794A. 00/11–2450
The Acting Secretary of Defense (Lovett) to the Secretary of State
Dear Mr. Secretary: I refer to your letter of 11 November regarding the question of Formosa, in which you enclosed a draft resolution to be introduced in the United Nations. As indicated in my letter of 15 November, I have requested the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the proposed resolution. Their views, in which I concur, are as follows:
“The Joint Chiefs of Staff feel that the military implications involved in the Formosa situation and in its settlement are of the gravest importance to the United States. Passage of this resolution, as currently drafted, would neutralize Formosa strategically and thus would considerably improve the Communists’ strategic position, would release some of their defense forces for build-up elsewhere, and would substantially reduce our own strategic position in the area. From the military point of view, the language in which the recommendation of the resolution is couched, if adopted, would restrict our future freedom of action.
In the event political considerations are overriding, and action must [Page 580] be taken in the United Nations, the Joint Chiefs of Staff perceive no objection to the ‘Draft Resolution on the Problem of Formosa’ if the penultimate paragraph of the resolution is deleted and if in the last paragraph the words ‘act in conformity with the recommendation in the preceding paragraph and’ are deleted. Without such deletion it is felt that the resolution, if adopted, would restrict freedom of action in the event the military situation requires that an armed attack against the Chinese Communists “on the mainland be mounted. The Joint Chiefs of Staff consider that such limitation would place an undue and unwarranted restriction on possible future military operations and, conversely, they perceive no commensurate gains in exchange.”
It is recognized that political relationships in the United Nations may be a consideration of the first importance. However, I strongly recommend that the amendments proposed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff be incorporated in any resolution which is introduced by the United States.1
Faithfully yours,