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Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3 NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
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nor Narcovich kne\'! of the existence of tnis boo}<:~ He are facing a pro~lem "ihich is at the same time very s'imple 1 very complex and of great importance for the world. It is simple because it concerns the freedom of a people. It is complex because G.2ny considerations are involved. It is of great importance because it has ' ~ volved so 'many peoples. He have cO:Je to the opinion that the U.S. goverl'-"'nent is t!ying to solve the problem within its present limits. LAubrac and l·la rcovich took this to mean that Pham Van Dong ',.,as convinced that the 1 • S. was not in Vietnam as a prelude to an at tack o n ChinaJ \'i'e also think that the U.S. govern!ne nt is trying to get a clear picture of the present position. Our vie\.; is this: U.S. pm·,rer is enorfi1OUS 2.ndthe U.S.· government wants to win the war. President Johnson is ~uffering from a pain and this pain is called South Vietnam. 'de agree that the situatio:l on the battlefield :is decisive; the game is being 2layed in Sou~h Vietnam. From the ne,';SDaDers \'1e see tha t SO:1~ e o e o'Ole "[ant to confine ' the ,'jar to th~ South. Hm·;ever i the ~..':;'it~ House and Pent2,gon see:n determined to con'.:inue t he '-o'ar against the North. Therefore \·.'e tnink that attacks on U~e ~Torth eire likely to increase. We have ma de prov isions for attacks On our dikes; we are ready to accept war on our soil. ' Our military potential is growing. becau se of aid from the USSR and other Socialist countries. LAubrac 2.nd . Harcovich pOinted out that this ~das the only ti2e a Communist country was mentioned by name in the two conversations extending over five hours. Anbrac and Harcovich also felt that Pi:1a8 V2.n pong ~·.'as eager to . give the impression that th.e situation wa;::; under controlJ As for the situ2.tion on the bcttle£ield,itis improving all the time. T'11e dry season ',.;as good and the wet season will be better. The Harines are in difficulty. The United States is forced to replace its well-trained troops by ever-younger soldiers. ~'ie fight only wnen we choose; we economize on our resources; we fisht only for political:purposes. For example, news from Saigon suggests that Ky .is considering moving his capital oec2.use it is no longer safe. This is true. ~;"e could eas ily step up our actions inside the city. But we take only tnose actions \·;hich have political meaning and which econoillize hu;nan lives •.
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