Source:
Letter from President Kennedy to President Diem
December
14, 1961
Dear
Mr President:
I
have received your recent letter in which you described so cogently the
dangerous condition caused by North Vietnam's efforts to take over your
country. The situation in your embattled country is well known to me and to the
American people. We have been deeply disturbed by the assault on your country.
Our indignation has mounted as the deliberate savagery of the Communist program
of assassination, kidnapping, and wanton violence became clear.
Your
letter underlines what our own information has convincingly shown - that the
campaign of force and terror now being waged against your people and your
government is supported and directed from the outside by the authorities at
Hanoi. They have thus violated the provisions of the Geneva Accords designed to
ensure peace in Vietnam and to which they are bound themselves in 1954.
At
that time, the United States, although not a party to the Accords, declared
that it "would view any renewal of the aggression in violation of the
Agreements with grave concern and as seriously threatening international peace
and security." We continue to maintain that view.
In
accordance with that declaration, and in response to your request, we are
prepared to help the Republic of Vietnam to protect its people and to preserve
its independence. We shall promptly increase our assistance to your defense effort
as well as help relieve the destruction of the floods which you describe. I have
already given the orders to get those programs underway.
The United States, like the Republic of Vietnam, remains devoted to the cause of peace and our primary purpose is to help your people maintain their independence. If the Communist authorities in North Vietnam will stop their campaign to destroy the Republic of Vietnam, the measures we are taking to assist your defense efforts will no longer be necesary. We shall seek to persuade the Communists to give up their attempts of force and subversion. In any case, we are csonfident that the Vietnamese people will preserve their independence and gain the peace and prosperity for which they have fought so hard and so long.