B. Official documents on United States-Vietnam relations-Continued 25. Joint communiqué issued at Saigon by the Vice President of the United States and the President of Vietnam, May 13, 1961.--- 26. Secretary Rusk's news conference, November 17, 1961 (excerpt) - - 27. Secretary Rusk's news conference, December 8, 1961 (excerpts). 28. Exchanges of messages between President Kennedy and President Ngo Dinh Diem of the Republic of Vietnam, December 14 and 29. Joint communiqué issued by the United States and Vietnam on the expansion of economic development programs, January 4, 1962. 30. Secretary Rusk's news conference, March 1, 1962 (excerpts). 31. Department of State statement commenting on the report of the 32. Declaration of neutrality of Laos, July 23, 1962... 34. United States policy on Vietnam: White House statement, Octo- 35. The next steps toward peace: Statement by McGeorge Bundy, 36. United States revises aid to Vietnam's special forces: Statement by the Department of State, October 22, 1963--- 37. Secretary Rusk's news conference of November 8, 1963 (excerpts)- 38. Message from President Johnson to Gen. Duong Van Minh, Chairman of the Military Revolutionary Council of the Repub- lic of Vietnam, December 31, 1963_. 39. Secretary Rusk's news conference of February 7, 1964 (excerpts). 40. TV interview with President Johnson, March 15, 1964 (excerpt) - 41. United States to increase economic and military aid to Vietnam: Statement by the White House, March 17, 1964_. 42. United States policy in Vietnam: Address by Secretary of Defense 43. Address by Secretary Rusk, April 25, 1964 (excerpt). 44. Statement by President Johnson, June 2, 1964 (excerpt) 45. Address to the Nation by President Johnson, August 4, 1964 47. Security Council hears U.S. charge of North Vietnamese attacks: 51. Secretary Rusk's news conference, September 14, 1964 (excerpt) - 53. Communique issued by the United States and Vietnam regarding measures to be taken to improve the situation in Vietnam, De- B. Official documents on United States-Vietnam relations-Continued 55. Joint U.S. and South Vietnamese Retaliatory Attacks Against North Vietnam": White House statement, February 7, 1965--- 56. Withdrawal of American Dependents: Statement by President 57. Serious Vietcong Attacks: Statement by Secretary of Defense 60. United States and South Vietnam Hit North Vietnamese Tar- gets: White House statement, February 11, 1965.. 61. United States and Vietnam Initiate Combined Airstrikes: U.S. 63. Aggression From the North: State Department report, February 64. United States report on Vietnam to U.N. Security Council: Text of a letter from Ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson, U.S. represent- ative to the United Nations, to Ambassador Roger Seydoux, President of the U.N. Security Council, February 27, 1965---- 65. Collective Defense Against Armed Aggression: Department state- 66. Legal basis for U.S. actions against North Vietnam: Department of State memorandum, March 8, 1965----- 67. President reiterates U.S. policy on Vietnam: Statement by the 70. U.S. reply to 17-nation appeal on Vietnam, April 8, 1965-- 71. Defining Scope of the War: Address by Secretary Rusk, April 74. Additional appropriation to meet mounting military requirements in Vietnam: Message from the President of the United States, A. SUMMARY OF EVENTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, 1954-1965 Prepared by the Legislative Reference Service, Library of Congress, and the staff 1 of the Committee on Foreign Relations 1 1948 June 5.-Bao Dai, French High Commissioner Emile Bollert, and Gen. Nguyen Van Xuan sign the Baie d'Along Agreement to establish State of Vietnam with Bao Dai as chief of state within the French Union. 1949 March 8.-The Elysee Agreement, in the form of an exchange of letters between Bao Dai and President Auriol of France, outlines the general principles affecting French-Vietnam relations. June 14-An exchange of letters between Bao Dai and French High Commissioner Leon Pignon puts into effect the Elysee Agreement. United States sends message of welcome to Bao Dai. July 1.-Bao Dai decrees formally establishes State of Vietnam and provide a basis for its organization on a constitutional framework. 1950 February 7.-Great Britain and the United States extend de jure welcomes to Vietnam. February 19.-U.S. consulate general in Saigon is raised to Legation and Minister accredited to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. December 23.-United States signs Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement with France, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos for indirect U.S. military aid to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. 1951 September 7.-United States signs agreement with Vietnam for direct economic assistance. September 8.-Delegates from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos participate in the signing of the Japanese Peace Treaty at San Francisco. 1952 July.-U.S. Legation in Saigon is raised to Embassy status. U.S. Ambassador presents credentials to Bao Dai. Vietnamese Embassy is established in Washington, D.C. October 12.-The 200th U.S. ship carrying military aid arrives in Saigon. 1 This chronology has been compiled primarily on the basis of "Deadline Data on Work Affairs," Deadline Data, Inc., New York, and Memorandum RFE-14, Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Jan. 10, 1962. 1 1954 May 8-July 21.-Geneva Conference on Indochina. The delegates are from Great Britain and the U.S.S.R. (joint chairmen), France, the United States, Communist China, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and the Vietminh regime. Agreements are signed on July 20 and 21 and the main provisions concerning Vietnam are that (1) Vietnam is to be partitioned along the 17th parallel into North and South Vietnam, (2) regulations are imposed on foreign military bases and personnel and on increased armaments, (3) countrywide elections, leading to the reunification of North and South Vietnam, are to be held by July 20, 1956, and (4) an International Control Commission (ICC) is to be established to supervise the implementation of the agreements. The United States and Vietnam are not signatories to the agreements. The United States issues a unilateral declaration stating that it (1) "will refrain from the threat or the use of force to disturb" the Geneva agreements, (2) "would view any renewal of the aggression in violation of the aforesaid agreements with grave concern and as seriously threatening international peace and security," and (3) "shall continue to seek to achieve unity through free elections, supervised by the U.N. to insure that they are conducted fairly." July 7-Head of State and former Emperor Bao Dai appoints Ngo Dinh Diem Premier of Vietnam. August.-Flow of almost 1 million refugees from North to South Vietnam begins. October 11.-The Communist Vietminh regime formally takes over control of Hanoi and North Vietnam. October 24.-President Eisenhower sends a letter to Premier Diem of South Vietnam stating that American assistance will be given hereafter not through the French authorities, but directly to the Government of South Vietnam. The letter also states that the U.S. Government "expects this aid will be met by *** undertaking needed reforms." December 29.-Conference of France and the Associated States (Cambodia, etc.) terminates the economic and customs union between the Associated States. 1955 January 1.-United States promises to render direct assistance to Vietnam, on the basis of the existing pentalateral agreement of December 1950, for support of the Vietnamese Armed Forces. February 5.-Premier Diem decrees the first of a series of laws initiating important and extensive land reform program. February 12.-The U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) takes over the training of the South Vietnamese Army, following the relinquishing of command authority by the French. February 19.-Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty (SEATO)— with its protocol covering Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos-comes into force. |