PSA Files: Lot 54D190
The Department of State to the French Embassy
Aide-Mémoire
With reference to the French Embassy’s Aide-Mémoire of 16 February 1950 regarding political, military and economic aid requested of this Government for Indochina1 the Department has the following observations to make:
1. Political Aid.
The Department of State is considering the advisability of a public statement concerning Indochina and Southeast Asia generally. The Secretary of State will discuss this matter with Mr. Schuman at their forthcoming meeting in May at which time the problem of Southeast Asia will be the subject of a tripartite examination.
2. Military Aid.
The interested Departments and agencies of this Government are agreed in principle that the United States shall furnish military assistance to the armed forces of the Associated States and to the French forces in Indochina. The various lists of military equipment which the French Government has submitted are being carefully examined by the United States military authorities with a view to determining the availability of the items requested as well as the possibility of their being furnished.
The Department of State and the Department of Defense are agreed that staff talks between the French and American general staffs would not serve a useful purpose at this time.
3. Economic Aid.
This Government is examining the French request for economic aid to Indochina and the preliminary recommendations of the Griffin [Page 790] Mission in order to determine the manner in which economic assistance can be most profitably applied in that area and will keep the French Government informed of its findings.
This Government is giving these matters its urgent attention and it is expected that they will be further discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the Foreign Ministers.