NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011 TOP SECRET – Sensitive
degree than before the crucial role of economic and social, as well as military action…" 65/
This statement helped to solidify the Khanh regime by giving it explicit assurance of continuing U.S. support. It did not fully take care of our dismay over the surprise that the Khanh coup had been, and our fear that such a coup might be repeated. In addition to making it clear that we fully supported the incumbent regime, therefore, it seemed necessary that we should discourage attempted coups, or, getting wind of them, head them off before they passed the point of no return. On 18 March, W. H. Sullivan of State sent out a message to Saigon as follows:
Point 2…[of NSAM 288] stipulated that U.S. government agencies should make clear our full support for Khanh government and our opposition to any further coups. While it is recognized that our chances of detecting coup plotting are far from fool-proof…all elements [pf] U.S. mission in Vietnam should be alerted against coup contingencies.
Mission should establish appropriate procedure which will assume that all rumors of coup plotting which come to attention [of] any U.S. government personnel in Vietnam will be brought to attention of Ambassador without delay. This is not, repeat not, a responsibility solely for intelligence elements [of the] U.S. mission. 66/
The program embodied in NSAM 288 was by no means judged adequate by all concerned. One major dissent, had been registered by the JCS, who tended to view the problem primarily in its military dimensions, and who believed that the source of VC strength in the North must be neutralized. In a memorandum dated 14 March 1964, the CJCS had provided the Secretary of Defense with comments on the SecDef's draft memo to the President (NSAM 288). The general view of the JCS was that the program being recommended by the Secretary of Defense was inadequate militarily, and that much more aggressive policies, mainly against NVN, but also against the Cambodian sanctuaries of VC forces, were necessary.
a. The JCS do not believe that the recommended program in itself will be sufficient to turn the tide against the Viet Cong in SVN without positive action being taken against the Hanoi government at an early date. They have in mind the conduct of the kind of program designed to bring about cessation of DRV support for operations in SVM and Laos outlined in JCSM-174-64, subject "Vietnam," dated 2 March 1964.
