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 1960 1

1. For previous documentation on Vietnam, see Foreign Relations, 1955–1957, volume I.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/11–1760. Secret; Priority. Repeated for information to Phnom Penh, Vietiane, Bangkok, Paris, London, and priority to CINCPAC for PolAd.


242. Memorandum From the Deputy Coordinator for Mutual Security (Bell) to the Under Secretary of State (Dillon)

Source: Department of State, G/PM Files: Lot 64 D 359, Vietnam—General and Counter Insurgency. Secret. The source text is an uninitiated copy.


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

Source: Department of State, Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 65 F 115, 350 Internal Political Affairs, Vietnam—GVN—November Coup 1960. Secret. A note on the source text indicates that this memorandum was discussed at a Country Team meeting on November 22. McGarr sent a telegraphic summary of this meeting to CINCPAC and for information to ISA in telegram MAGCH–CS 1494, November 21. (Ibid., Vietnam–GVN–Nov. Coup (military messages))


245. Memorandum on the Substance of Discussion at a Department of State-Joint Chiefs of Staff Meeting, The Pentagon, Washington, November 18, 1960, 11:30 a.m.

Source: Department of State, State-JCS Meetings: Lot 70 D 328. Extract. Top Secret. A typed note indicates that the memorandum was prepared in the Department of State but not cleared with participants. The other topic at the meeting discussed at JCS initiative was Soviet oil. The Congo, Cuba, East Pakistan relief, and CENTO were all discussed at the instance of the Department of State. All of the Joint Chiefs attended except General White, who was represented by Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Curtis E. LeMay. Deputy Under Secretary Merchant headed the State contingent. Knight represented ISA, Lay the NSC, and Robert Amory and Richard Helms the CIA.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.11/11–1860. Confidential; Limit Distribution.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/11–1860. Secret; Priority. Repeated for information to CINCPAC for PolAd.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/11–2360. Confidential. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Bangkok, London, and Paris.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.51K/11–2660. Secret. Repeated for information to Bangkok, Vientiane, Phnom Penh, and CINCPAC PolAd.


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

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Papers: FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam Correspondence 1960. Secret.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5811/11–2760. Limited Official Use; Limit Distribution. Repeated for information to Manila, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Bangkok, and CINCPAC PolAd.


253. 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, Embassy Saigon, Official–Informal Misc. Letters. Secret; Official–Informal.


254. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Gates)

Source: JCS Files, CCS 99, 9155.3/4060 (1 Nov 60). Secret. Also printed in Department of Defense, United States–Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1332–1333.


255. Special Staff Note Prepared by the Department of Defense

Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Staff Secretary Record, International Series. Secret. The source text was initialed by President Eisenhower.


256. Memorandum From the Officer in Charge of Vietnam Affairs (Wood) to the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Anderson)

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, 91–VN 1960–Chief Executive: Ngo Dinh Diem. Secret. Sent through Cleveland and initialed by Anderson.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/12–460. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated for information to London, Paris, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Canberra, and CINCPAC PolAd. Printed also in Department of Defense, United States–Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1334–1339.


258. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Anderson) 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–National Defense Affairs (General). Secret. Drafted by Wood and cleared by Cleveland.


259. Memorandum From Jerome T. French of the Office of Special Operations, Department of Defense, to the Secretary of Defense’s Assistant for Special Operations (Erskine)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, FRC 63 A 1803: Lansdale Papers, J.T. French Trip File. Extracts. Secret. The omitted material includes an account of French’s stops in Tokyo, Manila, Bangkok, and Okinawa.


260. Memorandum From the Director for Intelligence and Research (Cumming) to the Secretary of State

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, GVNDRV Relations, 1960. Secret. Drafted by Louis G. Sarris and Alfred E. Wellons of the South Asia Division of the Office of Intelligence Research and Analysis for Asia. Cleared by the Asian Communist Areas Division of the Office of Research and Analysis for the Sino-Soviet Bloc. Printed from a carbon copy.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/12–860. Secret. Sent also to Phnom Penh and Paris; repeated for information to Bangkok, London, Vientiane, Ottawa, New Delhi, and CINCPAC PolAd.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/12–460. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Cleveland; cleared with Parsons, Wood, and DOD/ISA; approved by Anderson.


263. Central Intelligence Agency Information Report

Source: Department of State, Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 65 F 115, Internal Security (Durbrow démarche). Confidential; Noforn; Continued Control.


264. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Felt) to the Office of the Secretary of Defense

Source: Stanford University, Hoover Institution, Lansdale Papers, Vietnam, Lansdale Trip Jan 1961. Confidential; Personal.


265. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Douglas)

Source: Stanford University, Hoover Institution, Lansdale Papers, Vietnam, Lansdale Trip 1961. Confidential.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/12–1560. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/12–1560. Secret. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and Vientiane. Although received in the Department at 3:44 p.m. on December 15, a note in the margin initialed by Wood indicates that he did not receive this telegram until December 19.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/12–1560. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Wood, cleared with SEA, FE/P, and ICA/W, approved by Steeves.


269. Letter From the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Steeves) to the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow)

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, 16. VN 1960–Embassy Saigon, Official–Informal, Miscellaneous Letters. Secret; Official–Informal. Drafted by Cleveland and Wood and cleared by Anderson.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/12–2460. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated for information to CINCPAC PolAd. Printed also in Department of Defense, United States–Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 10, pp. 1348–1351.