Office of the Historian

751G.00/3–251: Telegram

The Minister at Saigon (Heath) to the Secretary of State

secret
Saigon, March 2, 1951—8 p. m.

1540. My immediately preceding telegram 1539 March 2 is most disturbing reflection of Parisian thinking re Indochina and is precise reaction we have feared since first indications approaching French Cabinet crisis.1

While Indochinese situation is, of course, only segment of many elements of concern in French crisis; pressing needs of war time operations here make it peculiarly critical. Most urgent aspects of Indochinese problem are French Union reinforcements and activation of national army. Re former, De Lattre’s whole strategy is based on early arrival reinforcements and their emplacement in prepared positions prior May 1. Re national army, it would be more than unfortunate if prolonged Cabinet negotiations should further delay decisions on budgetary support, office cadres, and training mechanism. No situation would seem more strongly invitational for new VM offensives during March than French Governmental paralysis.

I know these considerations are as grimly apparent in Paris and Washington as in Saigon and am sure that we will make utmost permissible contribution to early resolution French crisis, or, alternatively, if crisis persists, to effecting some means by which French executive may make interim decisions in next few critical weeks.

[Page 388]

De Lattre’s travel plans have been indefinitely postponed pending reconstitution Cabinet. We will, of course, attempt to push ahead for Vietnamese decisions on national army project as our first concern in present Indochinese situation.

Sent Department 1540, repeated info Paris 671, Hanoi unnumbered.

Heath

  1. The Cabinet of René Pleven resigned on February 28 in consequence of disagreements within the government coalition on plans for electoral reform. The crisis was not resolved until March 10 when a new coalition government was formed by Henri Queuille. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs (Schuman), National Defense (Moch), and Associated States (Letourneau) were retained from the Pleven Cabinet. Information on the government crisis is scheduled for publication in volume iv.

    Telegram 1539, not printed, reported on a newspaper article which alleged the government crisis had relegated the problem of Indochina to second place in French eyes (751G.00/3–251).

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