151. Draft Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Papers: FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam Correspondence 1960. Secret; Priority; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Wood and Anderson, marked “second draft”, and apparently sent to DOD/ISA for clearance. This telegram was not sent.

152. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research to the Acting Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/5–360. Confidential. A note on the source text indicates that Acting Secretary Dillon saw this memorandum.

153. Memorandum Prepared in the Department of Defense

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Papers: FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam Correspondence 1960. Secret; Sensitive. Drafter not indicated; the source text is a carbon copy. A marginal note indicates that the original was given to Robert H. Knight, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Attached to the source text is a note to Douglas from his Military Assistant, Colonel Edwin F. Black, in which the latter suggested that the Deputy Secretary look at the memorandum before the OCB luncheon meeting of May 4 in case Vietnam should be discussed. It continued:

“Ambassador Durbrow has worked himself up into a lather about some apparently ill-considered actions which the Vietnamese government has initiated with respect to Cambodia. Durbrow feels that the trouble maker is Diem’s brother Nhu. While the Ambassador is certainly right that this is no time for the Vietnamese to be stirring up trouble with Cambodia, since they have a major problem of dealing with their own unsatisfactory internal security situation in the south, Lansdale fears that there is considerable danger that State will start scolding Diem about the situation rather than make constructive proposals to help him with his problems.

“I still feel that the single most constructive action which Defense could undertake would be to send Lansdale out there as soon as possible.”

Black’s note is stamped “Dep Sec has seen”. No record has been found of a discussion of Vietnam at the OCB luncheon meeting held May 4.

154. Editorial Note

155. Letter From the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam (Williams) to the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale)

Source: Center of Military History, Williams Papers, Lansdale 1960 (136). Personal and Confidential. Printed from a carbon copy of the handwritten original.

156. Memorandum of Discussion at the 444th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, May 9, 1960

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Drafted by Boggs on May 13.

157. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/5–360. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Wood and Steeves, cleared with SEA, with Dillon in substance, with Knight of DOD/ISA by telephone, and approved by Parsons. Repeated for information to Bangkok, Phnom Penh, CINCPAC for PolAd, and Vientiane.

158. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/5–960. Secret; Priority; Limited Distribution. Repeated for information to Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, and CINCPAC PolAd.

159. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Anderson) to the Operations Coordinator (O’Connor)

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, 2. VN 1960—Operations Coordinating Board. Secret. Drafted by Cleveland and Wood.

160. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651H.51K/5–1360. Secret; Limited Distribution. Repeated for information to Bangkok, Phnom Penh, CINCPAC PolAd, and Vientiane.

161. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, May 13, 1960

Source: Department of State, FE Files: Lot 62 D 26, MC Defense. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Wood.

162. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in France

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795.00/5–1360. Secret. Repeated for information to Saigon, Seoul, Vientiane, Manila, and CINCPAC for PolAd. Drafted by Albert leS. Jenkins, Regional Planning Adviser in FE; cleared in SEA, NA, FE, G, WE, GTI, and S/S; and approved by Acting Secretary Dillon.

163. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5811/5–1760. Secret.

164. Letter From the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam (Williams) to the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale)

Source: Center of Military History, Williams Papers, Lansdale, 1960 (136). Personal and Confidential. Printed from a carbon copy of the handwritten letter.

165. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Parsons) and the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Knight), Washington, May 19, 1960

Source: Department of State, FE Files: Lot 62 D 26, MC–Defense. Confidential. Drafted by Parsons on May 20. In telegram 2121 to Saigon, May 21, the Department of State informed Durbrow of this discussion and the decision on Lansdale’s assignment. (Ibid., Central Files, 751K.5811/5–2160)

In a memorandum to Parsons, May 18, Anderson stated that there were four main reasons for opposing the proposed Lansdale visit. It would “further undercut the present Ambassador’s position already challenged by the Chief MAAG, General Williams”. Lansdale’s “position as an Air Force Officer … as presidential adviser requested by Diem but supposedly under the Ambassador’s authority would be anomalous. This at a time when our Government’s voice in Viet-Nam should be firm and clear.” Lansdale’s presence “would encourage Diem’s strong propensity to play off American advisers.” Lastly, four “Senior Officers who have served in Viet-Nam—three when Lansdale was there” had recommended strongly against the idea. “Knowing something of Lansdale’s views and methods, it is very unlikely that he would strongly support our views and policies—particularly on Vietnam’s attitude toward Cambodia—during private talks with Diem.” (Ibid., FE/VN Files: Lot 66 D 193)

166. Letter From the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam (Williams) to Senator Mike Mansfield of Montana

Source: Center of Military History, Williams Papers, Official Correspondence Jan–Apr 1960 (73). Personal and Confidential.

