851G.01/10–1849: Telegram
The Consul General at Saigon (Abbott) to the Secretary of State
335. Text given press two letters from Bao Dai to President Auriol and Boisdon, President, Assembly French Union.1 First is reply to Auriol’s letter July 27 (mytel 257, August 11). While text given press undated, Bonfils believes in recent answer original taken Paris by Pignon. Delay of two months in replying Auriol perhaps significant.
In letter Bao Dai ties together Auriol’s statement that return of peace depends entirely on Vietnam with President’s promise that March 8 agreements would be loyally implemented and says “return peace depends on manner agreements we signed are applied. On March 8 we reached meeting of minds. This must now be translated into action”.
Emperor then refers to Auriol’s promise that if all efforts fail France will defend independence and security Vietnam with help UNO if necessary and concludes “in the eventuality foreseen by you my government gives its full approval to an appeal to UNO.[”]
Bao Dai thus joins swelling chorus of those who blame everything on delaying implementing March 8 agreements and contend nothing can be accomplished till implementation completed. While there is some truth in this argument, it opens dangerous possibility of new psychological letdown when it is discovered that implementation accords has by no means solved all problems and has in fact created many new ones.
Reference to UNO may forecast effort have Vietnam problem referred UNO after Chinese Communists reach frontier with Greek analogy in mind.
Letter to Boisdon merely states Vietnam representatives to Assembly will be named “as soon as possible”.
Pouched Hanoi. Department pass Paris.2