751G.5/7–1653: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Dillon) to the Department of State
206. Repeated information Saigon 28. In discussing Indochina with Adlai Stevenson1 today Pleven and Laniel spoke along lines of Embtel 106 July 8, and both termed it France’s most serious present problem.
Pleven was confident Navarre’s modest demand for additional air and sea resources would be met but he himself would oppose request for 15 additional French battalions. These could come only from conscripts which would entail passage of legislation. There would be no possibility of majority for it in Assembly; on contrary in present temper of Assembly such a proposal by government would not only be defeated but might well produce some sort of directive to government to withdraw at practically any price.
He also felt 15 more French battalions was not the answer even if available. War could only be won if enough Vietnamese were willing to die in process and could be trained as really effective jungle fighters. Unfortunately most of best and most fanatical Viet fighters were still on side of Viet Minh and green Vietnam troops recently engaged had come off badly and with unpleasantly high losses of their equipment. Laniel also spoke with concern of this tendency.
Pleven agreed readily with Stevenson’s criticism that recent offer of independence should have been made years ago and that symbols of French sovereignty and colonial-minded officials removed long ago. He felt that progress in this direction was now being made with considerable speed but admitted that in the past obstructionism by local officials had made progress slower than Paris had believed to be case.
- Governor Stevenson was on visit in France.↩