Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part V. B. 3. a.djvu/223

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Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011

SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION

STEP 3

VI. Should, for any reason, the French Government's plan, as outlined in the memorandum of September 3 and Your Excellency's letter of September 29 referred to above, prove incapable of execution or should other unforeseen circumstances arise which negate the above assumptions or understandings, the United States Government would not consider itself, insofar as the additional aid referred to above is concerned, committed beyond the amounts it had theretofore made available to the French Government, and it would desire to consult urgently with the French Government as to the future course of action.

VII. The United States Government has reached its decision to increase its assistance for Indo-China in the conviction that the heroic efforts and sacrifices of France and the Associated States to prevent the engulfment of Southeast Asia by the forces of international Communism, and to permtt thereby the emergence of the free and independent states of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, are in the interest of the entire free world. It is also confident of the ability of France, with the ever-increasing assistance of the Associated States, to bring this long struggle to an early and victorious conclusion.

I avail myself of this occasion to renew to Your Excellency the assurances of my highest consideration.

Douglas Dillon

BELTimmons/DJMcGrew

SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION

163