Office of the Historian

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

Washington, September 15, 1963, noon.

412. Eyes only for Ambassador Lodge. A certain anxiety has been expressed outside the Department on whether it is clear that the operation described in Deptel 2432 is definitely in suspense. I am sure you share our understanding that whatever course we may decide on in the next few days, no effort should be made to stimulate coup plotting pending final decisions which are still being formulated here. You may wish to insure that the chiefs of the appropriate US agencies have no different understanding.

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Har-Van Files, South Vietnam Policy File, August 31 through September 15, 1963. Top Secret; Immediate. Drafted by Hilsman and cleared by Rusk and Harriman.↩
  2. vol. III, p. 628.↩