77. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State1
Saigon, March 13,
1964—1:11 p.m.
1740. CINCPAC for POLAD. In a conversation yesterday with Secretary McNamara, General Taylor and I on the US side and Generals Khanh and Khiem on the GVN side, General Khanh agreed that actions designed to exert increased pressure on NVN could be a helpful assist to his effort but would be no substitute for successful actions in SVN against the VC. General Khanh said that his “base” in SVN was not strong enough as yet for overt operations against NVN; however. he would like to “redouble” covert operations right away.
Lodge
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Limdis. Repeated to CINCPAC. Taylor described this meeting in Swords and Plowshares, pp. 309–310.↩