Office of the Historian

82. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam1

Washington, February 23, 1962—4:11 p.m.

1015. Personal for Ambassador Nolting from the Secretary. Following up your conversations with Harriman in Honolulu, the Secretary of Defense has informed us that, in addition to telling and confirming to Harkins substantive paragraph of my January 20 letter2 to you, he told Harkins that he should disregard the “terms of reference” contained in the CINCPAC message to Harkins.3 Secretary of Defense considers his statements to Harkins as superseding terms of reference contained in CINCPAC message and, in your discretion, you are authorized to show this message to Harkins as well as pertinent sentences of my letter of January 20 to you.

It is my judgment that you will be in a stronger personal position in carrying out your overall responsibility if discussions of terms of reference are allowed to rest on present understanding rather than enter again into attempt to find new “constitutional language” which can only leave some scars detrimental to the good will and confidence that now exists between State and Defense as well as between you personally and General Harkins.

I again want to make it clear that, if and when practical problems arise, if you will inform me I am prepared promptly deal with them; if actual problems arise which require more formal general statement of relationships than those you now have, I will of course go into it. Believe sweeping instructions and authority given you in Deptel 10064 on handling public relations well demonstrates attitudes of all here on such problems.

I appreciate that it is a tough job and demanding on you personally. We want to help all we can.

You can be sure that you have the continued confidence and appreciation of the President and me and that we shall give you and our effort in Viet-Nam our full support.

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/1-2362. Confidential, No Distribution; Eyes Only. Drafted by Johnson and cleared by Harriman, Battle, and Rusk. Signed by Johnson for the Secretary.↩
  2. See Document 40.↩
  3. See Document 53.↩
  4. Document 75.↩