Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower papers, Whitman file
Memorandum of Presidential Telephone Conversation, Tuesday, July 20, 1954, 8:50 a.m.
Secy Dulles called to report on cables from Bedell Smith.1 Russians are pressing for a conference resolution which we will join adopting all [Page 1856] these things. We are refusing to do that but are authorizing him to make a declaration on behalf of the U.S. which will take note of the conference decisions. We will not use force to disturb them. If there is renewal of aggression there, we will look upon it as gravity. Will stick to that as decision. We don’t know all details just what these basic documents will be. Will apparently be about where we thought it would be—will include Naval Base at Turneau [Tourane], & Cambodia. Will allow about 9 months for evacuation of the French troops from the Delta. Will apparently give complete autonomy to Laos & Cambodia. Will provide for elections not later than June ’56 (nearly 2 years—will give fairly good time to get ready for them). Supervisory committee will be Poland, India, & Canada. Will be set up with a ruled unanimity. Will put Canada in position where it can block things. Mendes-France is now with Molotov; afterwards will talk to Bedell Smith. Then Bedell plans to call Dulles, who will keep Pres. posted.
- The Secretary of State’s office record of this conversation is in the Dulles papers at the Eisenhower Library. For correspondence with Under Secretary Smith at Geneva on July 20, see vol. xvi, pp. 1470 ff.↩