307. Letter From the Ambassador in Viet-Nam (Nolting) to President
Diem1
Saigon, December 5,
1961.
Dear Mr. President: I am pleased to inform you
that my government is prepared to proceed with the program we have
discussed on the basis of the memorandum which Your Excellency approved
on December 4. A copy of the memorandum is enclosed.
With regard to United States military personnel who arrive in the
territory of the Republic of Viet-Nam pursuant to our understanding, I
assume that they will, for the duration of their stay, be entitled to
the same privileges and immunities accorded the members of the Military
Assistance Advisory Group and that all equipment and material pertaining
to the units in question will remain the property of the government of
the United States. I would appreciate Your Excellency’s confirmation of
my understanding on these points since it should form part of our
respective records in this matter.
[Page 714]
Accept, Mr. President, the renewed assurances of my highest
consideration.2
Enclosure
Saigon, December 4,
1961.
Memorandum of Understanding3
The purpose of this memorandum is to record the essential points
which have been agreed in recent discussions between the GVN and the U.S.
- 1.
- The basic immediate objective is to enable the GVN to take and maintain the
offensive against the Viet Cong. The basic long-range objective
is to enable South Viet-Nam to develop its freely-chosen
institutions in peace and security.
- 2.
- To accomplish this, an increased Vietnamese effort will be
mounted. The fundamental responsibility of the GVN for the conduct of the war will
not be impaired. A closer and more effective relationship will
be established, however, between the GVN and the U.S.A.
- 3.
- With the above objectives in mind, the U.S. has indicated its
readiness to participate in a sharply increased joint effort
with the GVN. This will involve
increases in forms of aid previously furnished and, in addition,
fundamentally new steps in GVN-U.S. collaboration, namely, (a) the participation
of U.S. uniformed personnel in operational missions with GVN forces, and (b) closer
consultation with U.S. advisers, as agreed, in planning the
conduct of the security effort.
- 4.
- Before taking such far-reaching steps, the U.S. has sought,
and the GVN has given,
assurances that the GVN will
take measures to increase its efficiency and to increase its
public support in Viet-Nam and abroad.
- 5.
- With regard to increasing its efficiency, the GVN is prepared to do the
following:
- a.
- Reactivate and use fee National
Infernal Security Council (NISC). This involves semi-weekly
meetings, the creation of a secretariat to formulate
decisions and directives, and the use of the NISC as the mechanism for
the transmission of directives to subordinate commands
for the prosecution of the war.
- b.
- Military command structure. The
GVN considers that a
reorganization of the military command structure is
necessary, and will consult with the U.S. on specific
measures to this end.
- c.
- Intelligence… .
- d.
- Joint surveys of provinces. The
GVN agrees to
institute with the U.S. joint provincial surveys, it
being understood that the surveys would be directed
principally to military and intelligence matters. The
surveys will be started immediately.
- e.
- Border Ranger force. The GVN is prepared to release
from other duties sufficient Ranger Companies to produce
a border Ranger force of about 5,000 men; and to employ
this force as a mobile striking force against
infiltrators in the northwest.
- f.
- Military coordination. The
GVN agrees that
there should be the closest coordination between GVN and U.S. commanders in
operations involving U.S. military units. Specifically,
it is understood that U.S. helicopter units and U.S. Air
Force and U.S. Naval units would be under exclusive U.S.
command and would be used only with the agreement of the
U.S. commander. It is further understood that the GVN will not take decisions
or actions involving joint operations without full prior
consultation with the qualified U.S. agencies.
- g.
- Administration. It is agreed
that U.S. advisers will be accepted in certain GVN administrative organs
in addition to the military, subject to the request of
the GVN. It will be
necessary to fulfill this understanding by mutual
agreement and on a case by case basis, with due regard
for the requirement for administrative support, the
personality and discretion of the U.S. adviser, and his
technical qualifications.
- h.
- Legislative measures.
Legislation has already been enacted giving the
President of Viet-Nam broad emergency powers during the
next two years. It is considered, therefore, that the
President of Viet-Nam already has the constitutional
authority to carry out the arrangements mentioned
above.
- 6.
- With regard to winning public support at home and abroad, the
GVN has already taken or has
initiated a variety of actions, of which the following should be
noted:
- a.
- Creation of a national flood relief and rehabilitation
organization.
- b.
- Creation of provincial councils.
- c.
- Institution of military training for women.
- d.
- Investigation of speculators.
- e.
- Proposals to reduce official salaries and
entertainment.
- f.
- Plans for improved military allowances and survivor
benefits.
- g.
- Creation of a National Economic Council.
- 7.
- The GVN will, in addition,
take prompt measures of its own to:
- a.
- give a broader sense of participation in the war
effort to the people of South VietNam.
- b.
- develop more contacts between officials of the GVN and the people.
- c.
- develop a more effective public information
service.
- d.
- bring non-Communist prisoners promptly to public
trial.
- e.
- develop and announce an amnesty policy for Viet Cong
defectors.
- 8.
- While continuing vigorously to develop the infrastructure of
democracy in VietNam-in which the United States will do its
utmost to help-the Government of Viet-Nam recognizes also the
importance, in relation to its fight with international
Communism, of developing at all levels its democratic
institutions, and will take all practical and feasible steps to
this end. While the determination of such steps rests of course
with the GVN, the GVN will continue to consider
suggestions of the U.S. Government in this regard in the spirit
of the new partnership.
