Office of the Historian

88. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Director of the United States Information Agency (Rowan),1

Washington, March 17, 1964, 5:15 p.m.

TELEPHONE CALL FROM MR. ROWAN

R said in terms of our broadcast into North Vietnam, we are confused as to whether we should play up North Vietnam as tool of Chinese or that they are caught between Moscow and Peking. Sec said he would think the theme should be their leaders are leading them into an unnecessary and fratricidal struggle with their brothers and this is eating up their own resources and threatening them with unnecessary dangers. Sec said he would think R should draw the line between Hanoi leadership and their own people; and then the Chinese business; Sec said not to get into the Moscow-Peking aspect.

[Here follows discussion of matters unrelated to Vietnam.]

  1. Source: Department of State, Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192, Telephone Conversations. No classification marking. Transcribed by Carolyn J. Proctor of Secretary Rusk’s staff.↩