Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part V. B. 3. a.djvu/217



MINISTERE DES

AFFAIRES ETRANGERES

PARIS, 29 September 1953

My dear Mr. Ambassador:

With reference to the exchange of views which has taken place during recent weeks between the Government of the United States and the Government of the French Republic concerning the additional aid necessary for the financing of the military operations in Indochina, I have the honor to confirm to your Excellency the information contained in the memorandum of September 3m 1953 of the French Government which indicated the plans, programs and policies of the French Government for the intensified prosecution of the war against the Vietminh by the forces of France, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

At the moment when the Government of the United States is considering the possibility of such additional aid, I consider it equally useful to state briefly the intentions of the French Government as follows:

1. France is firmly resolved to apply fully its declaration of July 3, 1953, by which it announced its intention of perfecting the independence of the three Associated States of Indo-China.

2. In the view of the French Government, the purpose of the addditionaladditional [sic] aid in question is to enable it to put into effect the strategic and tactical principles of a military action program in Indo-China, the terms and timing of which are set forth in Annex No. 4 of the memorandum of September 3. As outlined in the aforementioned document, the strategic plan of the French Command consists essentially of retaking the offensive with a view to breaking up and destroying the His Excellency

The Honorable Douglas Dillon

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

of the United States of America

at Paris Rh