II. Increasing Tensions Between the United States and South Vietnam, March 15-May 8, 1963:
Reaction to the Mansfield Report, the “Press Problem,” the Number and Role of U.S. Advisers in Vietnam, Differences Over the Joint Counterinsurgency Fund


60. Memorandum From the Counselor and Public Affairs Officer of the Embassy in Vietnam (Mecklin) to the Public Affairs Adviser in the Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs (Manell)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 306, USIA/IOP/R Files: FRC 68 A 1415, Vietnam-General and Personnel. Secret. Also sent to Manning and Bunce in USIA.


61. Letter From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Nolting) to Secretary of State at the Presidency and Assistant Secretary of State for National Defense Thuan

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files: FRC 67 A 677, 350 GVN Task Force (Econ). Confidential. Drafted by Solomon Silver of USOM. Transmitted to Washington in Toaid A-2874.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID(US) S VIET. Confidential; Limit Distribution.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27-10 S VIET. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD.


64. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs’ Special Assistant (Jorden) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Harriman)

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 67 D 54, POL 27-11 Infiltration. Secret.


65. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs’ Special Assistant (Jorden) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Harriman)

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 67 D 54, PR-II Press Relations (Moss Comm). Confidential; Eyes Only. Harriman indicated on the source text that he was sending copies of this memorandum to Hilsman, Rice, and Wood, and intended to brief Rusk on it verbally. He wrote: “I accept these comments & recommend they be adopted as guides.” In circulating the memorandum for this purpose, however, Harriman indicated that numbered paragraph 8 of the Recommendations section should be omitted.


66. Airgram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26-1 S VIET Top Secret; Priority. Drafted by Heavner and Wood, cleared by Harriman and Hilsman. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD. JCS and DOD/ISA were informed of the contents of the message.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 19 S VIET. Secret. Repeated to CINCPAC.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID(US) S VIET. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID(US) S VIET Secret; Limit Distribution; Operational Immediate. Drafted by Heavner and cleared by Koren, Rice, and Hilsman. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID(US) S VIET. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC.


71. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Harkins) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Felt)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files: FRC 68 A 5159, Interdiction, SGN (63)19 GVN. Top Secret; Priority. Sent to CNO exclusive for Admiral Felt who was in Washington and for General Barnes. A copy was sent by courier to Ambassador Nolting.


72. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Hilsman) to the Secretary of State

Source: Kennedy Library, Hilsman Papers, Vietnam Country Series, Hilsman Trip 12/62-1/63, Related Documents. Secret. Also sent to McNamara, McCone, Harriman, McGeorge Bundy, William Bundy, and Forrestal.


73. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL S VIET Secret. Drafted by Wood on April 5 and approved in M on April 15. Thompson spent 2 weeks in Washington at the end of March and the first week in April. During the period April 1-4, Thompson met with a number of officials concerned with developments in Vietnam including Hilsman, Harriman, Rusk, Murrow, McNamara, and Kennedy. No records of Thompson’s conversations with Hilsman, Rusk, Murrow and McNamara have been found. Regarding Thompson’s conversation with President Kennedy, see Document 77.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID(US) S VIET Secret; Operational Immediate; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Heavner and Stoneman and cleared by Wood, Rice, and Hilsman, and in DOD/ISA in substance by Heinz. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD.


75. Memorandum for the Record by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Taylor)

Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-646-71. Secret.


76. Memorandum From the Director of the Vietnam Working Group (Wood) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Hilsman)

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 67 D 54, DEF 19-3, Equip and Supplies. Secret. Drafted by Heavner. A copy was also sent to Rice.


77. Memorandum of Conversation, White House

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, 4/63-5/63. Secret. Drafted by Wood on April 5. Approved by the White House on April 9.


78. Minutes of Meeting of the Special Group for Counterinsurgency

Source: Department of State, Special Group Counterinsurgency Files: Lot 68 D 451, Special Group (CI). Secret. Drafted by Dingeman who is not listed among the participants.


79. Letter From the Director of the Vietnam Working Group (Wood) to the Ambassador in Vietnam (Nolting)

Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 67 D 54, ORG-1 Gen Pol (Off & Inf Lets). Secret.


80. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (McNamara)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 66 A 3542, 370.64 2 Feb. Vietnam 1963. Secret.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26-1 S VIET Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26-1 S VIEI Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC. Also published in Declassified Documents, 1978, 433B.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) S VIET. Secret; Operational Immediate. Drafted and cleared by Wood. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD and to Paris for the U.S. Delegation at the SEATO Council meeting.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26-1 S VIET Secret; Operational Immediate; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC and Paris. A note on a copy of this telegram in the Kennedy Library indicates that it was included in the briefing book prepared for the President for the NSC meeting on April 10. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, /4/63-5/63)


86. Telegram From the Delegation at the SEATO Council Meeting to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POLS VIET. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Saigon.


88. Memorandum for the Record of a Conversation With the Presidential Counselor (Ngo Dinh Nhu)

Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 334, MAC/V Files:FRC 69 A 702, 501-03 (63). Secret. Drafted on April 15. The name of Nhu’s interlocutor, who drafted the memorandum, was not declassified.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15-1 S VIET. Confidential; Limit Distribution.

  1. The source text is undated, but it appears to have been drafted shortly after Hilsman assumed the duties of Assistant Secretary for Far Eastern Affairs in April.