THE ROLE OF THE TEMPORARY EQUIPMENT RECOVERY MISSION; THE QUESTION OF THE MILITARY ASSISTANCE ADVISORY GROUP CEILING; THE CIVIL GUARD AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PARAMILITARY FORCES; UPGRADING THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM’S AIR FORCE; THE CAN LAO PARTY, CORRUPTION, AND THE USE OF U.S. AID; DETERIORATION OF INTERNAL SECURITY AND THE DEBATE OVER COUNTERINSURGENCY POLICY; INCREASE IN THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM’S ARMED FORCES; POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO DIEM AND THE ABORTIVE COUP OF NOVEMBER 19601
1. For previous documentation on Vietnam, see Foreign Relations, 1955–1957, volume I.
182. Letter From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Parsons)
Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, 18. VN 1960—Gen. Lionel McGarr. Extracts. Secret; Official–Informal; Limit Distribution.
183. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the Chairman, National Board of Estimates (Kent)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2170, 092 Vietnam. Secret. Attached to the source text was a covering note from Lansdale to Irwin, August 10, which reads as follows: “Knowing your personal interest in Vietnam, I thought the attached would be worth a quick reading. You might like to pass to Adm. O’Donnell and others on your staff. Ed Lansdale.”
184. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to Lieutenant General Lionel C. McGarr
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Papers: FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam Correspondence 1960. Secret; Personal. General McGarr had been designated as Chief of MAAG, Vietnam; he assumed his duties at the end of August.
185. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Department of State, INR–NIE Files. Secret. Also printed in Department of Defense, United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1298–1301.
186. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 651.51K/8–2560. Secret. Repeated for information to London, Phnom Penh, CINCPAC PolAd, Bangkok, and Vientiane.
187. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/8–3060. Secret. Repeated for information to CINCPAC for PolAd.
188. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Gates)
Source: Department of State, Phnom Penh Embassy Files: Lot 62 F 30, 381 Vietnam. Secret.
189. Telegram From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Felt)
Source: Department of State, Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 65 F 115, 320 U.S. Basic Policy Towards VN. Secret. Repeated for information to the Chief, MAAG Vietnam.
190. Paper Prepared by the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 65 F 115, 350 International Political Affairs, Vietnam–GVN 1960. Secret. Drafted on September 2, discussed at a country team meeting on September 4, and revised in light of that discussion. This is apparently the version of September 4, as revised after the meeting.
191. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5–MSP/9–560. Secret. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd. Sent with instructions to pass to the Department of Defense for General Lampert of MAAG, Vietnam.
192. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/9–560. Secret. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd, Bangkok, Vientiane, Phnom Penh, London, and Paris. Also printed in Department of Defense, United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1302–1306.
193. Letter From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Parsons)
Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, 108–VN 1960–Mutual Defense Affairs. Secret; Official–Informal.
194. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to Desmond Fitzgerald of the Central Intelligence Agency
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Papers: FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam Correspondence 1960. Confidential. A copy was sent to Hugh S. Cumming, Jr., Director of Intelligence and Research, Department of State.
195. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the Regional Director, Far East (O’Donnell) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2170, 092 Vietnam. Secret. Also printed in Department of Defense, United States–Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1307–1310.
196. Telegram From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Irwin) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Felt)
Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, 97–VN 1960—Over-all Security Plan. Secret; Routine. Drafted by Flesch and cleared by O’Donnell. Repeated for information to Chief of MAAG, Vietnam who was also to pass it to Durbrow for information. In a letter to Parsons, September 16, O’Donnell explained that this plan had been approved by Deputy Secretary of Defense Douglas on September 14. O’Donnell noted that both the Departments of Defense and State “are in agreement that immediate action is required to see the Diem Government safely through the present serious emergency.” The Department of Defense, according to O’Donnell, was pleased that Durbrow had accepted as an emergency measure that Department of Defense detail 40 advisers to MAAG Vietnam to train the Civil Guard in anti-guerrilla warfare and that the Guard be transferred from the Vietnamese Ministry of the Interior to the Ministry of Defense. (Ibid.) A copy is also in Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2170, 381 Vietnam.
197. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/9–1660. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd. Also printed in Department of Defense, United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1311–1316.
198. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the Regional Director, Far East (O’Donnell) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Papers: FRC 63 A 1803 Vietnam Correspondence 1960. Secret. Douglas’ initials on a covering note from Lansdale to Black, dated September 21, indicate that the Deputy Secretary of Defense also saw this memorandum.
200. Letter From the Chief Adviser of the Michigan State University Vietnam Advisory Group (Musolf) to the President of Michigan State University (Hannah)
Source: Michigan State University Archives, Hannah Papers, H, Viet Pr. 1960. Personal and Confidential (not a U.S. Government classification).
201. Despatch From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/10–760. Confidential. Copies sent to Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur, and CINCPAC PolAd. Drafted by John Helble, Third Secretary of Embassy, on September 30.
202. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10–660. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Wood. Cleared with SEA, FE, and INR; approved by Steeves. Repeated for information to CINCPAC for PolAd.
203. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10–1560. Secret. Limit Distribution. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd. Printed also in Department of Defense, United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1323–1324.
204. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5–MSP/10–1560. Confidential. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd.
205. Despatch From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10–1560. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Mendenhall. Received in FE on October 21. Printed also in Department of Defense, United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1317–1322.
206. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5–MSP/10–1960. Secret. Drafted by Wood and cleared with Flesch of DOD/ISA, with ICA, and Cleveland. Approved for transmission by Steeves. Repeated for information to CINCPAC. Printed also in Department of Defense, United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1325–1326.
207. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10–2060. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated for information to Tokyo for Parsons and CINCPAC PolAd.
208. Memorandum From the Secretary of State to the President
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File, Vietnam. Secret. On a copy of this memorandum in Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10–2060, Wood was indicated as the drafter with clearances from SEA, FE, L/FE in substance, and U/PR. The following note appears on the source text in Goodpaster’s hand: “24 Oct 60. Told State OK by phone—with 1 word change. G.”
209. Telegram From the Ambassador in Thailand (Johnson) to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 65 F 115, 030 Visit: Tours 1959–61 (Eyes Only) A-Z. Secret; Eyes Only.
210. Outline Plan Prepared by the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Papers: FRC 63 A 1803, MAAG–VN Outline Plan. Secret. Only the “Introduction” and the “Basic Plan” are printed here. Omitted are four annexes: A, “Task Organization”; B, “Intelligence”; C, “Concept of Operations”; and D, “Logistics”. The date of October 27 is on the title page and the “Introduction”. The “Basic Plan” is dated November 7; the table of contents is dated November 9.