Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume IV, Vietnam, August–December 1963

194. National Security Action Memorandum No. 263¹

Washington, October 11, 1963.

TO

• Secretary of State
• Secretary of Defense
• Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

SUBJECT

• South Vietnam

At a meeting on October 5, 1963,² the President considered the recommendations contained in the report of Secretary McNamara and General Taylor on their mission to South Vietnam.

The President approved the military recommendations contained in Section I B (1-3) of the report, but directed that no formal announcement be made of the implementation of plans to withdraw 1,000 U.S. military personnel by the end of 1963.

After discussion of the remaining recommendations of the report, the President approved an instruction to Ambassador Lodge which is set forth in State Department telegram No. 534 to Saigon.³

McGeorge Bundy

1. Source: Department of State, S/S-NSC Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAMs. Top Secret; Eyes Only. The Director of Central Intelligence and the Administrator of AID also received copies. Also printed in United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945-1967, Book 12, p. 578.
2. See Document 179.
3. Document 181.