Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part-V-B-3d.djvu/257

SECRET 59. Utilize Thailand's central location in Southeast Asia as a point from which to create discontent and internal difficulties within nearby Communist-dominated areas and thwart Communist subversive efforts in neighboring free countries, to a degree consistent with U. S. policies and programs in neighboring free countries.

60. Provide military assistance to Thailand for support of forces sufficient:


 * . To maintain internal security.


 * . To present limited initial resistance to external aggression.


 * . To make a modest contribution to collective defense of contiguous SEATO areas.

Continue to urge the Thai Government to improve the organization of the Thai Armed Forces so as to make a maximum contribution to the above objectives.

61. Encourage and support an improvement in relations between Thailand and Cambodia.

62. Assist Free Viet Nam to develop a strong, stable and constitutional government to enable Free Viet Nam to assert an increasingly attractive contrast to conditions in the present Communist zone. In this regard encourage and assist public relations and public information programs of the Government of Viet Nam directed both internally to the Free Vietnamese and externally to North Viet Nam.

63. Work toward the weakening of the Communists in North and South Viet Nam in order to bring about the eventual peaceful reunification of a free and independent Viet Nam under anti-Communist leadership.

64. Support the position of the Government of Free Viet Nam that all-Viet Nam elections may take place only after it is satisfied that genuinely free elections can be held throughout both zones of Viet Nam.

65. Assist Free Viet Nam to build up indigenous armed forces, including independent logistical and administrative services, which will be capable of assuring internal security and of providing limited initial resistance to attack by the Viet Minh. Rh