Office of the Historian

98. Memorandum From Richard Kennedy of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Washington, August 6, 1973.

SUBJECT

  • Assistance for Cambodia

Actions Completed or Underway

Military Assistance

  • —First quarter MAP funding has been increased from $33 million to $43 million.
  • —The field has been instructed that all U.S. air support should continue until August 14 and after that date unarmed reconnaissance, psyops, airlift, and administrative flights will continue.
  • —Embassy Saigon was to request the GVN be prepared to provide airlift support if necessary, but prefers to wait until need arises. Ambassador Martin is certain the airlift would be provided if required.
  • —Equipment delivery has been expedited. The following major items have been delivered: 7 T–28s, 5 C–123s, 20 60 mm mortars, 143 30 cal. machine guns, and 12 105 mm howitzers.
  • —We are carrying Khmer FACs until August 15.
  • —We will provide targetting data to the KAF after August 14.
  • —Instructions are being prepared explaining when ARVN equipment transfers to FANK are permissible and directing Embassy Saigon to made arrangements with the GVN.
  • —Three Quad 50 guns are being shipped urgently from the U.S. to Cambodia, and additional weapons are being sought to increase the firepower of Khmer Navy escorts.

Economic

  • —20,000 tons of rice have been delivered; another 10,000 tons is available by August 15 from Thailand.
  • —Five electric generators will be delivered by August 15, another four by October 30.
  • —Phnom Penh’s POL storage capacity will be expanded with three additional storage barges and filled by August 15.
  • —We are trying to expedite tank truck delivery (manufacturers’ estimates are seven months but AID is seeking quicker delivery).
  • —Providing $25 million for AID CIP, $9.5 million for ESF during July–December 1973, and $2.6 million under PL–480.

Diplomatic and Other Actions

  • —Vigorously developing support for not seating either Cambodian faction at the Algiers non-aligned conference.
  • —Strongly supported GKR efforts to reconstruct the ICC through approaches to the UK, USSR, Canada, Poland, and India. The Canadian reply was strongly negative, the UK negative. Others have not responded.
  • —Strongly supporting a Cambodian ceasefire.
  • —Psyops
    • • The U.S. program: Over 40 million leaflets were dropped the week of July 9–15; Khmer language radio broadcasts 43½ hours per week.
    • • We are supporting the GKR effort by printing leaflets and recruiting posters and by improving the GKR National Radio with a new transmitter at Battambang.

Possible Further Steps

  • —Expedited training of KAF forward air controllers and other military experts is being appraised.
  • —The possibility of transferring to the KAF civilian Khmer pilots flying for Air Cambodge is being checked with Embassy Phnom Penh.
  • —GKR hiring third country pilots, trainers, and advisors from its own resources is being evaluated.
  • —CIA is preparing a paper on more U.S. intelligence personnel.
  • —Defense is examining the feasibility of providing more technical assistance to FANK, such as payroll inspectors.
  • —GVN air and naval escort for Mekong convoys is extremely important but legally difficult. Defense believes it is possible using Cambodian MAP funding.

The above items are addressed more fully at Tab A.2

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H–Files), Box H–94, WSAG Meeting, Vietnam, August 1973. Secret. Sent for information. Kennedy prepared this memorandum for the August 7 WSAG meeting. For minutes of that meeting, see Document 100.↩
  2. Tab A, untitled and undated, attached but not printed.↩