Letter from Nguyen Van Thieu, President of the Republic of Vietnam, to President Gerald R. Ford concerning U.S. support for the Paris Agreement.

- 3 - [page number is centered] The Government of the Republic of Viet-Nam had signed the Paris Agreement in good faith, under the double assurance that, on the one hand, Russia and Red China will exercise a restraining influence upon Hanoi and that, on the other hand, all necessary military equipments and economic assistance will be provided by the United States to the Republic of Viet-Nam to maintain its capabilities of self defense and to develop its national economy. The first assumption turned out to be an empty pro- mise [promise], as Russia and Red China continue to give North Viet- Nam [Viet-Nam] all the ingredients to pursue an aggressive war in South Viet-Nam. But I am convinced that thanks to your generous efforts, the second assumption will be borne out. Our valiant soldiers by enduring daily sacrifices in the battlefields have proved beyond doubt our will to resist Communist aggression. It would be unfortunate indeed if sufficient means could not be supplied to them because of the lack of resolve and misconception on the part of our allies. Beside providing us with an adequate amount of military and economic assistance, the United States can also show its support for the just cause of the Republic of Viet-Nam by solemnly restating our common goals. In this regard, I hope that some time in the near future, we can meet together [no punctuation] ... - 4 - [page number is centered] to discuss about ways and means to achieve a genuine peace in South Viet-Nam. Please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my lasting friendship and highest consideration. Neun[?] [angled signature] ______________________ [angled line] - 2 - [page number is centered] I think that the main cause for the increasingly defiant and bellicose attitude of the Communists resides in their believing that the United States is now wavering in its dedica- tion [dedication] to our common goal, namely a South Viet-Nam capable of defending itself and of deciding its own future. The utterly inadequate amount of military and economic aid to the Republic of Viet-Nam which has been voted by the U.S. Congress might have induced the Communists to make such speculations. This can in turn lead to very dangerous miscalculations on the part of the Communists, as they might be tempted to launch an all out offensive to complete their forcible conquest of South Viet-Nam. Therefore, it is essential that the United States unmist- akably [unmistakably] demonstrates once again its attachment to a serious implementation of the Paris Agreement and its support for the Government of the Republic of Viet-Nam, if peace is to be restored in South Viet-Nam and in South East Asia. In this respect, I am most appreciative of your efforts made on September 12th to persuade leaders of Congress to restore the cuts in aid funds. I sincerely hope that Your Excellency will succeed in bringing the amounts of military and economic assistance up to the levels required by the new realities of the situation and the need for South Viet-Nam to achieve an economic takeoff. ... [Letter is typed. There are two spaces after each comma.] Staff 4636 [Seal] Saigon, September 19 [handwritten], 1974 Nguyen Van Thieu President of the Republic of Viet-nam Dear Mr. President, About a month ago, I wrote to Your Excellency about the situation facing the Republic of Viet-Nam as the Communist side spurned all negotiations and stepped up their armed attacks in complete disregard of the Paris Agreement. Since then, the situation has become even more serious. In fact, the prospects for the resumption of the talks between the two South Vietnamese parties are bleaker than ever, while the Communist generalized the offensive continues unabated. Now the leaders of the Hanoi regime openly declare their active support for movements aimed at overthrowing the legal Govern- ment [Government] of the Republic of Viet-Nam while they intensify their infiltrations and military action, thus baring their plans for a forcible conquest of the whole South Viet-Nam. ... His Excellency Mr. Gerald E. Ford President of the United States of America