Editorial Note
The diary of James C. Hagerty, Press Secretary to the President, indicates that at 8 a.m., March 22, 1954, prior to a more general conference between the President and Congressional leaders at the White House, Admiral Arthur W. Radford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and John Foster Dulles, the Secretary of State, briefed a restricted number of unnamed leaders on the Indochina situation. Radford reported that the French were in a dangerous position and needed more B–26 bombers, and that the Viet Minh were attempting to win a victory before the Geneva Conference but were suffering heavy losses. (Eisenhower Library, James C. Hagerty papers) No other record of this session has been found.
The President’s appointment book indicates that at 10:30 a.m., March 22, President Eisenhower met with Admiral Radford and General [Page 1141] Paul Ely, Chairman of the French Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the White House. Admiral Radford had asked if he might bring in General Ely to meet with the President. (Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower records, “Daily Appointments”) The Hagerty diary also mentions this meeting. (Eisenhower Library, James C. Hagerty papers) No record of the meeting has been found in Department of State files or at the Eisenhower Library.