Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The American Republics, Volume IV

Eisenhower Library, Dulles papers

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Special Assistant to the President (Cutler)¹

top secret
personal and private

Washington, May 22, 1954.

• Present: J. F. Dulles, A. W. Dulles, Anderson, Radford, and Cutler

[Here follows discussion relating to the defense of Formosa and other islands bordering the China Coast between Formosa and the mainland.]

The Secretary of State raised the question of what should be done to prevent further shipments of war munitions from the Soviets to Guatemala. He pointed out that a Swedish ship had already landed two thousand tons of munitions in Guatemala. (The US erroneously took to Puerto Rico and unloaded a decoy ship, and missed the munitions carrier.) The Secretary thought that we should act promptly, in order to avoid the importation of such a great amount of arms that a major military effort would be required by the US to handle the developing situation. The basic request made by State was that the Navy be authorized to halt suspicious vessels on the high seas off the Guatemalan coast, voluntarily if possible, but by force, if necessary, and if such vessels refused permission to inspect their cargoes, to take them to Panama for inspection; the US being prepared to pay any damage or demurrage.

In answer to the President’s inquiry as to the effect of this action on our friends, and on the other American Republics, the Secretary made these points:

(1) Honduras and Nicaragua have already asked the US for help. El Salvador probably will so ask. Costa Rica is beginning to worry a little about being so close to the Communists.

(2) Article 51 of the UN Charter provides the right to members of collective and individual defense. What is going on in Guatemala, since the Russians never furnish arms to a country without a bad motive, is a direct threat to the security of the US (via Panama Canal).

(3) Machinery has been set in action to call a meeting of the Organization of American States, but this will take a couple of weeks.

(4) The Caracas Resolution recognizes that the control of an American State by Communists was a threat to the security of the US (17 votes for, 1 vote against, 2 abstentions).

(5) Assistant Secretary Holland would go to Mexico City to keep the Mexican Government advised.

Under these circumstances, the President agreed to the proposed action, suggesting only that we should give notification to friendly countries of what we are proposing to do.

1. The source text indicates that this conversation took place in the White House at 9:15 a.m. The President’s daily appointment book, however, records that it occurred at 9:55 a.m., and as requested by the Secretary of State. A copy of this memorandum was forwarded to Secretary Dulles under cover of a memorandum from Mr. Cutler, dated May 24, not printed.