Eisenhower Library, Dulles papers
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs (McCardle) to the Secretary of State
personal and private
Marquis Childs in confidence told me of a talk he had had with Eden. Mark urged that his name not be mentioned in any way, but this, in substance according to Childs, was what Eden told him: The British were very much disturbed and angered by Radford’s coming over to London and trying to pressure the Cabinet and the Chiefs of Staff to come into Indo–China with sea and air power. They knew that this wouldn’t work, said Eden, because it would require land forces as large as Korea.
The British had a suspicion that Radford wanted to use this as a means of launching what Eden said was “Radford’s war against China”. They felt that that would be disastrous and they couldn’t go along with it, but that was the reason they are staying out of the thing.
Eden said he had had the same feeling while in Paris, but he wanted to be sure of this policy as being the same as the English Government. [Page 630] It was the reason he flew back and he found the Cabinet and the Government supported him. They don’t believe in Bao Dai and are not willing to give any support.