Pentagon Papers Part v a Vol IA

8/6/2019 Pentagon Papers Part v a Vol IA

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Declass ified per ExecUli\'e Order 13526, Section 3.3

NND Project Number: NND 63316, By: NWD D'-lie: 2011

V,A Justification of the War (11 Vols,)

Public Statements (2 Vo ls,)

Vo lwne I: A- The Truman Administration

8-- The Eisenhower Administration

C-- The Kennedy Administration



Declassified per Executive Order 13526. Section 3.3

NNO Project Number: NND 63316. By: NW D Date: 2011



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Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3

NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD D ~ t e : 2011

V. A. p . Vol I

JUSTIFICATION OF THE WAR -

RJBLIC STATEl-1EJIt"TS

A. Truman Administration

B. Eisenhower Adninistration

C. Kennedy Administration

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PART V.

Declassified per Execul ive Order 13526, Section 3.3

NN D Project Number: NND 633 16. By: NWD Date: 20 11

JUSTIFICAnON OF THE liAR - - RJBLIC T A T E ~ 1 E " " T S

Foreword

This portion of the study consists of an examination of thepubl ic statements justifying U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Only

of f ic ia l

statements contained in either the U. S. Departrrcent ofState BUlletins or th e Public Papers of the Presidents were r evie\-.'ed . Although concl usions are based pr imarily on th e state ments of the President , th e Secretary o f State and the Secretary

of Defense , th e statements of other high- ranking go vernmentoff i cials were al so s tudied in ascertaining the policy contextof t he quoted material . This report includes analyses of theTruman, Eisenhm.-er and Kennedy periods . The statements are

organized chronologically ,d.thin each Ad:ninistration , end are

summarized at t he head of each section .

A. Tr uman Admin i s t rat i on

B. Ei senhmrer Admin i s tr ation

C. Kennedy Administrat ion



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Declassified per Excl:utive Order 13526. Section 3.3

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NND Project Num ber: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 201 1

TRUMAN ADl.fINISTRATION

S U · ~ · \ A R

The statements enclosed are from the period 1950 - 1952 : fromthe Secretary of State ' s announcement marking th e beginning of th eU. S. involvement in Vietnam to the NATO resolution supporting the

French fight in Indochina . The justifications advanced fo r the U. S.commitment in Indochina include the f o l l o v ~ n g

a . The Soviets are engaged in a "monstrous conspiracy tostamp out freedom al lover th e , ~ o r l d II and Soviet imperialism , vithcamaunist China as i ts instrument, poses a direct threat to the inde pendence of the Associated States of Indochina .

b. The defense of Indochina is an integral part of th e

world",ide resistance by free nations to communist aggression and sub version .

c . The raw materials and agricultural products of Southeast

Asia are "v i ta l ly needed" by the free nations of the world .

d . The United States, in th e interest of preventing a thirdworld war , has provided aid to th e Associated States end }rance .

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NND Project Num ber: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 201 1

JUSTIFICATION OF THE ;TAR - - PUBLIC STATEI-1ENTS

TRUMAl. ADfUNISTRATION

CONTENTS

1. Secretary of State marks the beginning of U.S. military andeconomic assistance to th e Associated States and France(8 ~ ! a y 1950) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

2 . Truman cites Communist threat in Asia; emphasizes the lessonsof history in meeting aggression i n i ts ear l y stages( u April 1951) . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

3. President cites Communist imperialism as a threat to vital lyneeded raw materials and manpot·.er of free Asian nations asrequiring U.S . assistance to these countries (24 14ay 1951) . . . . . . A-3

4. Statement by th e Departments of State and Defense resultingf rom French-U. S. discussions regarding aid to Indochina

(23 September 1951) . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . • . . A- 5

5. Communique acknowledging th e primary role of U.S. in Korea

and i ts secondary role of assisting French in Indochina incombatting Communist imperialism (18 June 1952 ).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5

6 . Resolution adopted by ~ o r t h Atlantic Council of NATO support

f or French r ole in Indochina and i ts importance to AtlanticCommunity (17 December 1952) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. A-5

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v. JUSTIFICATIOn OF THE HAR - - PtrBLIC

A. Truman Administration

Secretary of s ta te Statement on Extension of Nil i ta ry and Economic Aid ,1,iay 8, 1950, Departnent of State Bullet in , May 22, 1950 , p . 821 :

* * *

"The United States Government , convinced th at neither nat ional inde

pendence nor democrat ic evolution exist in any area dominated by Soviet

im-oer ia l i sm, considers the si tuat ion to be such as to \ ~ - a r r a n t its accord -in g e c o n o ~ c aid and military e ~ u i p m e n t to the Associated States ofIndochina and to France in order to ass is t them in restoring s tab i li ty and

permitt ing these s ta tes to pursue the i r peaceful and democratic deve lopment. "

2 . President 's Radio Report to the American People on Korea and on U. S.Policy in the Far East, Apr i l 11, 1951, Public P a ~ e r s of the Presidents,

p_ 223 _

"I ,,!ant to tal.k to you plainly tonight about what we are doing in Korea

and about ou r policy in the Far East .

