66. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam1
4061. Secretary discussed question of elections in Vietnam with Foreign Minister Pearson at Ottawa on March 18.2 Pearson said several months ago Canadians believed if free elections were held Vietminh would win sweeping victory. Now their officials in Vietnam say that because of disillusionment in north over communist regime and difficult economic conditions, genuinely free elections six months to one year hence might well be won Vietnamese Government.
Secretary agreed with above estimate. He said that in his recent Saigon visit he had urged Diem to accept principle of holding elections and concentrate on procedures necessary to insure genuinely free elections and on what elections would be for (Chief of State, constituent assembly, provincial assemblies, one of the two regimes, or what). Secretary said he believed Diem was disposed to begin discussions with Vietminh next July. He did not believe communists would agree to free elections particularly in the light of the evolution of events in the north. Therefore elections might never be held, but it was important that the reason be a communist refusal to permit free elections. Pearson said he fully agreed. He thought it important that Diem Government be willing to discuss elections with Vietminh, but he was not sure they would ever be held. Final result could well be a divided Vietnam similar to divided Korea and Germany.
He commented that role of International Commission in any such elections was far from clear. Adequate supervision would require a very large personnel which Canada could not supply but which he felt India might. He also made clear that Canada would like nothing better than to be able to shed responsibilities it had assumed with respect to Indochina because there seemed no end in sight and it imposed a heavy drain on their manpower resources. The Secretary said he felt it essential for Canada to continue playing its role on the Commission. He mentioned that “free” elections would require insurance against prior coercion and subsequent reprisal and [Page 135] not merely freedom for a moment. In this connection Secretary cited UK position re Germany at Berlin Conference.3
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/3–1955. Secret. MacArthur and Dulles are indicated as drafting and clearing officers (by an unidentified initialing officer). Repeated to Vientiane, Phnom Penh, and Ottawa.↩
- Dulles was in Ottawa March 17–18 for talks with Canadian officials. (Princeton University Library, Dulles Papers, Dulles Appointment Book)↩
- Apparent reference to the Berlin Conference of Foreign Ministers, January 25–February 18, 1954.↩