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March 15, 1951

SUBJECT :

NSC 64, "The Position of the United States with Respect to Indochina", was approved as government policy on March 27, 1950. It is requested that this first progress report as of March 1, 1951, be circulated to members of the Council for their information.

The Military Aid Program to Indochina enjoys the highest priority immediately after the military effort in Korea. The first deliveries began in June 1950 and by the end of January 1951 military assistance totalling approximately $50 million had been delivered to Indochina. Approximately $113 million in further military aid already has been programmed and is at varying stages in the supply process. An additional $52 million of military aid is now being programmed out of remaining FY '51 funds and something approaching $170 million for this purpose has been included in the tentative budget estimates upon which the President's FY '52 budget was based. This aid program follows in general the request submitted to the United States Government by the French Government in March 1950. During August 1950 Indochina was visited by a Joint Survey Mission under the chairmanship of Mr. John Melby of the Department of State, of which Major General Erskine, USMC was the senior military member. The mission recommended that the United States continue its efforts to supply the assistance requested by the French in March 1950, with certain additions. Equipment already delivered to Indochina, or enroute, includes various aircraft, naval vessels, equipment for twelve infantry battalions (less small arms), and miscellaneous equipment and ammunition, supplied both from the United States and the United States Far East Command. In addition to the military assistance initially requested, materiel has now been requested for the equipping of national armies in each of the three States. The cost and availability of this materiel is now unknown. Rh 7089