"In the simplest terms, what vie are doing in Korea is th is : He are t ry

in g to prevent a third \:orld war .

* * *"The comnunists in the Kremlin are engaged in a monstrous conspiracy to

staJIlP out freedom. a l l over the "rorld. I f they were t o succeed , the United

s ta tes ,,-ould be nUI!l.bered among the i r principal victims. I t must be clea r

to everyone that t he United States cannot - - and wil l not - - s i t idly by

and a,,,ait foreign conquest . The only question is : Hh at is the best time

to meet t he threat and ho .... is the best way to meet i t?

"The best time to meet the threat is in the beginning . It is easie r toput out a f ire in the beginni ng when i t i s small than af ter it has becomea roaring blaze . And the best way to meet the threat of aggression is forthe ueace - loving nations to act together . I f they don' t act together , they

are i ikely to be p icked o ff , one by one .

" If t hey had followed the r ight pol ic ies i n the 1930 ' s - - i f the f'ree

countries had acted together to crush the aggression of the dictators , and

i f they had ected in the beginning when the aggression was small - - there

p r ~ b a b l : ' l would have been no Horld War I I .

" I f history has taught us ·anything , it is tha t aggress i on anyvrhere in

the '.rorld is a threat to the peace everr,.,rhere in t he .,,"orld . When that

ag&ress io n is supported by the cruel and self ish rulers of a pOvTerfulnation whO are bent on conqueat, i t becomes a clear and present danger to

~ h e security and independffilce of every free nation .

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"I have another secret intelligence report here . This one te l l s whatanother Communist officer in the Far East told his men several months

before the invasion of Korea. Here is what be said : ' In order to success f u l l y undertake the long-awaited world resolution , we must f i rs t unify

As ia • . Java, Indochina, 1·1alaya; India , Tibet , Thailand, Fhilippines , andJapan are our u l ~ i m a t e targets . •• .The United S ~ a t e s is the only obstacleon our road for th e l iberation of a ll th e countries in southeast Ada . Inother words, we must Unify the people of Asia and crush th e United States . '

* * *"The dangers are great . Make no mistake about i t . Behind th e North

Koreans and Chinese Communists in th e front l ines stand additional millions

of Chinese soldiers . And behind th e Chinese stand the tanks , th e planes ,th e submarines , th e soldiers , and the scheming rulers of th e Soviet Union. "

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* * *President Truman I s Special l·tessage to Congress on !·;utual SecurityProgram, l.fay 24 , 1951 , Public Papers of the Presidents, p. 309 :

* * *"In Asia, in a vast area. stretching from Afghanistan to Korea , free

countries are struggling to meet communist aggress ion in a ll i ts manyforms . Some of these countries are battling th e communist armies ofSoviet satell i tes; some are engaged in bi t ter civi l s t r i fe againstcommunist-led guerril lasj a l l of them face the immediate danger of com

munist subversion .

"Sov ie t intentions .n h regard to these countries are unmistakablyclear . Using the ",'eapons of subversion , false propaganda and civi l war ,the Kremlin has already reduced China to th e status of a satell i te . TheSoviet rulers have turned their satell i te armies loose on the Republic ofKorea . Communist rebellion is raging in L1"J.dochina . In BUl'me , th e Philippines, and other places , communist- inspired groups are stir r ing up internaldisorder . In e l l countries, they are trying to exploit deep-seated economicdifficulties - - poverty, i l l i teracy end disease .

