55. Telegram From the United States Information Agency to the Embassy in Vietnam1
Usito 235. Joint State/USIA/Defense message. Embtel 497, Deptel 516.2 As Saigon undoubtedly aware, Communist bloc propaganda on “poison gas” in Vietnam apparently is to be massive effort comparable with Korean germ warfare campaign. If Mission concurs, we feel situation calls for action vis-à-vis free world press considerably beyond limits set by reftels. Our thinking is that news dispatches with Saigon datelines telling whole story [of] exactly what is happening would be helpful.
Suggest accordingly, if Mission has not already done so, that newsmen there, including all available third country correspondents, be called in and told in complete detail everything about both crop destruction and defoliation operations. This preferably should be done by GVN but if this not feasible, Mission itself should conduct briefing on non-attribution basis.
Briefing should particularly accent extreme precautions being taken to spray only crops which are established beyond doubt as part of Communist food supply. It should include details on provisions for compensation of damage done unintentionally to innocent peasants, and copious anecdotal background on such advance preparations among population as sacrificial animals for Montagnards. Note that these chemicals widely used in US.
[Page 145]Point should be clearly made that operations are being conducted exclusively by Vietnamese planes and personnel with US only supplying chemicals. If Mission finds it feasible, perhaps plane could be provided to fly newsmen over sprayed areas.
Principle applicable here, in our opinion, is fact that extraordinary precautions have indeed been taken to limit spraying to unquestionably legitimate military requirements, that denial of food and ambush sites is wholly normal procedure in counter-insurgency warfare, and that neither US nor GVN has anything to hide about this. It is essential to achieve necessary credibility, especially in uncommitted third countries, that every possible detail (short of compromising future operations) be given to newsmen on scene. Harriman, Sylvester, Mecklin concur.
Advise action taken.3
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 S VIEI Secret. Drafted in USIA/IAF by Mecklin, who was in Washington because of a medical problem. Cleared in USIA by W. Kenneth Bunce, Deputy Assistant Director for the Far East; Thomas C. Sorensen, Deputy Director for Policy and Plans; and Murrow. Cleared in the Department of State by Harriman and James L. Greenfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. Cleared in the Department of Defense by Sylvester and in the White House by Salinger.↩
- In telegram 497 from Saigon, November 9, 1962, the Embassy asked for press guidance in connection with the South Vietnamese crop destruction operation in Phuoc Lon Province. The Embassy suggested that, if questioned regarding U.S. involvement, Embassy officials should reply that the United States had provided chemicals and advice, at the request of the South Vietnamese Government. (Ibid., 751K.00/11-962) The Department of State responded, in telegram 516 to Saigon, November 14, that the Embassy’s suggestion was sound, but any such explanation should be prefaced by remarks emphasizing that this crop destruction program was inspired and operated by the South Vietnamese. (Ibid.)↩
- According to a memorandum of a telephone conversation, Murrow discussed the telegram with Harriman on March 11, and Harriman agreed to the necessity for such a message. Harriman also suggested that it might be useful to obtain information concerning the type of weed killers used by the Soviet Union. (Harriman Papers, McMNO) In telegram 858 to Saigon, March 12, the Embassy was instructed to consider whether it “might be worthwhile add that these chemicals similar to and no more toxic than weed killers used in USSR and commercially available to farmers throughout most of world.” (Department of State, Central Files, POL 27-10 S VIET)↩