Originator: WH
From: BROMLEY SMITH
Document date: 09/16/1963
Document type: MEETING AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT

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177-10002-10034

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JFK Assassination System

8/26/201

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177-10002-10034

PAPERS OF SMITH, KEN. ADMIN. MTGS. ON VN. 8-11/63 DIEM COUP, B.24

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BROMLEY SMITH

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09/16/1963

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DOCUMENT TYPE: MEETING AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

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Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 04/21/1998

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DOC. #25

v9.1

NH 50955

DocId: 32205147

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TOP SECRET - CE

SWORD

MEETING AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT

September 16, 1963, 11:00 AM • Subject: Vietnam

Present: Secretary Rusk, Secretary McNamara, Secretary Dillon,

Director McCone, Under Secretary Ball, Director Bell,

Director Murrow, Under Secretary Harriman, General

Taylor, General Krulak, Deputy Secretary Gilpatric,

Assistant Secretary Hilsman, Assistant Secretary Manning,

Mr. Colby (CIA), Mr. Janow (AID), Mr. Bundy, Mr. Forrestal,

Mr. Bromley Smith

The telegram from Embassy Saigon, No. 523, had just been received and

was read by the group. The remainder of the meeting was given over to

listening to and questioning Mr. Huntingdon Sheldon, Deputy Director,

Central Intelligence, who had made a special trip to Saigon, and Richard

Smith, the Deputy CAS in Saigon. Both of these men had arrived in

Washington that morning, lying directly from Saigon.

The import of Mr. Sheldon's report, which was reflected in cables he

had sent to Mr. McCone, was that there now exists no capability of over-

throwing the Diem government and that building of such a capability would

take many months if it were decided to initiate such action now.

Mr. Sheldon speculated on the possibility that Nhu might make a deal

with North Vietnam. The hypothesis is stated in the CIA mernorandurn,

attached.

Secretary Rusk was obliged to leave the meeting in order to keep a

White House appointment. However, the rest of the group felt the need

for a further meeting later in the day, preferably with the President,

in an effort to reach agreement on the kind of instructions to be sent to

Ambassador Lodge. (A limited meeting with the President was held

later in the day. )

Bromley Smith

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