851G.00/7–3147
Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Southeast Asian Affairs (Landon) to the Deputy Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Penfield)
The underlying telegram to the Chief of Naval Operations from the Assistant Naval Attaché in Bangkok (Saigon’s 239 of July 3144) refers to a possible good will visit to Indochina by units of the US Navy.45 Despite Reed’s reported opinion that such a visit would be desirable, I feel that any action by the United States at this time that [Page 129] could possibly be construed as lending moral support to the French in Indochina would be most ill-advised—particularly since developments in Indochina appear to be coming to a head, with the French reported preparing to set up a constitutional monarchy under Baodai in opposition to Ho’s Government. It may be recalled that last May we expressed our concern to the French that a restoration of Baodai might be attempted and were assured that the French were not contemplating any sort of puppet government under Baodai.