IV. Further U.S. Efforts To Strengthen the Government of South Vietnam, March-April 1962
98. Paper Prepared for the Special Group (Counterinsurgency)
Source: Department of State,INR Files: Lot 75 D 378, SV 23613, Civic Action. Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text. The date is penciled in at the top. In the margin is written: “This was tabled and revised.” At the March 1 meeting of the Special Group, General Taylor under agenda item 3 asked about the status of economic programs. The minutes of that meeting reported that: “Mr. Coffin was asked to prepare a special report on this for next weekʼs meeting, which would outline specific programs and show the emphasis being placed on support of counterinsurgency.” (Ibid., Special Group Counterinsurgency Files: Lot 68 D 451, 1/1/62-7/31/62) Presumably the paper printed here is that report. No specific reference was made to this paper in the minutes of the March 8 meeting, although they indicate that General Taylor “made the general observation that it was very difficult to get hold of civic action programs which were contemplated for South Vietnam.” U. Alexis Johnson promised to have the Vietnam Task Force examine civic action programs and report its findings. (Ibid.)
99. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/3-962. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC and Manila. A note by Bundy on a copy in the Kennedy Library instructed the Communications Center to forward the telegram to Salinger in Miami.
100. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/3-962. Confidential. Repeated to CINCPAC for Polad.
101. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/3-962. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Magathan and Cottrell, cleared with Heinz, and approved by Cottrell. Repeated to CINCPAC for Polad and to Baguio for Harriman. Harriman, Nolting, and the other U.S. Ambassadors in the Far East were in Baguio, March 10-11, for the Far East Chiefs of Mission Conference. A complete record of that conference is ibid., Conference Files: Lot 65 D 533, CF 2056.
102. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/3-1062. Secret. Repeated to CINCPAC for Polad, CINCPACFLT, CINCPACAF, CINCUSARPAC, Baguio for Ambassador Nolting, Clark Air Force Base, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Vientiane, Manila, Paris, Singapore, New Delhi, Taipei, London, Hue, Hong Kong, and Fuchu. It also requested that the Department of State pass the cable to the Department of Defense for various military units. to CIA. and to AID.
103. Memorandum From the Naval Aide to the Presidentʼs Military Representative (Bagley) to the Presidentʼs Military Representative (Taylor)
Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-133-69. Secret.
104. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/3-1162. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to CINCPAC for Polad, Baguio for Harriman and Nolting, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and Vientiane.
105. Memorandum From the Naval Aide to the Presidentʼs Military Representative (Bagley) to the Presidentʼs Military Representative (Taylor)
Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-133-69. Secret.
106. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/3-1362. Confidential, Priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC for Polad, Baguio for Harriman and Nolting, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and Vientiane.
108. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations (Dutton) to the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Fulbright)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.51K/2-2162. Secret. No drafting information appears on the source text, but a copy of a similar letter that was not sent is attached, listing Wood as the drafter with clearances by Aldrich and Vance (DOD) as well as Oakley, Chayes, Rice, Cottrell, and Sarris in the Department of State. The source text lists as attachments: (1) Questions and Answers on Vietnam; (2) Letter to [from] Senator Morse, (3) Letter from President Kennedy to President Diem; and (4) “The Economics of North and South Vietnam.” Only the first two are attached and only the first is printed. The letter from Senator Morse, February 21, submitted additional questions to Harriman, which are included in the attached Questions and Answers.
109. Letter From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Bundy) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/3-1562. Top Secret.
110. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/3-1562. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC for Polad and Manila for Ambassador Nolting. A memorandum recording the conversation with President Diem is in Washington National Records Center, RG 84, Saigon Embassy Files: FRC 67 A 677, 361.1, Chief Executive—Vietnam.
111. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/3-1662. Secret. Repeated to CINCPAC for Polad.
112. Memorandum From the Vice Presidentʼs Military Aide (Burris) to the Vice President (Johnson)
Source: Johnson Library, Vice Presidential Security Files, Memos from Colonel Burris. Secret.
