FRANCE AND VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00429A001200030013-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 6, 2004
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: September 11, 1963
• Content Type: IM

Approved For Release
AOQ 00030013-0
OCI No. 2349/63
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
11 September 1963
1, President De Gaulle?s comments on Vietnam
late last month seem to be based on the judgment that
the US efforts to maintain an independent, Western-
oriented South Vietnam cannot succeed. He apparently
believes that eventually a return must be made to
the provisions of the 1954 Geneva Agreements which
call for the unification of the country and the with-
drawal of foreign military forces. The French,
mindful of the opportunity to exercise once again
some initiative in Indochina, may be presently en-
gaged in clandestine or diplomatic activity designed
to sponsor a rapppoachement between the two halves of
the country, although evidence on this point is con-
flicting. There is also the possibility that De
Gaulle may call for an international conference on
Vietnam in which he would expect to play a major role.
20 In his remarks, De Gaulle intimated that he
favored a reunited Vietnam free from outside influ-
ences, He also asserted that France was prepared to
lend a helping hand to such a country.
3e On the face of it, this statement is merely
a reiteration of Paris? basic goals, and French of-
ficials have gone out of their way to make this point.
Specifically, they have been unanimous in denying
that it presaged French moves to undermine the US
position'in South Vietnam, or that France was sup-
porting elements in South Vietnam which might be
more favorable to Paris' point of view.
4. Despite its ostensible hands off position,
Paris has never gotten over its hostility toward the
Diem regime, and has disapproved of large-scale US
military intervention in South Vietnam. It has,
instead, pointed to the neutral regimes in Laos and
Approved For Release 2004/07/1,6'R479T00429A001200030013-0
25X1
25X1
 Approved For Release 2^^4'^""6`s'"1190049991
^^1200030013-0
Cambodia as the best guarantee of keeping Southeast
Asia peaceful and non-Communist.
5. Paris, however, has held its peace as long
as the military effort against the Viet Cong appeared
to be making progress and the Diem regime remained
firmly in control. In fact, there was.some evidence
that, prior to the outbreak of that government's
trouble with the Buddhists, France was increasingly
inclined to support the USi.in South Vietnam.
6. The recent evidence of the Diem regime's
latent brittleness, coupled with reports that Hanoi
is in trouble agriculturally, may have encouraged
the French to think the time is propitious to take
more active measures toward a North-South rapproach-
ment. However, Hanoi has repeatedly stated that all
US troops must be withdrawn from South Vietnam prior
to meaningful negotiations.
Out of the appare
t
n
conflict between French
denials that they are Pushing for the neutraliza-
tion for Vietnam and reports to the contrary, the
following conclusions can be drawn:
(1) France regards the eventual unifica-
tion and neutralization of Vietnam as inevitable.
(2) Any time the South Vietnamese war ef-
fort appears to be facing a setback, the French can
25X1
25X1
25X1
Approved For Release 2004/0Y/ Ci?!lliMP79T00429A001200030013-0
 Approved For Release 299447M 6 41001200030013-0
be expected to do what they can to win broader support
for their position.
(3) France does not have a candidate wait-
ing in the wings to take power in Saigon as it did with
Souvanna Phouma in Laos, although ex-premier Tran Van
Huu, now in exile in Paris, has apparently been receiv-
ing support from some French officials,
(4) Given the continuation of the Diem
government in power and the limited nature of French
resources, France is unlikely to call for the removal
of the US presence at this timed with
or no warning France could request Hthevreconveningttle
of the 1954 Geneva conference,
25X1
Approved For Release 200410ECiM, 9RDP79T00429AO01200030013-0