Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
080261 PRESIDENT KENNEDY DECLARED THAT THE U.S. WOULD DO ALL IT COULD TO SAVE SOUTH VIETNAM FROM COMMUNISM.
080461 PRES. KENNEDY AUTHORIZED AN INCREASE IN THE VIETNAMESE ARMY TO 200,000.
081561 VNA – 150,000, CIVIL GUARD – 60,000, SELF DEFENSE CORPS – 45,000, VIETCONG – 12,000. /254 NIE.
090161 THERE WAS A SERIES OF ATTACKS BY 1,000 COMMUNIST GUERRILLAS IN KONTUM PROVINCE. AN ARMY COMMAND COMMUNIQUE STATED THAT DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST THERE WERE 41 ENGAGEMENTS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT FORCES AND COMMUNIST REBELS IN SOUTH VIETNAM.
091761 A BRITISH ADVISORY MISSION ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND POLICY MATTERS, HEADED BY R. THOMPSON (FORMER PERMANENT DEFENSE SECRETARY IN MALAYA) LEFT SOUTH VIETNAM.
091861 COMMUNIST FORCES ESTIMATED AT 1,500 MEN ATTACKED AND SEIZED THE CAPITAL OF PHUOC THUNH PROVINCE ONLY 60 MILES FROM SAIGON.
092561 PRESIDENT KENNEDY, ADDRESSING THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN N.Y., DECLARED THAT A THREAT TO PEACE WAS THE SMOLDERING COALS OF WAR IN SOUTHEAST
100161 SEATO MILITARY EXPERTS MET IN BANGKOK, THAILAND, TO CONSIDER THE INCREASING COMMUNIST MENACE TO SOUTH VIETNAM. ADM. HARRY D. FELT, U.S. NAVY COMMANDER IN CHIEF IN THE PACIFIC, DECLARED THAT THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE PROSPECT OF USING U.S. TROOPS TO STOP THE COMMUNIST ADVANCES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, BUT HE INDICATED THAT AMONG THE PLANS EVOLVED FOR EVENTUALITY, SOME DID CALL FOR THE USE OF AMERICAN TROOPS.
100261 PRES. DIEM = "IT IS NO LONGER A GUERRILLA WAR WAGED BY AN ENEMY WHO ATTACKS US WITH REGULAR UNITS FULLY AND HEAVILY EQUIPPED AND WHO SEEKS A STRATEGIC DECISION IN S.E.ASIA IN CONFORMITY WITH THE ORDERS OF THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONA."
THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID THAT THE U.S. COMMITTEE HEADED BY DR. EUGENE STALEY RECOMMENDED AN INCREASE IN AID BOTH FOR MILITARY MEASURES AND ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
101161 PRES. KENNEDY ANNOUNCED (AT HIS NEWS CONFERENCE) THAT HE WAS SENDING GEN. MAXWELL D. TAYLOR, HIS MILITARY ADVISER, TO SOUTH VIETNAM TO INVESTIGATE THERE THE MILITARY SITUATION AND TO REPORT ON IT TO HIM PERSONALLY.
101861 A STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS PROCLAIMED IN SOUTH VIETNAM BY PRESIDENT DIEM.
111661 FOLLOWING CLOSELY THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN GENERAL TAYLOR'S REPORT, PRESIDENT KENNEDY (WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL) DECIDED TO BOLSTER SOUTH VIETNAM'S MILITARY STRENGTH, BUT NOT TO COMMIT U.S. COMBAT FORCES AT THIS TIME.
1261 THERE WERE 170,000 VIETNAMESE ARMY TROOPS.
1261 THE NUMBER OF CIVIL GUARD TROOPS IN SOUTH VIETNAM HAD RISEN TO 60,000.
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