Vietnam War: The Documents - 12

Nov. 13, 1963 Memo from Dean Rusk rejecting the notion of a negotiated Vietnam settlement

Kennedy's Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, apparently feared that a New York Times editorial would be interpreted by the South Vietnamese government as signalling U.S. willingness to negotiate a settlement to the conflict with the Communists. Rusk insists that the conflict will be ended when the North Vietnamese cease their subversion, and that U.S. forces will be withdrawn because their mission has been accomplished.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO AMEMASSY SAIGON 781
NOV 13, 1963 6:17 PM
INFO: CINCPAC POLAD
AMEBASSY LONDON 3066
AMEBASSY PARIS 2470
AMEBASSY BANGKOK 773
AMEBASSY OTTAWA (POUCH)
AMEBASSY NEW DELHI (POUCH)
AMEBASSY VIENTIANCE (POUCH)
AMEBASSY PHNOM PENH (POUCH)
At your discretion you may wish to reassure GVN that New York Times Nov 10 editorial and Reston column few days earlier suggesting new negotiated settlement of Vietnam problem do not rpt not represetnt US Government policy.

Our policy remains as outlined by President Kennedy in December 1961:

"The United States, like the Republic of VIetnam, remains devoted to the cause of peace and our primary purpose is to help South Vietnam's people maintain their independence. If the Communist authorities in North VIetnam will stop their campaign to destroy the Republic of Vietnam, the measures we are taking to assist South Vietnam's defense efforts will no longer be necessary." This policy reaffirmed by Seretary at Nov. 8 press conference.

Our goal is thus to return to cease-fire established by 1954 Geneva Accords. If Hanoi will cease and desist in subversive aggression against RVN, and GVN is thereby enabled to extend its authority throughout South VIetnam, US will withdraw its forces from South Vietnam because reason for their presence and support of GVN will have ceased to exist.

We see no necessity for international negotiations as suggested by Times to return to a peaceful SVN free of attempted subversion from outside. Within concept US policy as outlined by President we cannot envisage any points that would be negotiable. Good faith of our withdrawal intentions has already been established by announcement we shall withdraw 1,000 US military personnel by end 1963.

Rusk

Thanks to David Fuhrmann for supplying this document.
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