Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
011955 PRESIDENT DIEM, GEN. COLLINS AND THE VIETNAMESE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENSE REACHED AN AGREEMENT ON FORCE STRUCTURE AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE VNA TO WHICH GENERAL ELY CONCURRED. /1-137.
012055 THE U.S., FRENCH AND VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AGREED IN SAIGON THAT THAT WOULD ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASSISTING THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT IN THE ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING OF ITS ARMED FORCES, UNDER THE OVERALL AUTHORITY OF GENERAL PAUL ELY, FRENCH COMMANDER IN CHIEF, AID IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE FRENCH MISSION. THIS ACCORD, REACHED AFTER THREE MONTHS OF DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS, SAVED FRENCH SENSIBILITIES SOMEWHAT BUT TRANSFERRED EFFECTIVE POWER TO THE U.S., REPRESENTED BY GENERAL LAWTON COLLINS, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO VIETNAM. GENERAL O'DANIEL WAS APPOINTED TO HEAD THE U.S. TRAINING MISSION, WHICH AIMED AT A 140,000 MAN ARMY, WELL TRAINED AND POLITICALLY INDOCTRINATED TO COMBAT COMMUNIST AGGRESSION FROM THE NORTH. /FLEM-CWO/ NYT.
012055 GEN. COLLINS ACCEPTED THE TASK OF TROOP ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING OF THE NATIONAL ARMY UNDER THE OVERALL AUTHORITY OF GEN. ELY. THE REGULAR ARMY WAS TO HAVE 100,000 MEN BACKED BY 150,000 RESERVES WHICH WERE TO BE UNDER THE OPERATIONAL COMMAND OF THE VIETNAMESE NOT THE FRENCH.
0120555 GEN. J. LAWTON COLLINS SUBMITTED HIS REPORT ON VIETNAM TO THE SEC.OF STATE AND NSC. IN THIS REPORT HE CALLED FOR A STRONG SEATO PACT COMMITMENT TO REACT IN CASE OF HOSTILITIES. HE QUESTIONED FRENCH INTENTIONS IN VIETNAM, BACKED DIEM AS BEING THE BEST LEADER FOR VIETNAM. /1-125
012155 DIEM REQUESTED THAT COMMAND FOR THE VIETNAMESE ARMED FORCES BE TRANSFERRED FROM FRENCH TO HIM, AND THE TRAINING AND ORGANIZATION OF THE VIETNAMESE ARMY BE HANDED OVER TO AMERICAN OFFICERS. (SEE 021154 ENTRY) /J.B.DRAGON.
0124–0210 1955 GENERAL COLLINS WAS CALLED TO WASHINGTON BY THE PRESIDENT FOR A CONFERENCE ON THE AID PROGRAM. THE FRENCH HAD AGREED TO THE U.S. ASSUMING THE VIETNAMESE ARMY TRAINING.
012755 GENERAL COLLINS URGED NSC TO RECOMMEND A STRONG U.S. POLICY IN VIETNAM. THIS WAS DONE. /JCS HIST.
013155 FRENCH STOPPED SUPPORTING THE SECT ARMIES. /JCS HIST.
020155 PREMIER DIEM REPORTED THAT THE CAO DAIST GENERAL TRINH MINH TAY OFFERED THE GOVERNMENT THE USE OF HIS 5,000 MAN ARMY.
020155 IN THE GOQUAO AREA, HOA HAO TROOPS ATTACKED A SOUTH VIETNAMESE ARMY BATTALION. AFTER THE VIETMINH HAD WITHDRAWN FROM THE CAMAU PENINSULA THE REGULAR ARMY AND THE HAO HAO FOUGHT OVER CONTROL OF THE AREA.
020355 SEC.DEF. MEMO EXPRESSED THE VIEW OF NSC THAT FRENCH SUPPORT WAS NEEDED TO INSURE VIETNAM SURVIVAL.
021155 JCS ADVISED SEC.DEF. U.S. SHOULD NOT ENTER INTO COMBINED MILITARY PLANNING FOR DEFENSE OF SEATO AREA NOR DISCLOSE ITS PLANS TO SEATO MEMBERS. /JCS HIST.
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