Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume II, Vietnam, 1962

254. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defense (McNamara) to the President¹

Washington, August 1, 1962.

SUBJECT

• Herbicide Operations in South Vietnam

The Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Felt and General Harkins have recommended initiation of an operational herbicide program in nine selected portions of the Delta area of South Vietnam, comprising approximately 60 miles of overland routes (map, Tab A).² Their recommendation is predicated on the belief that the application of herbicides will increase visibility to Vietnamese forces and aid in the detection of Viet Cong units; perhaps improve fields of fire in limited fashion; and deny concealed forward assembly areas, attack positions, and ambush sites to the Viet Cong. The spraying will be done by American crews in C-123 aircraft with South Vietnamese observers on board.

Upon review of this recommendation, and after consultation with research specialists, I recommend that you approve the operational employment of herbicides in South Vietnam. The Department of State concurs and is forwarding its favorable recommendation to you under separate cover.³

The equipment modifications recommended in the course of our intensive review of the herbicide program last spring have been accomplished and successfully tested in the United States. Chemical specialists are in Vietnam to provide General Harkins with the requisite professional advice. The best results in the original herbicide test program were achieved against mangrove targets and the present program is aimed primarily at mangrove areas. A measure of the improved visibility attainable in mangrove is illustrated in the attached photographs (Tab B).⁴

Politically, it would appear that the earlier herbicide tests in South Vietnam induced the maximum amount of adverse Sino-Soviet propaganda, although we received none of the benefits of a successful herbicide operation. I am inclined to believe that the propaganda impact has now been made and that we can use herbicides without causing a serious new international incident.

The herbicide program recommended herein is distinct from a separate proposal to initiate crop destruction activities in Vietnam, now under discussion. If you approve the resumption of herbicide operations against mangrove targets in the Delta area, the program will be activated immediately.

Robert S. McNamara

1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, NSAM 178. Secret.
2. The recommendation was made in a memorandum from Harold Brown, Director of Defense Research and Engineering, to McNamara, July 28. (Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 66 A 3542, Vietnam 1962, 370.64) The map is not printed.
3. A copy of this memorandum, July 27, is in Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/7-2762.
4. Not found.