113. Decree by the President of the Republic of Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/4-1662. Secret. Transmitted as enclosure 1 to despatch 431 from Saigon, April 16, which described some of the changes made in the Delta Plan from the time Thompson originally submitted it until its final approval by Diem. For original plan, see Document 51. Also enclosed with the despatch was a decree of March 23 that appointed Hoang Van Lac as Special Commissioner responsible for carrying out the Delta Plan.
114. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hilsman) to the Presidentʼs Military Representative (Taylor)
Source: Department of State, INR Files: Lot 75 D 378, SV-236, 12 Delta Plan. Secret.
115. Memorandum for the Record by the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hilsman)
Source: Kennedy Library, Hilsman Papers, Countries: Vietnam, 3/1/62-7/28/62. Secret. Copies were sent to Allan Evans, Thomas L. Hughes, and Joseph W. Scott, all of INR.
116. Letter From the Officer in Charge of Vietnam Affairs (Heavner) to the Deputy Director of the Vietnam Task Force (Wood)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.S/3-1962. Secret; Official-Informal. Heavner was in Vietnam to assist with provincial surveys. Two handwritten notations were on the source text, one requesting that a copy be sent to Stoneman, the other indicating that it had been done. Stoneman was the AID officer responsible for Vietnam.
117. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/3-2062. Secret. Repeated to CINCPAC for Polad.
118. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/3-2062. Secret; Limit Distribution.
119. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/3-162. Secret. Drafted on March 16 by Wood; cleared by Hubbard, Morgan, Salans (State), and Heinz (DOD); and approved by Cottrell. Also sent for action to Ottawa and New Delhi and for information to London, Moscow, and CINCPAC for Polad.
120. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/3-2162. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Received in the Department of State at 6:07 a.m. on March 21. Repeated to Bangkok for Harriman; CINCPAC for Polad, Nolting, and Harkins; and Clark Air Force Base. Nolting and Harkins were in Honolulu for the March Secretary of Defenseʼs Conference. The message also requested that the Department of State pass it to the Department of Defense.
121. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.5/3-2162. Secret. Drafted and approved by Johnson.
122. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defenseʼs Assistant for Special Operations (Lansdale) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Gilpatric)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, Lansdale Files: FRC 63 A 1803, Vietnam 7. Secret.
123. Briefing Paper for a Presentation by the Director of the Vietnam Task Force (Cottrell) Before the Special Group (Counterinsurgency)
Source: Department of State, State-JCS Meetings: Lot 65 D 172, March 23, 1962. Secret. Drafted by Cottrell on March 22. The briefing memorandum was part of a package delivered to Under Secretary of State Johnson in preparation for a meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on March 23 (see Document 126). A typewritten notation indicates that Cottrell presented the information orally to the Counterinsurgency Group meeting on March 22. The minutes of that meeting read in part:
“Mr. Cottrell stated that, although he is encouraged by progress in the civic action programs, it is necessary to remember that we are engaged in an eight to ten year struggle. The MAAG is giving emphasis to the Strategic Hamlet concept in its civic action programs, as is USOM and the Government of South Vietnam. CIAʼs program is more in the field of security than civic action, with emphasis on paramilitary training for youths and villagers.” (Department of State, Special Group (C.I.): Lot 68 D 451, 1/1/62-7/31/62)
125. Memorandum From the Naval Aide of the Presidentʼs Military Representative (Bagley) to the Presidentʼs Military Representative (Taylor)
Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-133-69. Top Secret.
126. Memorandum on the Substance of Discussion at a Department of State-Joint Chiefs of Staff Meeting, Pentagon, Washington, March 23, 1962, 11:30 a.m.
Source: Department of State, S/P Files: Lot 69 D 121, State-JCS Minutes. Top Secret. The meeting was held at the Pentagon. A note on the source text reads: “Department of State draft, not cleared with DOD.” U. Alexis Johnson led the Department of State delegation; Mr. Amory represented the CIA; Messrs. Nitze and Bundy, DOD; and Bromley Smith the NSC.
127. Airgram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/3-2362. Secret. Drafted by Mendenhall and cleared with Gardiner, Fippin, and Bogardus. Repeated to all Asian posts, and CINCPAC, London, Paris, and Ottawa.