167. Memorandum From the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam (Williams) to the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow)

Source: Center of Military History, Williams Papers, Memoranda to Ambassador 1960 (77). Secret; Noforn.

168. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, June 2, 1960

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/6–260. Secret. Drafted by Wood.

169. Despatch From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/6–660. Official Use Only. Drafted by Durbrow and Thomas J. Barnes, Third Secretary of Embassy.

170. Memorandum From the Director, Far East Region (O’Donnell) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs to the Assistant Secretary (Irwin)

Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2170, 342.5 Vietnam. Secret.

171. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Parsons) to the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow)

Source: Department of State, Durbrow Files: Lot 68 D 404, Vietnam. Secret; Eyes Only; Official–Informal.

172. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/5–1060. Secret. Drafted by Wood, cleared with SEA, Parsons and Steeves of FE, with ICA/W, U/MSC, and DOD/ISA in substance; approved by Merchant. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd.

173. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/6–1160. Secret; Limited Distribution. Repeated for information to Bangkok, Phnom Penh, CINCPAC PolAd, and Vientiane.

174. Special Report Prepared by the Operations Coordinating Board

Source: Department of State, OCB Files: Lot 62 D 430, Vietnam. Secret. According to a covering memorandum by Bromley Smith, the OCB approved this paper at its meeting of May 25 subject to resolution of differences between the Departments of State and Defense over anti-guerrilla training of Vietnam’s Civil Guard. According to notes prepared in the White House on OCB activities of possible Presidential interest, May 27, the Southeast Asia Working Group of the OCB prepared this memorandum. (Eisenhower Library, White House Office, Project “Clean Up”, Staff Memos)

At the OCB meeting of June 8, Merchant reported that the differences between the Departments of Defense and State were resolved:

“As promised, Mr. Merchant reported to the Board on a State–Defense attempt to resolve the issue of supervision of ten added instructors in anti-guerrilla training. He said the two Departments had arrived at an interim satisfactory understanding and that it was being proposed to Ambassador Durbrow, Admiral Felt and ICA Washington. The seemingly feasible proposal would be to have USOM hire directly ten qualified civilians who would be added to the staff training the Civil Guard. The MAAG would continue its present Civil Guard training in this field and would try to arrange that certain Civil Guard training would be effected outside the country, for example, Okinawa and Taiwan. The working group would arrange to amend paragraph 6f of the Special Report on Viet-Nam for approval by the Board Assistants.” (OCB Notes by O’Connor, June 8; Department of State, OCB Files: Lot 62 D 430, Preliminary Notes IV)

In a letter to Durbrow, June 15, Anderson explained some of the background to the difference of opinion in Washington over the Vietnamese Civil Guard program:

“I have meant to write you about the Civil Guard training program and the delayed reply, Deptel 2230 of June 10 [Document 172].

“You have gathered that this question was the visible part of the larger iceberg representing CINCPAC’s suggestion that MAAG take over the whole Civil Guard program. JCS was seized of this question and for some time couldn’t come up with a position. Thus DOD was in a state of inarticulate frustration; they couldn’t say ‘yes’ and they couldn’t say ‘no’. At about that time the President asked the NSC whether the U.S. was doing everything possible to improve the situation in Viet-Nam. We were accordingly requested to draft a special OCB report on the situation in Viet-Nam (two copies being pouched to Saigon). Since Civil Guard training was one of the problems concerning our relations with Viet-Nam, we had to put it in the paper. Thus the question was raised to the OCB level where it was agreed that the matter should be settled quickly and that Messrs. Merchant and Irwin would work it out. Their attempts to do so were then delayed by the SEATO Conference. Eventually Messrs. Merchant and Irwin did meet, and the June 10 telegram referred to above was sent out. DOD indicated they still might raise the larger question of unifying all internal security, but they didn’t make much of a point of it as they realized that this would involve changing our OISP policy worldwide. I hope the reply will alleviate your problem.” (Ibid., Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, 102.–VN 1960 Civil Guard)

175. Letter From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam (Williams)

Source: Center of Military History, Williams Papers, Lansdale 1960 (136).

176. Memorandum of a Conversation, Saigon, June 24, 1960, 4 p-m.

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Papers: FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam. Secret. Drafted by Coster.

177. Despatch From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/6–2760. Secret. Drafted by William B. Grant.

178. Memorandum From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Felt) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2170, 381 Vietnam. Secret.

179. Letter From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Anderson)

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, 16. VN 1960—Embassy Saigon. Secret; Official–Informal; Limited Distribution. The folder title also includes the following: “Official–Informal Misc. Letters.”

180. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5–MSP/7–1960. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, and Bangkok.