Gobbets

Question 1

Statement by Senator John Kennedy on the Need to Have Limited War Options

Answer 1

Statement made whilst Kennedy was still a senator; found arguments of Kissinger/Taylor on limited war persuasive; knew that Communist aggression was too limited to justify nuclear action; Kennedy would later refer to Vietnam as the test case of the determination of the US to protect their allies

Question 2

Eisenhower to Ngo Dinh Diem

Answer 2

Public message made on Oct 25 to Diem; careful not to sound imperialist or to Americanise the war; commends Vietnam on independence from Communism; comes across as private letter but also sends message to the world (released by press later)

Question 3

General Edward G. Lansdale visit to Vietnam (Basic Counterinsurgency Plan for Vietnam)

Answer 3

Report after 12 day visit to Vietnam requested by Diem; Lansdale said Vietnam was critical and should be considered Cold War combat area; offers money to increase size of Vietnamese army; counterinsurgency plan was tacit recognition that American soft attempts to secure South Vietnam had failed

Question 4

JFK Address to American Society of Newspaper Editors

Answer 4

3 months after inauguration; administration characterised by activist spirit (speech in the immediate context of Bay of Pigs); concerns of speech not just outside opposition; Kennedy wanted to create image of US that was not just masculinist but macho

Question 5

Memo for General Taylor from L.L. Lemnitzer, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (Counterinsurgency Operations in South Vietnam)

Answer 5

Joint Chiefs of Staff Lemnitzer and Taylor; compares situation in Vietnam with that of Britain in Malaya; Britain took 12 years to defeat opposition that was weaker than Viet Cong

Question 6

Excerpts from Gen. Taylor’s report on his mission to South Vietnam for President Kennedy

Answer 6

Awareness that current situation is not working and only way to improve is if US adapts role

Question 7

JFK letter to President Diem

Answer 7

Response to Diem description of dangerous condition re: North Vietnam; acknowledges difficulties and violation of Geneva Accords; US commits to helping South

Question 8

JFK response to a question on American involvement in South Vietnam, News Conference

Answer 8

Response is ambiguous and vague; history of American assistance covered but not current situation; Kennedy keeping cards close to chest, potential indecision? Masterfully manipulative

Question 9

JFK comments at Westpoint Military Academy Graduation

Answer 9

Audience were men anticipating military service, most likely abroad; Kennedy attempts to instill the need to adapt and be flexible; rhetoric for new officers and old? How are Western soldiers meant to help with ecomic unrest?

Question 10

Memo of conversation between President Kennedy and R.G.K. Thompson

Answer 10

Thompson = head of British Advisory Mission to Vietnam; 14 points regarding war: Diem, how war is going; infiltration; Viet Minh defeating French; American military personnel; Vietnam and VietCong; Defoliants; Vietnamese morale; helicopters; terrorism; north Vietnam; tactical air; surrender policy; US presence

Question 11

DOS Memo “Situation in South Vietnam”

Answer 11

Memo of when JFK briefed on Indonesia/Laos/Vietnam; discussed possibility getting rid of Nhus - considered not an option; Buddhistts contain activist element; JFK decision to delegate authority to Ambassador Nolting until swap to Ambassador Lodge

Question 12

DOS Cable to Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge on Diem’s Policies

Answer 12

Hillsman Cable in response to repeated contact between Conein and Gerenal Don; administration generally supported coup against Diem, but Hillsman made even stronger in this cable; much of the rest of August was spent trying to take this back

Question 13

Ambassador Lodge cable to Dean Rusk on Diem’s Future

Answer 13

Details the likelihood of Diem merting US demands as virtually nil. Intention was therefore to inform generals of US demands without informing Diem

Question 14

Memo of Conference with the President

Answer 14

Policy review of coup plotting in South Vietnam; McNamara recommends disassociating with coups against Diem

Question 15

DOS Cable to Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge supporting a coup in South Vietnam

Answer 15

Instructions adopted by JFK; drawn to disassociate US with efforts to oust Diem but will not engage in coup planning, only support of a coup likely to succeed

Question 16

Dean Rusk telegram to Ambassador Lodge

Answer 16

Follow up to advice given as to how to deal with Diem government; Rusk asks questions that the American public wanted answers to: “why we are there, why are we asking our fellows to be killed and what is getting in the way of accomplishing our purpose?”

