397. Letter From the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam (Williams) to Vice Admiral G.W. Anderson, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Pacific1
Dear Admiral Anderson: Although I hate to bother a busy man with details from such a small element of the Pacific Command, I believe it well for you, Admiral Stump and certain members of your Staff to have the following information for general background.
On the 27th September, at a meeting of the Country Team, USOM discussed a mimeographed sheet of figures on budgetary matters (Incl # 1).2 It presents several alternatives based on the assumption aid to VN will be cut 20%.3 Purpose of discussion was to get agreement of Country Team for USOM to discuss these figures with the Vietnamese. It was agreed they should do so. I stipulated however, that it be made absolutely clear to the Vietnamese that the discussion was for planning, only. That we did not know what cuts would be made and the discussion was merely to generate thinking. To this USOM agreed and did carry out. (I had my Comptroller attend the meeting between USOM and the Vietnamese to be sure this was done.) It certainly generated the thinking and more, just as I expected.
The President had a meeting at 1500 on 1 October, lasting two hours, during which he presented a very strong case for the Military [Page 845] budget. Notes made by my interpreter (Incl # 2)4 are meager because of the rapidity of the conversation between the President and the Ambassador.
On more than one occasion the Ambassador attempted to switch the discussion to economic affairs without too much success. The President insisting [insisted] that at this time he wanted to discuss the Military features of American aid only, and refused to be diverted.
He made two remarks that to me were of outstanding importance, neither of which the interpreter included in his notes.
The first was that in event cuts forced a choice between adequate Military funds and funds for economic growth, then the economic growth would have to wait. I consider this to be an important decision, a far reaching one. One [It] gives an insight into his thinking as to conditions not only in Vietnam but this part of Asia.
His other remark that I considered of particular importance came about as follows: Speaking of peace time expenditures as contrast to war expenditures, things that we are all familiar with, such as in War more can be spent in a week than carried in a year’s peace time budget, etc., he said “Do you think the Americans want to see American G.I.s on the 17th Parallel”?, or words to that effect.
Undoubtedly this remark was made to more forcibly impress upon the Ambassador what he considered the seriousness of the situation. However, what ever his reason, he made it and I may add much to my surprise as he had never made such a remark in my hearing previously.
Kindest regards,
- Source: Center of Military History, Williams Papers, Official Correspondence July–Dec 1957 (16).↩
- Not found.↩
- See Document 402.↩
- Not found attached. A typed record of this conference, dated October 1 and signed by Usera, is in Center of Military History, Williams Papers, Conversations with Diem 16 Sep 57–28 Dec 57.↩
- The source text is a copy bearing this typed signature.↩