IV. U.S. Relations With the Provisional Government of Vietnam, November 2-22, 1963: U.S. Recognition of the Provisional Government, The Fate of Remaining Ngo Family Members and Tri Quang, U.S. Advice to the New Government, Rejection of a Neutralized South Vietnam, The Special Honolulu Meeting
279. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL CAMB-S VIET. Secreti Priority. Drafted by Hannah, cleared by Hilsman, and approved by Rusk. Also sent to Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and Vientiane.
280. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) S VIET Secret; Immediate; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Stoneman, Janow, and Hilsman and cleared by Forrestal and Rusk and in draft by Bell.
281. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) S VIEI Secret; Immediate; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Stoneman, Janow, and Hilsman and cleared by Forrestal, Rusk, and Bell (in draft).
282. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Harkins) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, Defense Cables. Secret; Priority. Repeated for information to CINCPAC and to the Deputy Commander, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Thailand. Passed by the JCS to the Department of State and the CIA. Received at the JCS at 10:01 p.m.
283. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency Station in Saigon to the Director of the National Security Agency (Blake)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 S VIET. Secret; Flash. Received in the Department of State at 10:09 p.m., November 2. Passed to USIB agencies.
284. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 S VIET Secret; Immediate; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC. Received at 8:06 a.m. and passed to the White House at 8:22 a.m. On another copy of this telegram, a note indicates that it was sent to the President at 10:30 a.m. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, State Cables)
285. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Harkins) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Taylor)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, Defense Cables. Secret; Eyes Only. Repeated for information to CINCPAC exclusive for Felt. Sent by Taylor to the White House for Bundy; the Department of State for Rusk, Ball, Harriman, and Hilsman; and to the CIA for McCone and Helms.
286. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 S VIET. Secret; Immediate; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Mendenhall and cleared by Rusk, Hilsman, and McGeorge Bundy. Repeated priority to CINCPAC for POLAD.
287. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Harkins) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, Defense Cables. Secret; Exclusive. Also sent to CINCPAC; the Commander, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Thailand; and the Embassy in Saigon. Repeated for information by the JCS to the White House exclusive for Bundy; to the CIA exclusive for McCone; and to the Department of State exclusive for Rusk, Ball, Harriman, and Hilsman. The source text is the White House copy.
288. Memorandum for the Record of Discussion at the Daily White House Staff Meeting
Source: National Defense University, Taylor Papers, T-646-71. Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by W.Y. Smith.
289. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Lodge) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL S VIET. Top Secret; Immediate. The source text is CIA Station telegram 2191 from Saigon sent to the Department of State eyes only for Rusk, Harriman, Hilsman, and Hughes; to the Office of the Secretary of Defense eyes only for McNamara, Gilpatric, Taylor, Krulak, and William Bundy; to the White House eyes only for McGeorge Bundy; and to the CIA eyes only for McCone, Carter, and Helms. It was repeated to Honolulu eyes only for Felt. Received at the Department of State at 8:23 a.m.
290. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15-1 S VIET Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC. Received at 8:23 a.m. and passed to the White House at 9:50 a.m.
291. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 S VIET. Secret; Priority. Received at 9:55 a.m. and passed to the White House at 10:15 a.m.
292. Telegram From the Consulate at Hue to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 30-1 S VIET Secret; Immediate. Repeated to Saigon. Received at 12:48 p.m. and passed to the White House at 1:30 p.m.
293. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Harkins) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Taylor)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 S VIET. Secret; Eyes Only. Passed by the JCS to the White House exclusive for Bundy; to the Department of State exclusive for Rusk, Harriman, Hilsman, and Ball; and to the CIA exclusive for Helms. Repeated for information to CINCPAC for Felt and to the Embassy in Saigon. The source text is the Department of State copy.
294. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in France
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 16 S VIET. Secret; Immediate; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Koren; cleared by Johannes Imhof, McGeorge Bundy, and Harriman (in draft); and approved by Hilsman. Repeated to Saigon.
295. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Harkins) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, Defense Cables. Secret. Repeated for information to CINCPAC; the Deputy Commander, Military Assistance Command, Thailand; and the Embassy in Saigon. Received at the JCS at 7:40 p.m., November 4, and passed to the Department of State, CIA, and White House.
297. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 16 S VIET. Secret; Limit Distribution. Received at 6:03 p.m.
298. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Harkins) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Taylor)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 S VIET. Secret; Eyes Only; Priority. Also sent for information to CINCPAC for Felt and to the Embassy in Saigon. Repeated to the White House exclusive for Bundy; to the Department of State exclusive for Rusk, Harriman, Hilsman, and Ball; and to CIA exclusive for McCone and Helms. The source text is the Department of State copy, which was received at 6:40 p.m.
299. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Felt) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, Defense Cables. Secret; Priority; Exclusive. Repeated for information to Harkins and passed by JCS to the White House exclusive for Bundy; to the CIA exclusive for McCone; and to the Department of State exclusive for Rusk, Ball, Harriman, and Hilsman.
301. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 S VIET. Secret; Immediate; Limit Distribution. Received at 4:41 a.m. and passed to the White House at 4:51 a.m.
302. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 S VIET Top Secret. Received in two parts at 6:47 and 8:11 a.m. and passed to the White House at 7:40 and 8:35 a.m.
303. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 S VIET. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to CINCPAC. Received at 7:06 a.m. and passed to the White House at 7:30 a.m.
304. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 S VIET. Top Secret; Priority. The text of this message was sent by McGeorge Bundy at the White House to the Department of State for transmission to Saigon.
305. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, Memos and Miscellaneous. Bundy wrote the following response on the source text: “MVF/ I’m for this as background stuff right now and as a quote in [illegible—any?] speech-and to be worked into [illegible—any?] press conference. McGB.”
The typewritten words “Draft-November 7, 1963,” were crossed out on the source text.
306. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hilsman) to the Secretary of State
Source: Kennedy Library, Hilsman Papers, Country Series-Vietnam, JCS Comments on RFE-90. Secret; No Foreign Dissem. Initialed by Rusk. Attached was a copy of a letter from Rusk to McNamara, November 8, which reads as follows:
“Confirming our telephone conversation about INR’s research memorandum RFE-90 of October 22, 1963, it is not the policy of the State Department to issue military appraisals without seeking the views of the Defense Department. I have requested that any memorandum given interdepartmental circulation which includes military appraisals be coordinated with your Department.”
307. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15 S VIET. Secret; Limit Distribution.
308. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 S VIET. Secret; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC. Received at 11:13 a.m., November 9, and passed to the White House at 11:25 a.m.