Basic HTML Version
May 1971
tion in South Vietnam it was POLlTI·
CAL, and NOT MILITARY -
SO
far as
U. S. participation was concerned .
Step 6:
As Mr. Eisenhower left
office, in 1961, there were 773 U. S.
military advisers in South Vietnam and
NO COMBAT TROOPS. U. S. aid was cost–
ing around $200,000,000 a year. In a
dramatic televised press conference,
March 23, 1961, President Kennedy
warned the Soviet Union that the
United States "will not tolerate the loss
of Laos to the Communists."
Step 7:
One month after the 1960
election, the Soviets
(RusslA)
began
supplying arms and ammunition by air–
lift out of Hanoi to Communist forces
in Laos. Early in 1%1 the Communists
launched a major offensive, to gain
stcategic territory and open up supply
routes along the Laotian border into
South Vietnam.
Step 8:
October 2, 1961, Diem
dedared the Communist guerrilla cam–
paign had grown into a "real war."
President Kennedy gave reassuranccs
the U. S. "is determined to help Viet·
nam preserve its independence, protect
its people against Communist assassins,
and build a better life." Air Force
planes began transpocting large amounts
of American military equipment to
South Vietnam.
Step 9:
Terrorism and attacks on
South Vietnam grew. May 5, 1961 ,
President Kennedy announced in a
news conference that use of American
forces in South Vietnam was UNDER
CONSIDERAT!ON. By February 7, 1962,
total U. S. military personnel in South
Vietnam had incceased to 4,000. By
midyear U. S. forces increased to
10,000. Forty-six Americans had been
killed since 1961. March 14th, 1962,
President Kennedy said none of the
Americans serving in Vietnam could be
called "combat troops." March 12,
1962, Mr. McNamara (Secretary of
Defense) acknowledged that U. S. sol–
diers had exchanged fire with Commu–
nists. The foreign aid progcam was
stepped up to $300,000,000 a year.
Step 10:
November
t ,
1963:
In
a
mutiny of South Vietnamese army offi–
cers, President Diem and his brother,
Ngo Dinh Nhu, were assassinated. Sai–
gon was a hotbed of intrigue with
( Continued on page 48)
Wido World Photo
Exclusive lnterview at Saigon with
Ellsworth
C.
Bunker
U.S. Ambassador to
South Vietnam
At the suggestion
of
Ellsworth
C.
Bunker,
U.
S. Am–
bassador
to
South Vietnam, Herbert
W.
Armstrong,
accompanied by Stanley R. Rader, general counsel
of
Ambassador Co/lege, flew
to Saigon.
In their 45-minute
conference at the Embassy, the Ambassador gave Mr .
Armstrong and Mr . Rader some illuminating information
about the Vietnam war. Mr. Rader took notes
of
the
interview. Below we give
you
his transcript of those
notes.
by
Stanley R. Rader
Saigon, South Vietnam
Ü N WEDN.ESDAY, March 17th,
we were received by Ambas–
sador
Elisworth
C.
Btt11ker
at the
American Embassy in
Saigon.
Mr. Armstcong informed the
Ambassador that the
7Y
2
million
readers of
The
PLAJN TRUTH
would welcome a definitive article
on the entire Vietnam situation.
Ambassador Bunker commented
that he was delighted with our visit
and was convinced t.hat no one
could write about or understand
Vietnam without firsthand expo–
sure to its rnany complex issues.
Mr. Armstrong told the Ambas–
sador that he wanted to know from
him
why
Americans have been in–
volved in Vietnam,
why
the Presi–
dent is planning now to remove the