VI. Consideration Within the United States Government of the Special Financial Group Recommendations July-August 1961
97. Letter From Secretary of State for the Presidency Thuan to the Deputy Director of the Viet-Nam Task Force (Wood)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files ERC 66 A 878, TF VN 1961. Confidential.
98. Memorandum of a Conversation
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Viet-Nam Country Series, Regional Security Southeast Asia-General. Secret. Prepared by Rostow on July 19. A note on the source text indicates that the original was sent to the President and copies to Taylor, Robert H. Johnson, and Steeves.
99. Memorandum From the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Bundy) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Lemnitzer)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2382, North Viet-Nam 1961 000.1. Top Secret. Drafted by J.W. Clinton and Robert H.B. Wade, Director of ISA’s Coordinating Staff for NSC and Collateral Activities. According to Wade’s note on the interoffice control sheet attached to the source text, there was a discussion at the Planning Group luncheon on July 5 of the military problems connected with intervention in Vietnam. During the course of the discussion, the Department of Defense was asked to make a study of the consequences of a naval blockade of North Vietnam.
100. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Viet-Nam Country Series. Secret.
101. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the President’s Military Representative (Taylor)
Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-27-71. Top Secret. Signed “Ed”. Initialed by Taylor with the notation “To SE Asia file.” Copies were sent to McNamara and Gilpatric.
102. Paper Prepared by the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Regional Security Series, Southeast Asia-Rostow Report Second Try. Secret.
103. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Diplomatic Missions
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 790.5-MSP/7-2261. Confidential. Drafted by Claxton (H) and Swezey (FE/SEA), cleared with S/S and with Usher (FE/ SEA) and Cleveland (FE/SEA), initialed by Peterson (FE) for the Secretary, and sent to Bangkok, CINCPAC for PolAd, Manila, Phnom Penh, Djakarta, Saigon, Seoul, Taipei, and Vientiane.
104. Memorandum From the President’s Military Representative (Taylor) to the President
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Regional Security Series, Southeast Asia-General. Secret. No drafting or clearance information is given on the source text. Copies were sent to Bundy (presumably McGeorge), Lemnitzer, U. Alexis Johnson, Rostow, Robert Kennedy, and Steeves.
105. Memorandum From Edwin F. Black of the Office of the Secretary of Defense to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Viet-Nam Country Series. Confidential. No drafting or clearance information is on the source text.
106. Memorandum From Robert H. Johnson of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Viet-Nam Country Series. Secret.
107. Memorandum From the President’s Military Representative (Taylor) and the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow) to the President
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Regional Security Series, Southeast Asia-General 7/25/61-7/28/61. Top Secret.
108. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Southeast Asia Task Force (Steeves) to the President
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Regional Security Series, Southeast Asia-General 7/25/61-7/28/61. Secret. No drafting or clearance information is given on the source text. A typewritten, undated, and unsigned note attached to the source text reads as follows: “This was brought to the meeting by Mr. Steeves, and discussed with the President by Mr. Steeves and Mr. Johnson.” The meeting under reference is apparently the one recorded in the memorandum of discussion, Document 109.
109. Memorandum of a Discussion
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Regional Security Series, Southeast Asia-General. Top Secret. The meeting was held at the White House.
110. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow) to the President
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Regional Security Series, Southeast Asia-General. Top Secret.
111. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (McNamara)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Files:FRC 63 A 1803, Forces for Viet-Nam 1961. Top Secret. Printed also in United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945-1967, Book 11, pp. 239-240.
112. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow) to the President
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Viet-Nam Country Series. Secret.
113. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5-MSP/7-3161. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Wood, Silver, and other members of the Viet-Nam Task Force; cleared with various other officers in the Departments of State, Defense, and the Treasury, as well as with the Bureau of the Budget, the International Cooperation Administration, and the President (per Rostow); repeated to CINCPAC for PolAd; and pouched to Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Vientiane, Paris, London, Ottawa, New Delhi, and Tokyo.
114. Letter From President Kennedy to President Diem
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files; FRC 66 A 878, 350 GVN-TF-SFG. Attached to the source text is a copy of the letter of transmittal, dated August 6, from Nolting to Diem.
115. Memorandum of a Conversation, Quai d’Orsay
Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330, August 1961. Secret. Drafted by Usher on August 7, edited and approved by Steeves, and approved in S on August 8. This discussion took place during the Ministerial Consultations on Berlin, August 4-9.
116. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5-MSP/8-861. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Bangkok, Vientiane, CINCPAC for PolAd, Paris, London, Ottawa, New Delhi, Tokyo, and Phnom Penh.
117. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/8 861. Top Secret; Priority. Drafted by Cottrell, cleared with S/S, initialed by U. Alexis Johnson for the Acting Secretary, and repeated to CINCPAC for PolAd.
119. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/8-1461. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Vientiane, Bangkok, and CINCPAC for PolAd.
120. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/8-1461. Top Secret; Priority. Repeated to Vientiane, Bangkok, and CINCPAC for PolAd.
123. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (McNamara)
Source: Department of State, S/P Files: Lot 67 D 548, Vietnam. Top Secret. Stamped on the source text are the words: “SecDef has seen.”
124. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5-MSP/~2561. Secret; Priority. Repeated to CINCPAC for PolAd, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, London, Vientiane, and Paris.
125. Letter From the Secretary of State to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Gilpatric)
Source: Department of State, S/S-NSC Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM’s. Secret. Drafted by Wood.