6. Message From the President to the Ambassador in Vietnam (Lodge)1
I have read with great interest your 1257,2 and I want you to know at once that any program which you recommend in this area will have my very strong support in principle. From all that I have heard, I could not be more in agreement that political energy is at the center of the government’s problem in South Vietnam. I cannot spare [Page 7] Larry O’Brien, but I can and will get you just about anyone else. I am asking all agencies here to prepare a coordinated and constructive response showing what we can do to help you in executing this idea, but I want you to know immediately of my personal support.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23 VIET S. Secret; Priority; Exdis. This message was sent by the White House to the Department of State for transmission. It was cleared by Ball and sent as telegram 1031 to Saigon, which is the source text.↩
- In telegram 1257, January 6, Lodge stated: “The war cannot be won without there being the rough equivalent of a nation-wide precinct organization so that ultimately every family in Vietnam will be known to precinct worker and the government will become favorably known to every family.” Lodge suggested that this was something on which President Johnson’s own personal advice would be “precious,” and also asked if the services “of such a top flight political organizer as Lawrence O’Brien” could be made available. (Ibid.)↩
- Telegram 1031 bears this typed signature.↩