352. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Reinhardt) to the Department of State1

1674. Diem summoned me evening November 16 to discuss U Nu visit.2 Apparent from outset President both pleased at way visit went off and impressed with personality of guest whom he repeatedly described as simple, kind and deeply religious with high moral sense of justice. Diem recounted details of visit outlined Embassy telegram 16433 and asserted he had from outset decided it would be preferable to avoid raising controversial questions with Nu and simply to show him country and people in most informal fashion possible. This he had done and he felt sure it had been correct tactic.

Nu had asked about unification of Vietnam and was told this was an internal question for which time would be ripe when South had built up its economic and military strength sufficiently to meet North on equal terms. At such juncture Diem said he would be happy to meet Ho Chi Minh face to face. Concerning relations with Soviet Russia Diem had said that Vietnam was too small and delicate a garden to have such a massive elephant rooting around with its trunk amid the straw huts and pagodas. It was true American elephant was present but it was friendly creature and brought Vietnamese presents of bananas. Diem was convinced that U Nu’s impromptu conversations with Vietnamese and Thai refugees had brought home to him some of plain truths of Communist barbarity. He had given Nu comprehensive briefing history Ho Chi Minh and Viet Minh movement. Diem thought their drive together along miles of unpatrolled jungle roads had impressed him with measure of internal security already attained here. Although Nu had not raised the subject Myint Thein4 had said that Burmese were much more concerned with indirect Communist aggression and subversion than with the possibility of overt aggression. (If one is to believe Diem’s account there was less topical political content in his conversations with Nu than in latter’s Saigon press conference.)

Diem said his guest had invited him to visit Burma, suggested a visit by Vietnamese military officers and expressed himself in favor [Page 751] of establishment of relations between the two countries but that nothing specific had been decided on any of these points. (British Embassy on contrary was told by senior official of Burmese delegation that agreement had been reached to exchange Consuls General.)

It is general consensus here that visit was indeed highly successful. It marks, I believe, stage in this government’s process of growing up and revealed new level of sophistication on part of Diem himself.

Reinhardt
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.90B51G/11-1956. Confidential. Repeated for information to Rangoon, New Delhi, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, and Bangkok.
  2. U Nu, former Prime Minister of Burma and chairman of the dominant political party in Burma, the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League, visited Saigon in mid-November.
  3. Not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, 033.90B51G/11–1456)
  4. Myint Thein, former Burmese Ambassador to China, was a Justice of the Burmese Supreme Court.