298. Letter From the Ambassador in Viet-Nam (Nolting) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson)1
Dear Alex: For your information, Senator Ellender paid us a one-day visit on November 29th. He saw all members of Task Force Saigon and received answers to his questionnaire,2 sent in advance [Page 697] of his arrival. His general attitude towards our policy, plans, and efforts here was totally negative.
During a long discussion at my home on the evening of his arrival, I tried to give Senator Ellender as candid a picture as I could of what we are trying to do here. Starting from completely different premises, he naturally did not agree with our policy. His premises, as the Department doubtless knows, are:
- (1)
- that the Viet-Cong insurgency here is nothing but a manifestation of discontent with a corrupt regime;
- (2)
- that Communist expansionism from North VietNam, China and Russia has nothing to do with it;
- (3)
- that corruption in the regime is bred by US assistance, and that contention among factions for control of US assistance further corrupts and paralyzes the Government.
I was unable to sway him from these extraordinary views.
On the evening of his arrival, Senator Ellender requested an appointment with President Diem for the next day. After hearing Senator Ellender’s views, which he said he intended to give to Diem (whom he said he had seen on every previous visit to VietNam), I decided it would be most unwise in the present circumstances to promote the meeting. I told Senator Ellender that I thought it would be impossible on such short notice to arrange a meeting with President Diem. I further told him that if President Diem had any time, I myself wished to see him on urgent and important business, and that it would be very awkward for me at this juncture to ask Diem to see Senator Ellender. The Senator would not, however, withdraw his request to me to arrange an appointment.
The next day I got in touch with Thuan, telling him that Senator Ellender was in town and wanted to see President Diem, but that in view of the shortness of time and the President’s many preoccupations, I would tell Senator Ellender that President Diem was unfortunately unable to see him on such short notice. Thuan agreed and I did so. Senator Ellender was markedly displeased at not being able to see Diem, and said that he was going to write a letter expressing his regret to President Diem, after his departure. I will take care of this angle through Thuan.
I would appreciate it if you would see that the proper persons in the Department are informed of the above, in the event that the matter comes up after Senator Ellender’s return to Washington.3
“I want you to know that everyone here is most pleased with the very able way that you have succeeded in handling things, in spite of the handicaps of most unhelpful leaks from here. On the latter point, I have made extraordinary efforts to run them down but, as is all too often the case, thus far without positive result.” (Ibid.)
Best personal regards.
Sincerely,
- Source: Department of State, Johnson Files, Official and Classified Letters. Confidential; Official-Informal.↩
- Not further identified.↩
- In his reply of December 8, Johnson wrote that Ellender’s “views with regard to Viet-Nam are hardly surprising in the light of his well-known views on other areas.” Johnson expressed approval of the way Nolting had handled the incident and promised to bring Nolting’s letter to the attention of the Bureaus of Congressional Affairs and Far Eastern Affairs. Johnson concluded:↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