"This campaign threatens to absorb the manpo .rer and the vita l resources

of th e East into the Soviet design of world conquest. I t threatens to

deprive th e free nations of some of their most Vitally needed raw meterials .I t threatens to tUrn more of the peaceful millions of th e East into armies

to be used as pa\fflS at th e disposal of the Kremlin.

liAs ide frOID iTl'.mediate considerations of security , th e cont i nued inde pendence of these nations is vi tal to th e future of th e free 'wo r ld , Manyof these nations are new to self government . They have dedicated themselves to th e ideals of national independence, of hunan l iberty , and socialprogress . Their hundreds of millions of citizens are eager for justice

and l iberty and a s t ~ \ e in the future •

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"These countries demonstrate th e pOi,'er and vital i ty of the ideals of

our o ~ m American Revolution; they mark th e sweeping advance across theworld of the concepts of freedom and brotherhood . To lose these countr ies to the rulers of th e Kremlin ~ J O u l d be more than a blow to our mil i

tary security and our economic l i fe . I t would be a terr ible defeat fo rthe ideals of freedom - - with grave spiri tual consequences for menevery",here '>'ho share opr faith in freedom .

nAll these considerations make it essential for the United states tohelp the free countries of Asia in their struggle to make good t heir

independence and bring economic and social progress to their people .Where the governments of these countries are striving to establish freeand stable poli t ical insti tutions , to build up their military defenses,and to raise the standard of living above the level of bare subsistence ,

we can and should give them assistance . He cannot replace their ownstrong efforts , but we can supplement them .

"This 1·1utual Security Program is intended to do that . On th e militaryside, i t wil l supply certain of the Asian countries with items of militaryequipment and the training they need fo r their defense forces . On th eeconomic side, i t will provide a number of th e Asian countries with th e

most urgently needed connnodities, machinery, and tools , and vrith technicaladvice in such fields as agriculture , industry , health, and goverpJnentaladministration.

liThe assistance I am recommending for Asian countries, 555 milliondollars in military aid and 375 million dollars in economic aid , is so

planned as to meet the most pressing needs in the various countries, andis intended to p r o v ~ d e the crucial margin of resources which wil l enablet hem to move forward .

"N.ilitary assistance under this program wil l go to th e Chinese annies

on Formosa, to belp keep that island out of th e hands of Communist China .I t will go to Indo -China, where over 100 , 000 French toops are fightingside - by- side uith the forces of Viet Nam, Laos , and Cambodia againstcommunist - le d forces . I t will go to th e Philippines and to Thailand , tohelp build forces strong enough to insure internal security and discourage

outside attack . Some of these military assistance funds will also be

available for allocation to other countries in the area i f a cri t ical need

arises .

liThe military aid under this program will supplement other militaryefforts against communism in Asia . The countries will be aiding , anda number of others , are supporting military forces with their O lm funds .France is supplying the la rgest part of th e military supplies ne.eded inIndo -China, and Britain is supplying her forces ",hich are fighting guerril lasin the J.1alay States . The substantial military aid ..... e are giving to th e

forces of t ~ e Republic of Korea is included in the budget'for our military

services .

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Declassified per Executive Order 13526. Seclion 3.3

NND Projeci Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Dale: 2011

liThe struggle for security and peace in Asia is far more than a mili tary matter. In many of the Asian countries , including a ll th e countries

which need nil i tary aid , economic assistance is also required .

* * *4 . The Nilitary Aid Pro ram: Statement by th e Denartments of State and

Defense, Septemb&r 23, 1951, Departnent of State Bulletin , October

1951, p . 570 :

* * *"The participants were in complete agreement that the successful

defense of Indochina is of great importance to the defense of a l l Southeast Asia . . • . I

* * *5. The Defense of Indochina: C o ~ u n i q u e Regarding Discussions Between

Representatives of the United States J France, Viet-Nam, and Cambodia ,June 18 , 1952, Department of state Bulletin, June 30 , 1952, p . 1010:

"The principle which governed this frank and detailed exchange ofviews and information was th e common recognition that the struggle inwhich th e f'orces of the French Union and th e Associated States are en gaged against the forces of communist aggression in Indochina is an inte gral part of th e world-wide resistance by th e Free Nations to Communistattempts at conquest and subversion • .•• "

*••

6. SUE-nert by NATO of the French Union Defense Eff'orts in Indochina :Resolution Adopted by tbe North Atlantic Council, December 17 , 1952,

Dep artment of State Bulletin, January 5, 1953, p . 4:

"The Nortb Atlantic Council

"Recognizes that resistance to direct or indirect aggression in anypart of th e world is an essential contribution to the cammon security ofthe free world;

"HAVING BEEl'1 INFORNED at i ts meeting in Paris on the 16th December

of the latest developments in the military and pol i ti cal situationin

I ndo-China;

"E xpresses itr; wholehearted admiration f or the valiant and long con-

tinued struggle by the French forces and th e armies of the Associated

S t ~ t e s against Communist aggression; and

"Acknowledges tbat the resistance of th e free nations in South EastAsia as in Korea is in ful lest hannony with the aims "and ideal s of the

Atlantic Con::munity;

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nAnd therefore agrees that the campaign waged by the French Unionforces in Indo -China deserves continuing support from the NATO govern

ments.1I

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