120.251G/11–1054: Telegram
The Ambassador in Vietnam (Heath) to the Department of State
top secret
Saigon, November 10, 1954—3
p.m.
1789. From Collins. On 7 November in the company of Ambassador Spruance,1 I called on President Magsaysay at Malacanang Palace. Following is report on our discussion:
- 1.
- After the usual amenities, President Magsaysay referred to the situation at Vietnam and expressed pleasure that President Eisenhower had decided to send someone to coordinate all United States activities in Vietnam.
- 2.
- Magsaysay commented on Diem’s lack of leadership and forcefulness and his apparent unwillingness to take positive action, particularly in enforcing his will on General Hinh.
- 3.
- He said he had met Hinh about a year ago when the latter visited Manila. He referred to Hinh as a playboy, but said he thought that Hinh had some ability. He recommended that action be taken to force an accord between Hinh and Diem and suggested that he might be able to help in bringing Hinh into line. He offered, if I felt it advisable, to invite Hinh to visit him in Malacanang and said that he would emphasize to Hinh the necessity of the latter supporting United States policies and objectives in Vietnam.
- 4.
- I told Magsaysay that one of our objectives was to develop support for Diem’s government from the other non-Communist nations of the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. In furtherance of this idea, I asked if his government would give consideration to an early recognition of Diem’s government (Ambassador Spruance had informed me of his efforts to secure such recognition). Magsaysay laughed and said that he and Ambassador Spruance had discussed this many times, but that as long as the French were really controlling the Government of Vietnam, he felt that the Philippines could not recognize the Diem government. I suggested that recognition by the Philippines and other neighboring countries would strengthen Diem’s hand in relation to the French. But Magsaysay only smiled and would make no further comment on this score.
- 5.
- I then raised the question of Philippine aid in training the Vietnamese forces. Magsaysay stated that the Philippines would be glad to cooperate in every way. A few Vietnamese are in the Philippines now and he said that he would be glad to have General Vargas2 organize courses for the training of additional Vietnamese on a regular basis.
- 6.
- He then expounded his view that the Vietnamese should follow the scheme which he had applied in the Philippines with the pacification of the Huks and the development of the security in the outlying provinces. He advocated the use of the army as a basic agency not only in putting down rebellious elements, but also in handling problems of resettlement, the construction of roads and the building of public works in new settlements. He agreed with the concept of organizing Vietnamese forces only for internal security and the reliance on the Manila Pact for protection of Vietnam against external aggression. He said, however, that he would prefer to aid in the training of the Vietnamese Army along the lines indicated rather than have to send a Philippine division some day to Vietnam to aid in combatting aggression. He indicated a willingness to do the latter if it should ever become necessary.
- 7.
- In discussing the type of training which the Philippines could give the Vietnamese, he stressed courses in problems of resettlement and in psychological campaigns to build up the morale of the Vietnamese and combat Communist propaganda.
- 8.
- I expressed appreciation for the suggestions of the President and his willingness to cooperate. I told him that after I had had time to study these problems on the ground and discuss them with the heads of United States Missions in Saigon, that I would communicate with him further through Ambassador Spruance.
Heath