751G.13/5–654: Telegram
The Chargé at Saigon (McClintock) to the Department of State
2238. Repeated information Paris 768, Hanoi 412. Governor Tri of North Vietnam lunched privately with me today. He is unfeignedly pessimistic over political situation in South Vietnam. In fact, on conclusion of Governors’ conference today with remnant of Vietnamese Cabinet, he told Governors and Ministers present, “There is no longer any Central Government in Vietnam.”
Tri’s sole solution for present crisis is that Bao Dai should return at once and personally take over Prime Ministership. However, he said that Bao Dai could not be persuaded to such a step unless US intervened with him and made urgent representations to that effect. I offered personal comment that if indeed Bao Dai came back to head Government, he could conveniently leave his “eminent empire” and evil genius Nguyen De behind.
[Page 1478]Tri said that at Cabinet meeting from which he had just come Government had at long last approved his plan (now advocated by Defense Minister Quat) for revamping entire Vietnamese military system. This in other words, would be to start from basis of regional militia to recruit from this mass of quasitrained manpower the socalled light battalions and, after these had been blooded, to form regular heavy battalions.
Tri said his requirement for speedy aid in funds and arms for militia in North Vietnam remained as urgent as ever but that it was difficult to get Central Government moving in presenting a formal request. I said that STEM, Embassy, and MAAG were all interested in helping but that we had to maintain sound principle that such appeals for our assistance should come from Central Government as otherwise we would have every local governor and chief of province sitting on our doorsteps with his own pet project.
On question of partition, which naturally is of utmost concern to Tonkinese, I suggested to Tri that, without indicating this thought had come from me, he might do well to call this afternoon on my British colleague and discuss this issue.