792.5/7–1254
No. 431
The Deputy Secretary of Defense
(Anderson) to the Commander in
Chief of the Royal Thai Army (Sarit)1
Dear General Srisdi:2 It has been a great pleasure to have had the opportunity of meeting with you and the members of the Thai Military Mission during your stay in Washington. I sincerely hope that your visit to the United States has been pleasant and satisfactory. I know that I speak for the entire Department of Defense when I say that your visit here has been extremely helpful and that the conferences with you and your staff and with General Gillmore have assisted us greatly in the development of our plans and programs for the more effective security of your country and the United States.
In extension of our previous discussions and in view of your imminent departure from Washington, I have had our staff expedite its analysis of certain features of your military program which have been presented during the various conferences we have had with you and your staff during your visit here.
In the brief period available to us we have prepared, with the assistance of General Gillmore, a preliminary analysis of your military program. As a result of this analysis and as a result of our most helpful conference with you, I am happy to inform you that the United States Government is prepared to allocate immediate military assistance, in addition to that already scheduled for delivery to the Government of Thailand, in the amount of approximately $25,000,000.
This additional assistance is to be made available for the purpose of strengthening the Thai Armed Forces along the following lines:
- a.
- Improving the over-all military training program and increasing the production of qualified junior officers, non-commissioned officers, and technical personnel.
- b.
- Additional support for training purposes, including the provision of weapons, equipment, and training assistance required therefor.
- c.
- Strengthening existing units of the Thai Armed Forces by the extension of Mutual Defense Assistance Program support to certain elements of the Thai forces which are not now so supported.
For the reasons discussed with you and your staff, the United States Government is not in a position at this time to make further commitments with respect to the future enlargement of the Thai Armed Forces; however, the increased assistance which is being made available will improve the effectiveness of the existing Thai forces and will also provide a firm base for possible further expansion in the future. I know you will agree with me that our joint immediate goal must be the maximum improvement and more effective organization of the present armed forces along the lines indicated as a necessary first step in any future expansion. It is only on the basis of the successful accomplishment of this phase that firm recommendations can be developed for any such future expansion.
Because of the brevity of your stay in Washington, it will of course be necessary to work out the details for utilizing this additional military assistance with you later through and based upon the recommendations of General Gillmore.
You are of course aware of the several specific programs of an organizational and confidential nature, concerning the initiation of which members of our two staffs have agreed.
In addition to this increased military assistance and these other programs, I am pleased to confirm to you that the United States Government will make available $3,000,000 in order to assist the Government of Thailand in initiating the construction of a highway from Saraburi through Korat to Ban Phai. It is planned to make these funds available in increments as the construction progresses. This highway, we agree, will be of great strategic value to Thailand and will contribute materially to the Thai defense capabilities against aggression. It will, in addition, be of great economic benefit to your country.
The United States Government will continue its sympathetic consideration of the entire program submitted by you and your staff in the light of the fiscal and governmental procedures which are necessary in such analyses. These studies as well as the foregoing program I have outlined are a further indication of the deep interest of the United States in assisting the Government of Thailand to improve its ability to successfully defend itself against aggression and to maintain its position as a sovereign and democratic member of the free world community of nations.
I am certain that you will agree with me that your visit has resulted in substantial achievements and has contributed to our understanding and resolution of our joint defense problems.
Sincerely yours,