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Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3 NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011 17 040852 THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE SECRETARIES THAT A POSITIVE COURSE OF ACTION IN INDOCHINA WOULD BE TO EXPAND THE MAAG TO TRAIN AND EQUIP THE NATIONAL ARMY TO PROVIDE INTERNAL SECURITY.

041052 LETOURNEAU SAID THAT FRANCE WAS TO MAINTAIN ITS TROOPS UNTIL NATIVE TROOPS WERE READY.

041652 NATIVE OFFICERS UNDER GENERAL NGUYEN VAN HINH TOOK OVER THE VIETNAM ARMY GENERAL STAFF.

041952 GENERAL SALAN PRAISED NATIVE TROOPS IN THE CLEAN UP DRIVE OF THE TONGKIN DELTA.

042752 THE VIETNAMESE ARMY WAS TO FORM A NATIVE REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM AS OUTLINED BY ITS CHIEF OF STAFF.

0552 VIETNAMESE GENERAL STAFF CAME INTO EXISTENCE.

051852 EXPANSION OF NATIVE FORCES BROUGHT TOTAL FRENCH AND INDOCHINESE FORCES TO 400,000. 50,000 REGULAR GROUND TROOPS HAD BEEN ADDED SINCE JUNE 19

052452 VIETNAM PLANNED TO CALL 20–28 YEAR OLDS WITH GRADE SCHOOL EDUCATION FOR SERVICE AS OFFICERS. THE GENERAL MOBILIZATION WAS DROPPED.

052852 AT THE TRIPARTITE MEETINGS IN PARIS IT WAS STATED THAT MORE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM U.S. WAS NEEDED TO PUT 200,000 TROOPS IN ARMIES OF THE ASSOCIATED STATES.

0652 FOUR REGIONAL STAFFS OF THE VIETNAMESE ARMY WERE CREATED.

0652 LETOURNEAU WENT TO WASHINGTON TO DISCUSS INCREASES IN U.S. AID. THESE DISCUSSIONS RESULTED IN AN AGREEMENT THAT U.S. MILITARY AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SHOULD BE INCREASED TO COVER 40 PERCENT OF FRENCH EXPENSES IN INDOCHINA. A FINAL COMMUNIQUE ISSUED ON JUNE 18 STATED THAT THE STRUGGLE IN WHICH THE FORCES OF THE FRENCH UNION AND THE ASSOCIATED STATES WERE ENGAGED, AGAINST THE FORCES OF COMMUNIST AGGRESSION IN INDOCHINA, WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF WORLD WIDE RESISTANCE BY THE FREE NATIONS TO COMMUNIST ATTEMPTS AT CONQUEST AND SUBVERSION. /DEPT. STATE.

060352 UNDER THE HIGH COMMISSIONER LETOURNEAU, THE FRENCH PROVOKED MODERATE NATIONALISTS BY NAMING NGUYEN VAN TAM AS PREMIER OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. NGUYEN VAN TAM, FATHER OF NGUYEN VAN HIMH WHO WAS LATER MADE CHIEF OF THE VIETNAMESE ARMY, WAS HATED FOR THE PART HE HAD PLAYED EARLIER IN THE CRUEL SUPPRESSION OF VIETNAMESE RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS.

060752 FRENCH–VIETNAM COMMANDOS RAIDED THE ANNAM COAST.

060952 FRANCE HOPED TO SHIFT THE WAR BURDEN TO THE VIETNAM FORCES. G