250. Telegram From the Embassy in Cambodia to the Department of State1
402. Department pass CINCPAC as Embtel 13 also pass DOD. Accompanied by General Lodoen and Colonel Yarborough of MAAG, I had 2-hour interview with Prince Monireth, Minister National Defense, this morning (2d). Prince readily agreed MAAG should have access to FARK planning at every stage. He said he had no secrets to hide and that mission of Khmer armed forces was very simple: to defend frontiers from external aggression and to maintain internal security.
Prince proposed MAAG and FARK staffs meet on regular basis to go over detailed military and logistics plans and to work out jointly means for meeting FARK requirements. He said he was man of no illusions who would have to make out with what he got as best he could and if US was not able give everything he desired at least he would take what he could get with gratitude. He said he felt minimum force basis for FARK should be 35,000 men of whom 25,000 would be combat effectives and 10,000 in service forces. He desired to regroup elements of army in larger units and in more central locations; improve firepower by more constant target practice; secure if possible light armored vehicles but not heavy tanks (“they would ruin our roads“) and be very sparing in use of trucks for [garble]. He said “ours is an infantry army and soldiers ought to learn to fight on their feet.” Rapid agreement was reached on outstanding problems bearing on construction of POL depot, ordnance depot at Lovek, and completion of MAAG housing.
In all, it seems MAAG is off to excellent start with Monireth and this momentum should endure ….
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 851H.501/10–256. Secret.↩