Question 17

JFK interview with NBC

Answer 17

Huntley-Brinkley Report, NBC’s flagship evening news 1956-70; millions of viewers; Kennedy needed to choose carefully the opinions he presented to the world; makes clear he still supports domino theory; interview also covers civil rights

Question 18

Memo for the President “Report of McNamara-Taylor Mission to South Vietnam”

Answer 18

Memo for JFK; serious political tensions in Saigon; military seen as hostile to government but more hostile to Viet Cong; recommend increasing military strength but also emphasis disappointment in Diem

Question 19

Cable to Ambassador Lodge outlining US Policy towards a possible coup

Answer 19

Lodge already determined that South Vietnam could not achieve victory with Diem as president; US government didn’t want to be seen undermining leadership they outwardly supported - cautioned Lodge, wanting him to quietly oversee coup

Question 20

Cable from Ambassador Lodge describing a meeting between Lt. Col. Conein and General Duong Van Minh in which a Coup Against Diem was Discussed

Answer 20

Documents meeting between Conein and Gen Minh (“Big Minh” - ended up leading when Diem was assassinated, lasting 3 months before he too was assassinated); regarded coup that Minh spearheaded, but he claimed no political ambitions; offered courses of action to US, wanted assurance that US would not intervene (US did not comment on either)

Question 21

NSAM no. 263

Answer 21

Summary of JFK opinions and actions; plans for withdrawing from Vietnam in the next year are laid out (how does LBJ then square increasing action with this?); Kennedy didn’t want to escalate? Wanted to withdraw by the end of 65

Question 22

Cable from McGeorge Bundy to Ambassador Lodge on US Options with Respect to a Possible Coup

Answer 22

Bundy addresses Lodge in a very brusque manner; instructs Lodge to make every effort to stop coups unless they were guaranteed successes; wanted up to the minute updates; reiterated Lodge’s authority in Vietnam

Question 23

Memo of Conference with the President

Answer 23

Key advisors in attendance; discussion revolves around coup against Diem’s leadership; claim not to know about coups - is this consistent with Lodge information? Kennedy keen ensure that there is no contradiction in approach to supporting coup of constitutional government in Vietnam whilst opposing it in Honduras

Question 24

NSC Memo of Conference with the President

Answer 24

Meeting took place soon after Diem was assassinated (although said to be suicide); more aid and military action against VietCong suggested - no longer opposed to escalation?

Question 25

JFK undelivered speech

Answer 25

Speech that would have been given at the Dallas Citizens Council if JFK had survived; easy to label it as significant because Kennedy didn’t give it; focusses on the importance of learning in leadership - adaptation, etc. Peace is strength - “overwhelming nuclear strength cannot stop a guerilla war”. Suggests JFK not planning to withdraw from Vietnam

Question 26

NSAM no. 273

Answer 26

Signed the day after JFK funeral; message is that US wants to continue at same level in Vietnam; military had a large influence over document; seems rushed

Question 27

McNamara memo for the President “Vietnam Situation”

Answer 27

Drafted after McNamara returned from Vietnam; McNamara deeply suspicious of new government; predicts that there will be improvements in war by January

Question 28

LBJ message to Congress

Answer 28

Announces two aircraft lost to North Vietnamese attacks; mixed message speech? Wanted Congressional support for more military action but also wanted political solution. Calm and measured

Question 29

Tonkin Gulf Resolution

Answer 29

Passed by Congress to grant LBJ powers to take any action he saw fit to promote peace and international cooperation in Southeast Asia; brought forward by 5 Aug speech; gave LBJ military powers without having to declare war, and only opposed by 2 senators; repealed in 1971