751G.00/2–554: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Department of State
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Dulte 37. Repeated information Paris 137.Bidault has just shown me a telegram from Indochina indicating that the military situation is not good. It is probable that the French will not be able to hold Luang Prabang and that five to six battalions probably cannot be extricated and will be lost.
Laniel is still standing firm and is not shaken by this news but the effect on French public and parliamentary opinion will be most unfortunate.1 This news will of course have a definite bearing on French attitude in further consideration of Far Eastern matters by restricted meeting of the four Ministers to examine further Berlin agenda item one.2
- Telegram 2879 from Paris, Feb. 6, read as follows: “Berlin for USDel. Foreign Office has indicated Embassy that although French Union forces expect to fall back in series delaying actions to immediate perimeter Luang Prabang where principal defense effort to be made, they confident, on basis their most recent information, that Luang Prabang can be held. Foreign Office state they only too well aware political implications fall Luang Prabang might have on French opinion and for that reason wish emphasize every effort made to hold Luang Prabang.” (751G.00/2–654)↩
- Agenda item 1 was the question of the convening of a five-power conference to include the People’s Republic of China.↩