Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Vietnam, Volume I

45. Telegram From the Special Representative in Vietnam (Collins) to the Embassy in France¹

Saigon, February 25, 1955—2 p.m.

976. Reference: Department telegram 2956 to Paris, repeated Saigon 3607.²

1. If President’s letter to Bao Dai has not yet been delivered, I request that Embassy officer who makes delivery inform Chief of State I am concerned with recent activities of Binh Xuyen who control police and Sûreté.

2. I am informed Binh Xuyen are intriguing with Hoa Hao to hamper efforts of government to consolidate its position. Both are intent on maintaining their special privileges and armies at expense of nation as a whole. By concerting their efforts and utilizing the police power, Binh Xuyen and Hoa Hao could for example block rice shipments into Saigon. At present Cao Dai appear offer less threat to government than other sects.

3. I believe it would be highly useful if Bao Dai saw fit to revoke the decree by which he assigned control of the police and Sûreté last year to the Binh Xuyen. Any such move should of course be coordinated in advance with Prime Minister Diem.

4. I am making this suggestion on my own initiative and not at request of Diem, although I am confident it is in accord with Prime Minister’s desires.

5. Request Embassy Paris inform me if it is too late to combine delivery this message with President’s letter.³

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Collins

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1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/2–2555. Secret; Limit Distribution, Repeated for information to the Department of State as 3564, which is the source text.

2. This telegram, February 21, contained the text of a letter, dated February 19, from Eisenhower to Bao Dai. In the letter the President noted the “distinct progress” being made in Vietnam by Diem and his government, stressed the need for carrying out announced programs of land reform and military reorganization, and expressed his concurrence in General Collins’ recommendation to continue and expand support for Vietnam. The last paragraph reads: “It is encouraging for me to know that Prime Minister Diem is making substantial progress. The United States Government intends to continue its support of his Government.” (Ibid., 751G.00/2–2155)

   For the full text of this letter, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1955, pp. 315–316.

3. In telegram 3617 from Paris, February 26, the Embassy reported it was sending a representative to Cannes to deliver Eisenhower’s letter to Bao Dai and would also deliver Collins’ message. (Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/2–2655) The Embassy did not make this decision, however, until it received telegram 2995 to Paris, February 25, in response to a telephone call to Washington. In this message, the Department raised no objection to delivery of the message as long as it was oral and carefully phrased and identified so as not to seem a codicil to Eisenhower’s letter. (Ibid., 751G.00/2–2555)