Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume III, Vietnam, June–December 1965

88. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam¹

Washington, July 26, 1965, 9:17 p.m.

236. Saigon’s 266.² Agree with your proposal to divide task of obtaining additional commitments into private and public expressions, and you are authorized take matter up with Ky in those terms at your July 27 meeting, subject to following modifications:

1. In private consultation we must have some better understanding that we are not now and do not expect to be engaged in efforts to change the regime in North Viet-Nam. While we recognize there may be some internal political problem for GVN we have impression that General Thieu’s comments and GVN statement July 20 are gratuitous revival of issue which should be left dormant. Argumentation recorded Embtel 140³ seems appropriate and would hope it would be effective with GVN officials.

2. It must also be understood with GVN that we do not reject 1954 Geneva Accords. While question remains open what role Accords will play in any eventual negotiation, they should not be rejected and Embassy will note our occasional references to our agreement with the essential purposes of the Accords.

3. Believe would be useful for Ky to include in public statement a reference to request for augmentation US forces in So. Vietnam made to McNamara group.⁴ This should be in quite general terms and mention only approximate magnitudes.

4. Suggest rewording Point A public statement to eliminate implication which could have unfortunate repercussions here that GVN even now not on war footing, in spite of real fighting and terror going on for several years now.

5. Public statement should also include some reference to economic and social measures to increase solidarity of people and their government. This could include some reference to General Ky’s 26 points⁵ as well as program for financial technical assistance to aid rural economy, including measures to meet tenure problems.

For your guidance there is quoted below possible text of statement to be issued at high level. This text, although subject to change and not to be seen in US Mission except by Ambassadors Taylor and Johnson, will provide indication of framework to which GVN undertakings will have to conform.

Very tentative text follows:

“Like every action the US has taken in Vietnam, these new deployments are ordered at the request of the Government of Vietnam and in support of the efforts of the Vietnamese people themselves. It is fully agreed and understood between that Government and the US that the main effort in South Vietnam must still be made by the Vietnamese themselves. Amb. Taylor has been assured that as US efforts are increased the Vietnamese Government itself is reenforcing its own measures to build up its armed forces and to meet the economic pressures caused by war. That Government is reaffirming its determination and announcing its own programs of increasing action at home, including certain measures in the economic and social fields to enhance the solidarity of the Vietnamese people and their government in their critical efforts.”

Septel⁶ contains rough first draft of possible US positions to be stated at a high level. You should show this draft to General Ky in your July 27 meeting and secure his concurrence, especially on US policy toward a settlement, which we construe as consistent with GVN position as stated by Tran Van Do in June.

Rusk

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Top Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Unger, cleared by McGeorge Bundy and William Bundy, and approved by Unger.
2. Document 84.
3. Dated July 14. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Vol. XXXVII)
4. See Document 60.
5. Taylor discussed Ky’s 26-point program in detail in telegram 4311 from Saigon, June 21. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S)
6. Document 89.