Office of the Historian

157. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Felt) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff1

Honolulu, April 15, 1962—7:23 p.m.

160523Z. SVN op for pacification. A. Your 4030 DTG 13144 3Z. B. Saigon 1296 to State DTD 11 Apr. C. Saigon airgram A-257 to State DTD 23 Mar. D. COMUSMACV 40313Z Cite MAC J5 364 (PASEP).2

1.
Ref A requested info on Diemʼs plans to initiate pacification ops in three of the northern provinces, on status of Outline Plan for Counter-Insurgency ops, and on status of border control concept and ops.
2.
Ref B will give you much of info desired. Outline plan desired has been pouched.3 Diem 16 Mar decree4 adopted much of Thompson Delta Plan and establishes certain provinces in central part of 3rd corps area as first priority. This is compatible with plans prepared here and by CHMAAG. GVN has accepted our concept that concurrent with ops in Delta region, additional ops will be conducted in 1st and 2nd Corps areas to keep enemy off balance and prevent fractioning of the country.VC build up in Quang Ngai area prompts selection this and adjacent provinces for early attention. In other words, Diem is responding favorably to American military strategic advice. It would appear also that headway is being made in areas other than military as, for instance, issuance of Civic Action Program on 28 Mar by Jt General Staff. However, there are reasons not to be starry-eyed.
3.
Ref C prepared by Embassy Saigon is an assessment of political and economic factors in Vietnamese war. After reading the report, I requested COMUSMACV view as he sees situation through military eyes. Ref D is his reply in which you will note his comment that a master plan has not reached a final stage. The outstanding ingredient still lacking is efficient administration and coordination of the several programs. Further reforms are still necessary to success.
4.
The above applies to paras 1 and 2 of your request (Ref A). In regard to border control, latest concept was discussed at SecDef Conf here on 21 Mar. CHMAAG ltr of 8 Nov 615 is somewhat [garble]. It was merely a collection of ideas—some good and others proven to be not so.COMUSMACV will keep us advised as border ops get underway.
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series. Top Secret. Repeated to COMUSMACV and four other military commands.↩
  2. Telegrams 4030 DTG 131443Z and COMUS MACV 40313Z Cite MAC J 5 364 (pasep) have not been found. Telegram 1296 and airgram A-257 are printed as Documents 154 and 127.↩
  3. Document 11.↩
  4. Document 113.↩
  5. See Document 125; the letter has not been found.↩