711.56392/5–1454: Telegram
No. 420
The Under Secretary of State (Smith) to the Department
of State1
priority
Dulte 69. Pass Defense. Reference: Tedul 61.2 I think it is highly important and desirable in view of current discouraging outlook in Indochina situation both military and political that favorable and early action be taken to exploit Thailand possibilities along lines indicated by reported Thai offer and in Bangkok’s number 2242.3
With regard to fighter wing, it seems to me that the important thing is to have a base and maintenance facilities in Thailand. Wing itself need not be “immobilized” here. It could have alternate station, and in any case air mobility is such that rotation of fighter wing in Thailand would not necessarily immobilize it. I believe that any move toward providing air power in Thailand would have great effect. The morale factor of air bases and planes as against air bases alone is of highest importance.
Overriding point is that we now have no air base in Southeast Asia and that potentialities of acquiring air facilities there could well be enormous, particularly since Philippine facilities have geographical and possibly political handicaps.
Thai Ambassador is seeing me today. I believe his purpose is to discuss strengthening of Thai potential and this will probably include the matter of air bases. I intend to discuss these matters with him in general and informal terms as authorized in Tedul 61. I shall report results. Incidentally, Eden4 is highly pleased that Burma, which was taking a very negative position short time ago, [Page 713] is now rapidly climbing back on the band wagon. He urged me yesterday to push on with Thailand as fast as we could.
- Repeated to Bangkok by the Department as telegram 2252.↩
- Supra.↩
- Document 417.↩
- British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden. Smith’s May 13 conversation with Eden was reported in Dulte 66 from Geneva, May 13, Part 1, p. 481.↩