original_query: What was the purpose of the McNamara-Taylor mission to South Vietnam in September 1963?
query: What was the purpose of the McNamara-Taylor mission to South Vietnam in September 1963?
answer: The McNamara-Taylor mission aimed to assess the military and political situation in South Vietnam, specifically the impact of recent political developments on the war effort against the Viet Cong.  It sought to recommend actions for both the Vietnamese and US governments to improve the situation and to examine ways to tailor US aid to achieve foreign policy objectives.