751G.5–MAP/6–2251: Telegram
The Minister at Saigon (Heath) to the Secretary of State
2304. Toisa. This is joint Leg–MAAG message. Pass Defense. Re Legtel 2244, June 16.1 Gen De Lattre de Tassigny, Commander in Chief of the Fr Forces in Far East and High Commissioner of Fr in IC, has informed the chief of MAAG that US State Dept is being requested, through the Min of FonOffs, for transportation of from 5,000 to 6,000 reinforcements troops between Fr and IC on troop transports of the US. This assistance asked as part of Amer aid to IC. He pointed out that without this troop lift it wld be “very difficult if not impossible” to move Fr reinforcements here by the date previously contemplated for their arrival. He states it is absolutely necessary to resume operations in force at the end of the bad weather in Tonkin, approx 15th of Sept, The first of Sept is indicated as the deadline for the arrival of these troops in IC.
MAAG confirms necessity for arrival of Fr troops in view of combat situation.
[Page 432]MAAG message MG 15032 refers to Fr request for movement by Fr ships of MDAP material from the US to IC. It may be possible such ships cld be used for this troops transport lift.
However, MAAG has no info with respect to manner of financing this operation. MAAG and Leg consider it of highest importance that such financing shld not operate in any way to reduce present programmed deliveries which accord with rock bottom necessities.
Leg recommends acceptance Fr request subject to reserves [reservations?] as availability of shipping and financing possibilities which it is unable to judge. Such assistance seems logical extension of position we have taken here. While two US carriers have unloaded planes here in Saigon in recent months without incident, there has been no debarkation of Fr troops by US defense transports. There is always possibility some manifestation may attend unloading of ships, but Leg confident Fr and Vietnamese security arrangements adequate prevent any difficulty.
While VM propaganda will undoubtedly make some capital out of use of US shipping for these purposes, this shld certainly not deter us.3
Sent Dept 2304, rptd info Paris 929.
- Not printed.↩
- Not found in Department of State files.↩
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The French Embassy in Washington submitted the request for transportation of troops to Indochina to the Department of State in note No. 301, June 11. On June 20, H. Freeman Matthews, Deputy Under Secretary of State, addressed a letter to Gen. James H. Burns (ret.), Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, for International Security Affairs, asking for the Defense Department position on whether the French request was worthy of support and, if so, whether shipping could be made available and on what terms (751G.5/6–2051). In a letter of July 5, General Burns transmitted the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. From the military point of view, the French request was worthy of support. Two troop transports could be made available. General Burns noted that the Department of Defense concurred in the opinion of the Department of State that any shipping facilities made available should be on a reimbursable basis. (751G.5/7–531)
In a note of July 12, the Department of State advised the French Embassy that two troop transports could be made available provided the expense was assumed by France (751.551/7–1251). Matthews informed General Burns on July 18 that the French Embassy had indicated, on July 13, acceptance by the French Government. The Department of Defense was requested to proceed with implementation of the operation. (751G.5/1–551)
None of the documents cited above are printed.
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