The Foreign Relations of the United States series of volumes is published by the State Department, using records from a wide variety of government sources. These volumes are typically published a few decades after the period covered, in order that much of the record be declassified and available for use in these studies.

This volume, covering Vietnam foreign policy for the first 8 months of 1963, was published in 1991. It does not contain all relevant records for the period; for instance the proceedings of the 8th Secretary of Defense Conference on Vietnam were not declassified until late 1997.

This volume covers the period in which Kennedy administration withdrawal plans were put together, the Buddhist crisis erupted in South Vietnam, and an aborted coup attempt against Vietnamese President Diem was made with conflicting support from the U.S.