Office of the Historian

745A.00/4–2053

Memorandum by the Director of the Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs (Raynor) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Bonbright)

secret
[Washington,] April 20, 1953.

Subject:

  • Informal Approach to South African Prime Minister

The attached telegram1 is based on an idea which came to me last Friday that this particular moment, following a larger than expected victory by Malan, might be the one occasion when in a very informal way Ambassador Gallman could say a few things to him which otherwise would not only probably be useless but very possibly counter-productive. There is no guarantee, of course, that it will do any good now but I have a feeling that this may be the one moment when Gallman can have this kind of a talk. Even so, you will note that we will leave the matter to his discretion as he may feel that even now such a talk would do more harm than good.

I believe you could clear the attached yourself but if you feel it should be sent through General Smith,2 if you will let me know we will promptly prepare a covering memorandum to him.

  1. Infra.↩
  2. Walter Bedell Smith, Under Secretary of State. A handwritten note below indicates: “Telegram initialed by Mr. Hickerson and sent out April 21, 1953. Mr. Raynor’s office called. 11:15 a.m.”↩