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

64. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Harriman) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)¹

Washington, September 5, 1963.

I received this private letter from the former Director of the Vietnamese Bureau of the Budget, who was perhaps the closest friend of the United States until he resigned from the Vietnamese government a couple of years ago. It seems to me that the views which he expresses, and which closely parallel those stated by former Foreign Minister Vu Van Mau to Chester Bowles,² are very sober judgments which are worth our close attention.

I am sending you two copies of the letter with the thought that you may wish to show one of them to the President.

W.A.H.

[Attachment]

Letter From Vu Van Thai to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Harriman)³

Lome, Togo, August 24, 1963.

Dear Mr. Undersecretary: When we met two years ago you suggested kindly that I may send you a private message whenever I have something to say about the situation in my country: Vietnam. I am now taking advantage of this permission because while I am now in Africa, deeply involved in the development problems of this part of the world, I cannot refrain from being anguished by the late events in my own country.

Two years ago I told you that any political improvement must come from the people and that political change must be the responsibility of the Vietnamese themselves. I did not agree with those who claimed to be Vietnamese political leaders and were only expecting changes worked out by foreign influence.

Now I am pleading that the US does its utmost to prevent the further crushing of the Buddhist movement and the subsequent political protest which has developed out of general discontentment and of M. Diem and family’s handling of the religious crisis.

I am advocating a strong stand from the US not only for the sake of those directly threatened by Diem’s repression, but also for the sake of preserving the Southern part of Vietnam as a place where one day a true regime of freedom of thought could seed and develop.

Without a US clear cut condemnation of M. Diem’s recent sacking of temples, it will be impossible for any future Vietnamese Government to be able to gain popular support while siding with the West. Yet our chance of survival depends from the conciliation of these two conditions.

M. Diem and his family must go now, even if there is no ready made alternative, even if the change involves important risks; those risks must be taken for M. Diem has become the worst alternative, the only one leading to fatal communist takeover.

Even those most attached to freedom like myself cannot accept the idea of the continuation of M. Diem’s rule for the sake of preserving our country from falling into communist hands.

It is time now for the US to side with the people of Vietnam in its struggle to free itself from dictatorship. Time is now working for the communists, action has to be taken quickly. I am convinced that the Vietnamese people is ready to fight for Independence and Freedom, it will never fight for anti-communism as such.

This letter is not inspired by any political ambition, it is not motivated by any partisan consideration. I am now in International Service and intend to remain so. If I raise my voice now it is because as a simple Vietnamese I feel compelled to do so; the recent events in Vietnam is [are] as shocking as the crushing of the Hungarian revolt.

Sincerely yours,

Vu Van Thai⁴

1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Vietnam Country Series, Memos and Miscellaneous. Confidential. Harriman also sent a copy of the attached letter to McNamara under cover of a similar memorandum. Harriman suggested to McNamara that the opinions in the letter represent “judgments which cannot be ignored.” (Washington National Records center, RG 330, McNamara Files: FRC 69 A 3131, Vietnam 091)
2. As reported in telegram 911 from New Delhi, September 4. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 15-1 S VIET)
3. Vu Van Thai was currently a representative of the United Nations stationed in Togo. The source text bears a marginal note indicating that this letter was taken from the President’s weekend reading file of September 6.
4. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.