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armed attacks in South Vietnam. A "permanent end" to the bombing, it was said, could come only through a permanent end to armed attacks by Viet Cong units in South Vietnam.

One day before air attacks were resumed, Hanoi reportedly asked the French Government to tell the US that Hanoi would negotiate on. the basis of the Four Points -- without demanding prior withdrawal of US forces. (New York Times, 19 November 1965; State Department Press Conference, 17 November 1965) Apparently, France was given a letter from Rusk to Hanoi, but never relayed it. Sources in both the State Department and French Government say the North Vietnamese message was not transmitted before bombing was resumed, that Hanoi's word got through a few hours after air action had been resumed. Other sources say the "harsh reaction" by Hanoi to the US offer was "fully known before the air operations were resumed." France maintains that bombing could have been halted again after Hanoi's message became available.

On 18 May (the day bombing resumed) Hanoi Radio broadcast a DRV Foreign Ministry statement calling the bombing pause a "trick" meant to "cover up (America's) extremely dangerous acts intensifying the war in Vietnam... and to deceive world opinion."

June 1965

The CANADIAN representative on the ICC discussed prospects for peace with a North Vietnamese representative. According to the Canadian Foreign Minister's report, prospects were not good.

The BRITISH COMMONWEALTH PRIME MINISTERS meeting in London (17-25 June) formulated a plan -- and a four-nation mission (Britain, Ghana, Nigeris, Trinidad-Tobago) -- to visit countries involved in the war and "explore the circumstances in which a conference might be held to end the fighting in Vietnam." Prime Minister Wilson said their objectives were to achieve: (1) a suspension of air attacks on North Vietnam; (2) a halt in North Vietnam's movement of military forces and material to South Vietnam; and (3) a-total cease fire.

Washington and Saigon reacted favorably to the proposal and welcomed any visit from the Commonwealth Mission.

The NIF rejected a Commonwealth visit on 27 June. Hanoi refused

to admit the representatives on 1 July. Hanoi Radio said North Vietnam's leaders doubted the goodwill of the group, considering it "only a repetition of Lyndon Johnson's peace negotiations swindle." Peking