Office of the Historian

365. Telegram From the Chargé in Vietnam (Anderson) to the Department of State1

Saigon, March 30, 1957—noon.

2957. 1. In conversation with me March 28 lasting more than two hours and in talk March 29 with General Maxwell Taylor,2 President Diem emphasized Communists are intensifying subversive efforts in Southeast Asia in general and in Vietnam in particular.

2. In talk with me Diem dwelt at length on unfavorable developments Thailand and Cambodia (but strangely failed mention Laos or Indonesia). As for Thailand he felt Pibul had been greatly shaken by recent events3 and should now vigorously take matters into own hands (as was being done in Vietnam) rather than try to balance one force against another. In Cambodia Russians and their Chinese [Page 769] friends were rapidly entrenching themselves in privileged positions and had already done much to win over important Chinese minority.

3. In Vietnam the Viet Minh were engaging in “agitprop” tactics which included dissemination of anti-GVN tracts on considerable scale and use of arson (see Weeka March 22 [23]4 and despatch 2675) as instrument to attack government and sow discontent. Efforts were also being made by certain elements in press to discredit him personally and to engage in demagoguery which he would not tolerate (Embtel 28956). There were even naive elements in the church who were critical of government and showing tolerant attitude toward coexistence. (See Weeka March 157 re proceedings against priests.)

4. In view of all this ferment Diem said he had himself recently “briefed” groups from army and National Assembly on situation. He had told them rely more and more on own efforts and prepare for austerity and difficulties ahead.

5. In talk with Taylor Diem refrained from going into details but made point of emphasizing general danger of Communist subversive thrust.8

6. I have definite impression that since attempt on his life Feb 22 Diem has become especially sensitive to any development that might seem threaten security his government. An almost immediate reaction was ordering Civil Guard to frontier areas (Embtel 26339) and sense of urgency with respect to implementing resettlement projects in PMS and Plaine des Joncs. Department will note Diem’s statements on subversive threat are in line with those made to Washington press March 28 by his brother Nhu.

Anderson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/3–3057. Confidential. Repeated for information to Phnom Penh and Bangkok. Passed to the Department of Defense for CINCPAC.↩
  2. Taylor, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, was in Saigon March 29–31, where, in addition to talks with Vietnamese leaders, he visited military installations. (Weeka 13, telegram 2966 from Saigon, March 30; ibid., 751G.00(W)/3–3057)↩
  3. The reference is to the election in Thailand in which Prime Minister Pibul’s party won a narrow majority amid charges of corruption and election tampering. Pibul’s government declared a state of emergency after the election until the new parliament was convened.↩
  4. Transmitted in telegram 2894 of that date, not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00(W)/3–2357)↩
  5. Dated March 21, not printed. (Ibid., 751G.001/3–2157)↩
  6. Dated March 23, not printed. (Ibid., 951G.61/3–2357)↩
  7. Transmitted in telegram 2830 of that date, not printed. (Ibid., 751G.00(W)/3–1557)↩
  8. Williams reported on this conversation to CINCPAC in telegram MAGCH 5390, April 1 (011059Z) and commented: “During conference between Ngo Dinh Diem and Taylor President spoke in generalities only and without too much energy.” (Center of Military History, William Papers, TWXs 1957 (14)) A memorandum of this conversation by Colonel Usera is ibid., Conversations with Diem 31 Dec 56–12 Sept 57. A short summary of the conversation is in Document 371.↩
  9. Document 360.↩