Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Vietnam, Volume I

246. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State¹

Saigon, November 18, 1960—6 p.m.

1103. Deptel 793.² Several considerations lead me to recommend strongly against the President’s sending Diem congratulations.

Principal reasons are:

1. Inadvisability of American President’s again identifying himself with Diem until Diem shows clear signs of grasping and heeding lessons of coup;

2. Intemperate declarations of “Peoples Committee Against Communists and Rebels,” an organization of GVN officials, which has accused American, French and British “imperialists and colonialists” of having encouraged revolt; and

3. Fact congratulations now might detract from stern attitude we may soon have to take toward Diem.

Durbrow

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.11/11–1860. Confidential; Limit Distribution.
2. In telegram 793, November 15, the Department of State transmitted to the Embassy for its approval a draft message to be sent from Eisenhower to Diem, in which the President would state that it was “extremely gratifying to me that as a result of your steady courage and the loyalty of the great majority of the military leaders, the attempt failed and that you are safe and sound….It is a great satisfaction to know that you have been able to guide your Government through this trying time and that you will continue to lead the Vietnamese people.” (Ibid., 751K.11/11–1560)