795.00/12–1850: Telegram
The Ambassador in India (Henderson) to the Secretary of State
niact
[Received December 18—3:15 p. m.]
1508. 1. I called on Bajpai today and imparted to him contents of Deptel 916, December 171 which arrived here yesterday. In order that he might be able convey with accuracy what I had to say to Prime Minister and to Foreign Affairs Committee of Cabinet I prepared in advance informal memorandum2 setting forth statements which I was to make to him. In giving him this memorandum I told him my statements should be considered as of oral and informal character and what I gave him in writing was merely for his convenience and to save his time in preparing memorandum of his own.
2. Sir Girja read memorandum carefully and when he had finished remarked that its contents were so important that he felt that he should give it at once to Prime Minister for a top secret discussion with certain members of Cabinet. He expressed particular interest in latter part of memorandum which indicated that time might be at hand when it would be advantageous for US and India to discuss broader problem as to how Communist aggression in Asia was to be met. Re question of cease-fire he said he feared hope in that direction was fast ebbing. He deeply regretted that resolutions for cease-fire had been introduced so hurriedly into UN before proper diplomatic preparations for them had been completed. He was afraid that failure of these resolutions to achieve any constructive purpose would make attaining of a cease-fire still more difficult. He was very depressed because it seemed that there was little that could be done prevent onrush war.
3. I told him that it was clear international situation was grave. It still seemed to me that main hope of averting war would be for all free nations to make it absolutely clear to aggressors and potential aggressors that they had no sympathy whatsoever with aggression and would throw their full weight against any power guilty of aggression.
4. Sir Girja said he hoped to talk to me again about this matter in few days.
5. I decided to have this discussion with Bajpai rather than with Prime Minister because Prime Minister has been so occupied recently with problems arising from death of Patel3 that he has not been able devote much attention to international situation and is not acquainted with latest developments.
[Page 1567]6. As I was about make my departure telegram was laid on Bajpai’s desk. In greatest secrecy Bajpai read excerpt from it. It was from Rau and stated that Chinese Communist delegate in New York had informed him categorically that Peiping would not permit UN Commission on cease-fire to enter China.
7. In memorandum which I gave to Bajpai I incorporated in appropriate place some information contained in Seoul’s 525, repeated this Mission as 917, December 17.4