PPS files, lot 65 D 101, “France”
Memorandum of Conversation1
[Extracts]
Place: President Laniel’s Office in Paris 5:30 p.m., April 14, 1954
Present:
- The Secretary
- Ambassador Dillon
- Mr. Douglas MacArthur II
- Lt. Col. Walters
- President Laniel
- Foreign Minister Bidault
. . . . . . .
[Page 1337]The Secretary said he wished to express to President Laniel the admiration of the American people for the courage and the spirit being shown by the forces of France and the French Union in Indochina, and particularly by the defenders of Dien Bien Phu. He had had information to the effect that a particularly good parachute drop of supplies to the defenders had taken place on the previous day. President Laniel said that he had received the same information, and thanked the Secretary for the compliment which he had paid. The Secretary said that he was glad that the aircraft we had been happy to make available, the Dakotas and Flying Boxcars C119’s, had been of assistance. He said that he was sure the other Ministers of the Cabinet would tell President Laniel that within the limit of human resources, we had answered every appeal made to us. Mr. Laniel said that he was indeed aware of this fact, and was most grateful. The Secretary said that President Eisenhower himself spoke constantly of this. Recently, at a Cabinet Meeting where the Secretary was to give an expose on the situation in Indochina, the President, who was himself a General and who understood these things, had taken over the exposé in a masterly fashion and expressed himself in such a way as would have given great satisfaction to President Laniel had he heard it. Laniel nodded his thanks and appreciation.
Mr. Laniel then said he would like to have Mr. Paul Reynaud come in and talk to the Secretary on the subject of Indochina. Mr. Bidault then said that he felt it was more important for the Secretary and President Laniel to talk quietly for a few moments together alone, and Mr. Reynaud could then come in. Everyone then left the room except the Secretary, President Laniel and Colonel Walters. The President and the Secretary then spoke together briefly alone. The Secretary said again that he thought the most important single thing at this time was for the French Government to announce the date of the EDC debate. Mr. Laniel said he agreed and that the announcement would be made tomorrow.
Mr. Reynaud at this point entered the meeting. He said he would like to talk to the Secretary about the meetings with the Vietnamese on the question of the relation between France and Vietnam. He said that the French had promised total independence to the Associated States, and that France would keep its word. They had signed a Treaty with Laos which had given the Laotians full satisfaction. The Secretary said that he had read the Treaty. Mr. Reynaud then said that the Vietnamese wanted two treaties. One would set forth their total absolute independence. On this the French had given them satisfaction. On the second treaty which governed the relations between France and Vietnam, they had asked for an association of free and equal states, but were willing for such an association to have the name of [Page 1338] French Union. But it was by no means the French Union envisaged by the French Constitution in which France had a preponderant voice. In place of the Council of the French Union, the Vietnamese wished to establish a round-table assembly. The French had given them satisfaction on these points, and Mr. Reynaud hoped that the French would never again be regarded as colonialists, and that this would satisfy a certain number of American Senators whom he named. Mr. Reynaud complained about a statement of General O’Daniel that France could and would win the war in Indochina. The French had had a great disappointment in the Vietnamese Army. The Secretary then spoke briefly on the fact that there was no basic difference between the people who made up the Vietnam and Vietminh forces, just as there was no real difference between the peoples of North Korea and South Korea. And there was, therefore, no basic reason why, with proper training and inspiration, the Vietnamese could not have instilled in them the same energy and will to victory which the Viet Minh displayed. Both Reynaud and Laniel said regretfully that what they also needed was a Syngman Rhee, even with the disadvantages that entailed.
Mr. Reynaud then took his leave of the Secretary and the Prime Minister and the meeting came to a close.
- Presumably drafted by MacArthur.↩