Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Indochina, Volume XIII, Part 1

396.1 BE/2–654: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Secretary of State, at Berlin¹

top secret
priority

Washington, February 6, 1954—5:26 p.m.

Tedul 27. Re Dulte 40.² Appreciate French pressures for negotiated Indochina settlement. We wonder whether preliminary private conversations between French and British and/or Russians might not have occurred. If some formula envisaging eventual negotiations is unavoidable, we hope it will conform as closely as possible to language penultimate paragraph Dulte 35.³ You, of course, will know best whether to recall that French associated themselves at UNGA last August with view that favorable developments at Korean political conference should precede discussion of other Asian questions with states concerned with those questions. If that position is abandoned and we appear to be suing for negotiated peace, Communists may well conclude situation so desperate in Indochina they need only stand firm to win full victory. Negotiations in such circumstances not likely produce agreement but could further sap French will to resist in Indochina.

Smith

1. Drafted by Robert D. Murphy, Deputy Under Secretary of State, and David H. Popper, Deputy Director of the Office of United Nations Political Affairs.
2. Telegram Dulte 40 from Berlin, Feb. 6, reported on a French draft regarding a five-power conference and Indochina negotiations, which had been circulated that day at a meeting of the Western Foreign Ministers. (396.1 BE/2–654) For documentation on this subject, see volume vii.
3. Telegram Dulte 35 from Berlin, Feb. 4, contained the text of a U.S. draft on the question of a five-power conference, transmitted to the French and British Delegations that day. (396.1 BE/2–454) For documentation on this subject, see volume vii.