471. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam1
1357. Ref: Embtels 1949, 1952, 1955.2 In light Huong’s apparent acceptance your proposal for deputies’ meeting and Throckmorton’s somewhat encouraging report of his conversation with officers in Embtel 1955, believe we should allow these processes of conciliation to go forward for next few days. Specifically you should discourage Huong and Vien from making declaration against generals in terms Embtel 1949 at this time.
We agree with you that we should not rule out possibility having support military government if civilians fail. We also believe we should continue our efforts remove personality issue which Khanh appears to be turning to his own purposes. Therefore we doubt that US assurances should now take form of declaration against Khanh.
At present time our best bet seems be preservation of Suu, Huong, Vien team while we work younger generals back to some form of cooperation with civilians.
We are of course prepared to give rapid response if issue of new assurances becomes critical.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL US–VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Forrestal, cleared with McGeorge and William Bundy, and initialed by Rusk. Reported to CIA, the Department of Defense, the White House, and CINCPAC.↩
- Telegram 1952 is supra. Regarding telegram 1949, see footnote 2 thereto. Telegram 1955, December 26, 7 p.m., reported that Throckmorton had called separately on Ky, Cang, and Thieu on December 25 to correct any misunderstandings they might have had from the December 20 meeting and to make certain they understood the consequences of Khanh’s communication to Huong (see footnote 2, Document 467). The telegram concluded that the meetings appeared to have helped open the road for further dialog. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Vietnam Country File, Vol. XXV, Cables) A copy of Throckmorton’s memorandum to Taylor, December 26, reporting on the meetings, is ibid., Westmoreland Papers, History Backup.↩