Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
TOP SECRET
May 15, 1961
Viet Nam Cong Hoa
Pho Chung Cong
Dear Mr. President:
The gracious visit of Vice-President of the United States and Mrs. Johnson to Vietnam has bought to us an even warmer feeling of friendship for the American people and strenghthened the bonds of friendship which had existed between our two countries since the birth of the Republic of Vietnam. The presence of your brother-in-law and your charming sister, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Smith, brought to the Vietnamese people a warm feeling of your own personal interest in Vietnam, an interest which you may be sure will be long remembered.
Your thoughtful and understanding letter of May 8th, 1961, which was handed to me by Vice-President Johnson, contains wise and far-sighted proposals, many of which I myself have advocated for four years or more. I was accordingly glad to tell Vice-President Johnson without hesitation that the Government of Vietnam accepts the proposals in your letter to initiate in collaboration with the Government of the United States, the series of joint, mutually supporting actions to win the struggle against communism in Vietnam and further the advancement our country. Our agreement to these proposals was made public in the joint communique which was released to the press on Saturday morning 13th, just before Vice-President Johnson's departure from Saigon.
In the course of our frank and fruitful conversation, Vice-President Johnson graciously asked for my own suggestions as to the most urgent needs as we see them to save our country from the vicious communist aggression being waged against us, both. within our borders and from every side today. I was most deeply gratified by this gracious gesture by your distinguished Vice-President, particularly as we have not been accustomed to being asked for our own vies as to our needs. The recent developments in Laos have emphasized our grave concerns for the security of our country with its long and vulnerable frontiers.
