NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
SECRET
C-O-P-Y
THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
Washington, 25, D.C.
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE:
- Subject: Indochina
The Joint Chiefs of Staff have, from the military point of view, reviewed the Department of State draft position paper entitled "Indochina" (FM D C-3a, dated 25 April 1950) and have formulated the following views thereon:
The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated their views and recommendations concerning measures which, from the United States military point of view, might be taken to prevent Communist expansion In Southeast Asia in general and Indochina in particular in a memorandum to you, dated 5 April 1950, which views were forwarded by you to the Secretary of State on 14 April 1950. Among other things, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stressed in their memorandum:
- a. The urgent need for early arrival of military aid;
- b. The requirement that such aid be integrated with political and economic programs; and
- c. That a small United States military aid group be established in Indochina immediately for the purpose of:
- (1) Screening requests for military material, the requests to be subject to determination by the senior member thereof as to the feasibility and satisfactory coordination of specific military operations;
- (2) Insuring full coordination of military plans and efforts between the French and Vietnamese forces; and
- (3) Supervising the allocation of material to those forces.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff further recommended therein that military representatives participate in the forthcoming tripartite discussions on Southeast Asia at the meeting of the Foreign
SECRET
