52. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Harriman) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Hilsman)1
Harriman asked Hilsman if he wanted to see him.
Hilsman said yes. After a cable2 was developed and approved by the Secretary, the President decided to wait. His reason was to let them stew in Saigon.
[Page 98]Harriman asked Hilsman what he thought of his statement.3
Hilsman said “great.”
Harriman said he thought the radio comment was rather bad because it said we promised aid to Ziem but he guessed that was all right. Harriman said: So they decided not to send it.
Hilsman said they decided to postpone sending it. Hilsman said he would send a copy to Harriman to look at and Harriman could decide whether he wanted to talk to him.
Harriman asked if Fritz went to the Pentagon.
Hilsman said he went last week to talk to McNamara with our approval.4
Harriman said he hasn’t been since?
Hilsman said he has been behaving well the last couple of days. He is beginning to disengage.
Harriman told Hilsman he made a mistake to refer to him at the White House.
Hilsman said he did this because he wanted to make sure he got his full voice.
Harriman said he didn’t think it was Hilsman’s job to call on him to speak. Harriman said Hilsman did this because he thought he was going to support him.
- Source: Library of Congress, Harriman Papers, Telephone Conversations. Transcribed by Dolores R Perruso of Harriman’s staff.↩
- Attached to the memorandum, Document 51.↩
- See footnote 5, Document 207.↩
- No record of this discussion has been found.↩