Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Indochina, Volume XIII, Part 2

751G.00/5–1354: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Consulate at Hanoi¹

secret

Washington, May 14, 1954—7:40 p.m.

633. Ref Hanoi 660 and Saigon 2389.² Please inform Governor Tri his views have been transmitted Department which appreciates his frankness and values his judgments. We look upon steadfastness shown by him and his administration as a most important element of stability in present circumstances.

Department assumes Saigon has passed Secretary’s press comments to Hanoi. These should clarify US position.

Omission of Indochina from itineraries of Wilson, Hull and Van Fleet does not in any way betoken flagging of interest on our part, nor does it justify press speculation that US is “writing off Indochina”. You may explain that travel plans were dictated by purely practical considerations, including tight schedules and the fact that missions related primarily to Korean matters. Moreover officials in Vietnam are absorbed by pressing tasks and officials of this Government would be reluctant add to their burdens.

Hanoi and Saigon should, at their discretion, impress on local authorities both Vietnamese and French that US has not abandoned Indochina. We do not feel that our continued aid is being given to bolster a lost cause. We understand how keenly fall of Dien Bien Phu has been felt, and how unsettling is urgent search for solutions to new problems which press upon our friends and allies in Indochina.

Department hopes you will find occasion point out that among steps recently taken US has authorized supply of additional arms to equip militia in North Vietnam (Army Message MG 1139A, May 6),³ and we have just completed air lift of over 1,000 additional French Union troops to Vietnam, and, more importantly, we are defending at Geneva peoples and territories of Associated States. We believe these actions, among others cannot be represented as being those of a government which has “written off” Indochina.⁴

Dulles

1. Drafted by Sturm (PSA). Also sent to Saigon as telegram 2307; repeated for information to Geneva as Tosec 166, Paris as telegram 4090, and to Bangkok by pouch.
2. Both dated May 13, pp. 1550 and 1559, respectively.
3. Not found in Department of State files.
4. In telegram 667 from Hanoi, May 17, Cameron reported that he had briefed Tri the previous afternoon on the basis of the present telegram. Tri had expressed his appreciation. (751G.00/5–1754)