NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
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-3- 4766, June 9, noon from Paris
for US assistance in Indochina unless government can at least make strong inference that Marines will be sent to Indochina.
Thus most crucial part of present Franco-US negotiations from both military and political point of view would seem to be conversations Valluy is carrying on at Pentagon.
If our JCS takes position that US has not (repeat not) the military power to be able to afford the commitment of even one Marine division to Tonkin delta, French will draw the obvious conclusion that arguments which force JCS to such a conclusion apply with approximately five-fold effect to France. This will, push them irresistibly toward abandonment of Indochina. Thus if we want French military assistance in showdown with Communists in Southeast Asia it is in my opinion vital that JCS find it possible to approve a joint war plan justifying the use of Marines.
TT/11
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