751G.00/7–254: Telegram
The Chargé at Saigon (McClintock) to the Department of State
20. Repeated information Paris 10, Hanoi, Bangkok unnumbered. Feeling is already becoming manifest in Vietnamese circles Saigon of [Page 1773] more overt hatred of French specifically and of Americans and Occidentals generally as news filters through of French “military decision” to withdraw from southeastern provinces of Tonkin with inevitable corollary of eventual relinquishment of Hanoi. For example, a prominent Vietnamese doctor told me this morning that although people of Cochinchina were certainly not as a rule on very friendly terms with Tonkinese they nevertheless felt in this time of national peril a bond of sympathy for the northerners who are now being abandoned by the French. He added that Vietnamese would if possible “turn against the French” and warned that Americans likewise would be looked upon askance. As for chances of forming a new Vietnam following partition, this possibility seemed dubious since he claimed attentistes and intellectuals had been careful to keep their skirts free of regional sectarian groups and would probably instead advocate a government which in fact would be dominated by Viet Minh.
Although as suggested Embtel 18 repeated Paris 9, Geneva 4, Hanoi 51 today it seems that Diem may now be more inclined to form a government, I should think that if he does not create a workable Cabinet soon we should give some thought to possibility (possibly utilization of last remnant of French influence here) of bringing in a government headed by Tam. At least, as indicated last sentence Embtel 2946 repeated Paris 1048 June 302 he has no hesitancy in knocking heads together and with his past experience both as Prime Minister and Minister of Interior he might indeed be able to create a resistance government worthy of our support.