Office of the Historian

41. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hughes) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Hilsman)1

Washington, August 31, 1963.

SUBJECT

  • US Assurances to the Generals

During the period August 22-30 inclusive, the Generals were given the following assurances:

1.
On August 26 Generals Khiem and Khanh were assured by Conein and [less than 1 1ine not declassified] respectively that the US would provide direct support during the interim period of breakdown of the central government mechanism. ([document number not declassified])2
2.
On August 27 Conein assured General Khiem that the US would do all in its power to assist the families of the generals engaged in the coup plot in the event of its failure. At the same meeting Khiem was promised a complete inventory of ordnance in stock at Long Thanh training camp. ([document number not declassified])3
3.
On August 28, CAS gave General Khiem the complete ordnance list and sketch of Long Thanh showing weapons emplacements, as assurance of US intentions, since the plan was provided for the [Page 80] purpose of attack on Colonel Tung’s camp. ([document number not declassified])4
4.
On August 29 Rufus Phillips assured General Kim, on authority of the Ambassador, that the CAS approach in a meeting earlier that morning with Generals Minh and Khiem was bona fide and had the Ambassador’s complete blessing. General Kim noted this was all the generals needed (in the way of assurances) but that General Minh needed US help in planning and that CAS should contact General Khiem on the morning of August 30. Phillips got the impression that Kim wanted not only help in planning but something further on what support the US would give. The Ambassador authorized the contact and the offer of help in planning.

  1. Source: Kennedy Library, Hilsman Papers, Countries Series-Vietnam. Top Secret.↩
  2. vol. III, p. 642.↩
  3. Ibid., p. 653.↩
  4. Document 23.↩