Office of the Historian

751G.00/8–1153

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs (Bonsal)

secret
[Washington,] August 11, 1953.

Subject:

  • Military-Political Situation in Indochina

Participants:

  • Lt. Gen. Paul Ely, French Member on NATO Military Committee Standing Group
  • Philip W. Bonsal, PSA

General Ely has just been named to a job of Chief of the French Joint Chiefs of Staff. (He has been the French member of NATO

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Standing Group.) I asked him to lunch today because the press reported that he would take over his new job on August 20. He tells me. however, that he will not leave for Paris until early October.

General Ely and I discussed the military-political situation in Indochina. I found him completely alive to the importance of military success in Indochina from the point of view not only of the free world’s position in Southeast Asia but more particularly from the point of view of France’s own position in the world. He tended strongly to discount the argument that France should withdraw her forces from Indochina in order to make a better showing in Europe. He thinks that on the contrary the place where the enemy must be met is where he is currently attacking. General Ely is most impressed with the possible disastrous consequences on France’s own world position of a withdrawal from Indochina leaving the field to the enemy.

General Ely spoke highly of General Navarre and of General Gambiez1 both of whom are personal friends of his. He believes that they possess a combination of resourcefulness and tenacity which will insure that the best possible use will be made of the Franco-Vietnamese forces in the current campaign. He is aware of the serious problem involved in the possible enemy offensive this fall. He considers that the most serious possibility involved would be the cutting of Laos in two at about the level of Savannakhet.

General Ely stated that soon after he takes over his new job he intends to visit Indochina. He also informed me that he is a great friend of Parodi’s and that it was at his suggestion that Parodi last year visited Indochina. He states that Parodi came back much impressed with the importance of the French effort and is optimistic as to the possibilities of a policy of aggressiveness and perseverance within the framework of course of a complete abandonment of “colonialism”.

  1. Chief of Staff to General Navarre.↩