Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 265
Action Summary of the Special Advisers to the United States Delegation of the Under Secretary of State’s Staff Meeting1
[Extract]
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4. Following is a summary of the Under Secretary’s remarks on our position in Indochina:
a. Our present official position is that:
- 1)
- We have underwritten the Navarre Plan and we will stick with it.
- 2)
- The fall of Dien Bien Phu should not deter the French or us from going ahead with the plan to put down the rebellion.
Although this is our official position, there are various alternatives which we should consider and develop our position and tactics on. A major factor is the French political reaction to the events at Dien Bien Phu.
The French ideas about a cease-fire and withdrawing into enclaves would probably result in the loss of the whole area.
We should not be in a great hurry to get on with the Indochina phase of the Conference although both the British and the French are.
The Under Secretary summarized his talk with Eden last night:
- 1)
- Eden will give General Smith on an eyes only basis, a paper which will state the strongest language the British can use in any announcement re military staff talks on Southeast Asia. It will be necessary for them to tie these talks in with the end of the Geneva Conference.2
- 2)
- It was agreed that the U.S. will work on Thailand the UK on Burma and we will see what we can do with the French and the Associated States in order to minimize our losses in Indochina.
The General said that he believed we could get more from the British than was indicated from his talk with Eden. He referred to his possible visit to London to see the Prime Minister. He believed that we could get out an announcement in a day or two on military staff talks in Washington.
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