751G.551/10–351
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. William M. Gibson of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs
Subject: Interview of PSA Officers and Minister of French Embassy concerning public declarations made by General de Lattre in Paris and London.
| Participants: | Mr. Daridan, Minister Counselor, French Embassy |
| Mr. Lacy, PSA | |
| Mr. Gibson, PSA |
Mr. Daridan came in today at Mr. Lacy’s request. The first part of the conversation was devoted to answering Mr. Daridan’s recent questions concerning the delivery of aircraft under MDAP to the Thai Government about which he had talked to Mr. Rusk on September 26th (see Memo of Conversation dated September 26, 1951).1 Mr. Daridan was grateful for the information and indicated he now considered [Page 531] the matter closed. He remarked that Gen. Murtin2 and the French Attaché in Bangkok had apparently both made mistakes in their original presentation in the sense that the French Attaché in Bangkok had erred in reporting that the Thai were to be given jet aircraft and Gen. Murtin erred in believing that aircraft were being shipped to Thailand at the expense of Indochina. The aircraft in question had been offered to the French originally and turned down.
The second part of the conversation was devoted to Mr. Lacy’s outline of the Department’s concern with the reports which have been coming in during the last ten days of Gen. de Lattre’s public statements concerning his accomplishments during his recent trip to the United States. Mr. Lacy explained that the General had made a grievous error in stating, for instance, that he had effected a change in United States policy toward Indochina during his visit here. Mr. Lacy reminded Mr. Daridan that this was simply not the fact as he, Mr. Daridan, Mr. Gibson and the others concerned knew well. Mr. Daridan fully admitted this. Mr. Gibson then read portions of Gen. de Lattre’s message of early October to Bao Dai (see Saigon’s telegram 761, Oct. 3)3 in which several extravagant statements were made concerning Gen. de Lattre’s role in influencing United States policy in Indochina. Mr. Gibson also referred to other documents including press reports from London, Paris and Saigon in which the General’s flights of fancy were aired. Mr. Daridan agreed readily enough that these observations were inaccurate and that something should be done to correct them. He offered the opinion that in view of the General’s personality it would be more effective if he were to address a letter directly to Gen. de Lattre in the matter than if the Department were to instruct its Minister to approach the General or the Quai d’Orsay attempted to do so through the Diplomatic Counselor in Saigon. This was generally agreed and it was decided that Mr. Daridan would write such a letter to Gen. de Lattre.
Mr. Lacy was emphatic in making the point that although we were as appreciative as anyone of the General’s idiosyncrasies and highly temperamental nature we could not condone the further circulation of these untruths. Mr. Lacy pointed out that although he didn’t wish to elaborate on the present instance he did want it to be made clear to Gen. de Lattre that there must be no further distortions of fact. All this was well accepted by Mr. Daridan who gave an impression of being as aware of the validity of the Department’s position in the matter as Mr. Lacy and seemed considerably embarrassed by it all.
The interview ended cordially with Mr. Daridan’s assurances that the necessary communication would be addressed to the General and [Page 532] that he would personally see it through during his coming visit in Saigon.