambodian “pirates” and that the French have been extremely long suffering; adding that he has a dossier a foot high about cases of lootings by these bands on the east side of the river.
Dept please repeat to Saigon. Sent London as 484.