651.51H/3–3054
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State1
I said to the British Ambassador that I thought we would want to have a talk with him shortly about Indochina and the possibility of a joint position vis-à-vis the French. I said that the central paragraph of my address of last night was based on a unanimous position paper of our JCS, who took a very serious view of the situation.2 I feared that unless there was a clear U.K.–U.S. position, the French would in fact sell out in Indochina, and that the entire area of Southeast Asia would be greatly endangered, with serious consequences to both of our countries and to Australia and New Zealand.
The British Ambassador said that he would be glad to have such a talk; that he had been seeking guidance from London, but had not yet received it. He suggested, however, that we might have a meeting on Friday.3 I said I thought this would be OK.
- This memorandum was directed to Assistant Secretary Merchant and to Counselor MacArthur. A handwritten notation on the source text indicates that copies were sent to Assistant Secretary Robertson and to U. Alexis Johnson, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State who was on detail as coordinator of preparations for the Geneva Conference. Dulles prepared a second short memorandum on this meeting, sent to the same individuals, recording discussion with Makins regarding the Geneva Conference. For text, see vol. xvi, p. 487. According to the log of the Secretary’s daily meetings, this session occurred at 2:15 p.m. and was followed by a meeting between Makins, Dulles, and President Eisenhower. (Princeton University, Dulles papers, “Daily Appointments”) The President’s appointment book confirms that the three individuals did hold an off-the-record conversation at the White House at 2:30 p.m. (Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower records, “Daily Appointments”)↩
- Regarding the address by Secretary Dulles on Mar. 29, see the second editorial note, p. 1181. The position paper by the Joint Chiefs of Staff which is under reference here has not been positively identified. It is possibly the JCS memorandum to the Secretary of Defense of Mar. 12 titled “Preparation of Department of Defense Views Regarding Negotiations on Indochina for the Forthcoming Geneva Conference,” which was transmitted by Secretary of Defense Wilson to Secretary of State Dulles by letter of Mar. 23. For texts of the letter and the enclosure memorandum, see vol. xvi, p. 471.↩
- Apr. 2.↩