Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Vietnam, Volume I

II. THE QUESTION OF ELECTIONS IN VIETNAM, MAY–NOVEMBER 1955: CONSIDERATION OF U.S. POLICY ON ALL-VIETNAM ELECTIONS; ATTEMPTS TO PROMOTE ELECTORAL CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH VIETNAM; U.S. POLICY IN THE EVENT OF A RENEWAL OF HOSTILITIES IN VIETNAM; THE BAO DAI–DIEM REFERENDUM

220. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Reinhardt) to the Department of State

Saigon, July 5, 1955—9 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–555. Secret; Priority. Repeated for information to Paris, London, Ottawa, New Delhi, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane.

221. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Reinhardt) to the Department of State

Saigon, July 5, 1955—11 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–555. Secret. Repeated to Paris, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane.

222. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs (Young) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)

Washington, July 5, 1955.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–555. Secret.

223. Telegram From the Ambassador in France (Dillon) to the Department of State

Paris, July 6, 1955—8 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–655. Secret. Repeated for information to Saigon, Ottawa, New Delhi, London, Phnom Penh, and Vientiane.

224. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Washington, July 6, 1955—6:45 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/6–1155. Secret. Drafted by Price and cleared in draft by PSA, S/MSA, and FE.

225. Draft Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Washington, July 6, 1955.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.11/7–655. Limited Official Use; Niact. This draft was written by Young. Robertson changed the first two sentences in the third paragraph into a single one which reads: “The support and assistance of the United States for Free Viet-Nam can be helpful to the extent that democratic nationalist elements in Viet-Nam are effective and united.” Robertson then sent the draft to Dulles who cut out all but the first sentence. The final message, signed by Dulles and sent as telegram 52 to Saigon at 7:40 p.m. on July 6, reads: “Deliver following message to President Diem from Secretary: Dear Mr. President: Please accept my congratulations on completion of your Government’s first year in office.” (Ibid.)

226. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Reinhardt) to the Department of State

Saigon, July 13, 1955—11 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.5/7–1355. Top Secret. Repeated for information to Paris and London and passed to the Department of Defense and CINCPAC.

227. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Reinhardt) to the Department of State

Saigon, July 14, 1955—3 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–1455. Secret. Repeated for information to Paris where it was passed to Young; passed by the Department to the Department of Defense and CINCPAC.

228. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Paris, July 15, 1955—6 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–1555. Secret. Repeated for information to London and to the Department as Secto 12; the Department copy is the source text. Dulles and Young were members of the U.S. Delegation to the tripartite talks in Paris preparatory to the Four-Power Geneva Summit Conference, July 18–25.

229. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Washington, July 15, 1955—7:26 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–155. Secret. Drafted by Hoey and cleared by IO, UNP, EUR, WE, L, FE, and PSA. Repeated for information to Paris, London, Ottawa, New Delhi, and Hanoi.

230. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Reinhardt) to the Department of State

Saigon, July 16, 1955—2 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–1655. Secret; Niact. Repeated for information to Paris and Geneva.

231. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Washington, July 20, 1955—8:16 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–2055. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Byrne and cleared with PSA and FE. Sent also priority to London, Ottawa, and New Delhi; repeated for information to Paris, Geneva, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, and Hanoi.

232. Memorandum of a Conversation, Palais des Nations, Geneva, July 21, 1955, 2:30 p.m.

Geneva, July 21, 1955, 2:30 p.m.

Source: Eisenhower Library, White House Office, Geneva—Notes and Observations. Drafted by Walters. The conversation took place in the U.S. Delegation Office.

233. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State

Geneva, July 22, 1955—1 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/7–2255. Secret; Priority. Repeated for information priority to Saigon, London, Paris, New Delhi, and Ottawa.

234. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Geneva, July 22, 1955.

Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 63 D 123, CF 524. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Young. Repeated priority to the Department of State as Secto 67, and to London, Paris, New Delhi, and Ottawa.

235. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs (Young) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)

Washington, July 25, 1955.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–2555. Confidential.

236. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Washington, July 26, 1955—6:01 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/7–2655. Secret. Drafted by Byrne. Repeated for information to Phnom Penh, Vientiane, New Delhi, Ottawa, Paris, and London.

237. Memorandum From the Secretary of State’s Special Assistant for Intelligence (Armstrong) to the Secretary of State

Washington, July 27, 1955.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/7–2755. Secret. A marginal note on the source text by O’Connor indicates that Dulles saw this memorandum.

238. Letter From the Director of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs (Young) to the Ambassador in Vietnam (Reinhardt)

Washington, July 28, 1955.

Source: Department of State, Saigon Embassy Files: Lot 58 F 125, 350 Vietnam 1950–55, Classified. Secret; Official–Informal.

239. Memorandum From the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Davis) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Washington, July 29, 1955.

Source: JCS Records, CCS 092 Asia (6–25–48). Top Secret. This memorandum was filed as an enclosure to a note by the Joint Secretaries to the JCS (J.C.S. 1992/470), August 1. (ibid.)

240. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Vietnam

Washington, August 3, 1955—8:37 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/8–255. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Byrne and cleared in PSA and FE. Repeated for information to Paris, London, Ottawa, New Delhi, and Canberra.

241. Telegram From the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Indochina (O’Daniel) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Stump)

Saigon, August 9, 1955—10:30 p.m.

Source: Department of State, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1, NSC 5519 Series. Top Secret; Priority. Repeated for information to the Secretary of Defense and the JCS.

242. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Stump) to the Department of the Army

Pearl Harbor, August 10, 1955—12:23 p.m.

Source: Department of State, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1, NSC 5519 Series. Top Secret; Priority. Repeated for information to CNO, JCS, and ChMAAG Vietnam.

243. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson) to the Secretary of State

Washington, August 10, 1955.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.5—MSP/8—1055. Secret. Drafted by Lewis M. Purnell of PSA and cleared by Bell and Sebald.

244. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary (Lay) to the National Security Council Planning Board

Washington, August 16, 1955.

Source: Department of State, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1, NSC 5519 Series. Top Secret.

245. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Sebald) to the Secretary of State

Washington, August 16, 1955.

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.5–MSP/8–1655. Secret. Drafted by C. Hoyt Price of PSA and cleared by PSA and FE. Murphy, Merchant, and George S. Newman of S/MSA indicated that they concurred with the recommendation in this memorandum.