VIII. The Taylor Mission to Southeast Asia October 15-November 3, 1961


171. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5-MSP/10-1661. Secret; Niact. Repeated to CINCPAC for General Taylor, Geneva for Harriman, Taipei, Bangkok, Vientiane, Paris, London, and Phnom Penh.


172. Briefing Paper Prepared by the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-637-71. Secret. No drafting information is given on the source text, but the paper is 1 of 11 attached to a cover sheet entitled, “Briefing Papers: Current Situation in VietNam.” The following papers are not printed: (1) Status of US GVN Action Programs, (3) Geneva Accord Aspects of U.S. Military Assistance to GVN, (4) Summary of Recent Aid Levels and GVN 1962 Budgetary Problem, (5) Fact Sheet-Personnel Build-up of RVNAF, (6) Status of Preparation of a Geographically-Phased Strategic Plan for Bringing VC Subversion under Control, (7) Upgrading Civil Guard and Self-Defense Corps Training Equipment, (3) Civilian Counter-Insurgency Plan, (9) Proposed Montagnard Program, (10) Unrest in North VietNam: Current Manifestation and Potential, and (11) Concept of Border Control.


173. Paper Prepared by the Taylor Mission

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Viet-Nam Country Series Taylor Report (Rostow Working Copy). Top Secret. There is no heading on the source text, but another copy bears the following handwritten notation on the cover sheet: “Questions Distributed by Taylor Mission for Answer by Task Force Saigon. October, 1961.” (Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files: FRC 68 A 5159, SGN (61) 19-GVN August through December) The questions were apparently given by the Taylor Mission to Embassy personnel at the briefing of the Taylor Mission by the Saigon Task Force on October 18.


174. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1551K/10-1861. Secret; Priority. ReDeated to CINCPAC for PolAd, Bangkok. Vientiane. and Phnom Penh.


175. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10-1861. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to New Delhi, Ottawa, London, CINCPAC for PolAd, Geneva for FECON, Paris, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and Vientiane.


176. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5-MSP/10-1861. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Wood, cleared with Anderson (SEA) and Defense, initialed by Wood for the Secretary, and repeated to CINCPAC for PolAd.


177. Memorandum for the Record

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-637-71. Secret. A note on the source text reads: “This memorandum is based on interpreter’s translated, fragmentary notes, expanded from memory. It is in no sense a stenographic record of the meeting and is neither official or approved.” A memorandum of a conversation on the same day between Taylor and Lieutenant General Le Van Ty, Chief of the Joint General Staff,RVNAF, is ibid.


178. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1551K/10-2061. Secret; Priority. Repeated to CINCPAC for PolAd, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and Vientiane. No time of transmission is given on the source text; the telegram was received in the Department of State at 2:12 p.m.


179. Memorandum for the Record

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-015-69. Top Secret. No drafting information is given on the source text, which is attached to a covering memorandum of October 27 from McGarr to Taylor in which McGarr wrote that it was MAAG’s memorandum for the record and was “a summarization of the items covered during the discussion.” not a verbatim account.


180. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 851K.49/10-2061. Secret. Also sent to CINCPAC for action and repeated to Phnom Penh.


181. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (McConaughy) to the Ambassador in Viet-Nam (Nolting)

Source: Washington National Records center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files ERC 68 A 5159, New Command Arrangements 1962. Top Secret; Official-Informal. A handwritten note in the top margin reads: “Rec’d 11/2/61.”


182. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the President’s Military Representative (Taylor)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files: FRC 66 A 878, Vietnam-Taylor. Secret. Copies were sent to Nolting and Rostow. The source text is apparently Nolting’s copy.


184. Draft Paper Prepared by the Political Counselor of the Embassy in Viet-Nam (Mendenhall)

Source: Department of State, Viet-Nam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, Coup Rumors GVN 1961. Secret.


185. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the President’s Military Representative (Taylor)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files:FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam-Taylor Group. Top Secret.


186. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the President’s Military Representative (Taylor)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files:FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam-Taylor Group. Top Secret.


187. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense’s Deputy Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the President’s Military Representative (Taylor)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files:FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam-Taylor Group. Top Secret.


188. Telegram From the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Viet-Nam (McGarr) to the Commander in Chief. Pacific (Felt)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 851H.49/10-2361. Secret; Priority. Repeated to JCS (J-3), DOD, and the Department of State for attention CTR and Task Force Vietnam. The source text is the copy sent to the Department of State. Received in the Department at 6:01 a.m. on October 25.


189. Telegram From the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Viet-Nam (McGarr) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Lemnitzer)

Source: National Defense University, Lemnitzer Papers, 1961 Eyes Only Messages. Secret; Eyes Only. No time of transmission is indicated on the source text.


190. Telegram From the President’s Military Representative (Taylor) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10-2561. Top Secret; Priority. The Department of State was asked to pass the telegram to the White House for Bundy, Defense for McNamara, JCS for Lemnitzer, and CIA for Dulles. Received in the Department at 9:06 a.m. Telegrams to and from General Taylor in Saigon were numbered in sequence with other telegrams to and from Saigon. The incoming telegrams bear Ambassador Nolting’s signature.


191. Telegram From the President’s Military Representative (Taylor) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10-2561. Top Secret; Priority; Eyes Only. The Department of State was asked to pass the telegram to the White House eyes only for the President, Defense eyes only for McNamara, and JCS eyes only for Lemnitzer. Received in the Department at 8:23 a.m.


192. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10-2561. Secret; Priority. Repeated to CINCPAC for PolAd, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Bangkok with instructions to pass to General Taylor, and Geneva for FECON. Received in the Department at 3:06 p.m.


193. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10-2561. Secret. Repeated to Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Geneva for FECON, Paris, Tokyo, Bangkok, Manila, CINCPAC for PolAd, and London. Received in the Department at 8:50 p.m.


194. Memorandum for the Record by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, Bundy Files, 1961 Chron. Secret.


195. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the Viet-Nam Task Force (Wood) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/10-2561. Top Secret; Limit Distribution. Also addressed to McConaughy. Drafted and initialed by Wood and sent through S/S. A copy was sent to Anderson (SEA).


196. Telegram From the President’s Military Representative (Taylor) to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1551K/10-2761. Secret; Eyes Only. Repeated to the Department for U. Alexis Johnson as telegram 625, which is the source text. Telegrams to and from General Taylor in Bangkok were numbered in sequence with other telegrams to and from Bangkok. The incoming telegrams bear Ambassador Young’s signature.


197. Telegram From the President’s Military Representative (Taylor) to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/10-2761. Top Secret. Repeated to Saigon for Nolting. The Department of State was asked also to pass for action to the White House personal for Bundy and Ewell.


198. Telegram From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to the President’s Military Representative (Taylor), at Bangkok

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Trips and Conference Series Taylor Trip. Secret; Eyes Only. The source text bears the notation, “Cable for dispatch via State Department.” No other copy of this message has been found.