Editorial Note
On November 17, 1954, Pierre Mendès-France, Prime Minister of France, arrived in Washington for three days of conversations with the Secretary of State and other officials of the United States Government. Indochina was a major topic of discussion at the following sessions: meeting between Secretary Dulles and Premier Mendès-France, November 17, 7 p.m.; the First Plenary Meeting between the Secretary, the Premier, and their advisers, November 18, 3 p.m.; the Second Plenary Meeting, November 19, 10:45 a.m.; the Third Plenary Meeting, November 19, 3:30 p.m.; and the Fourth Plenary Meeting, November 20, 10: 30 a.m.
[Page 2265]For the memorandum of the Dulles–Mendès-France exchange on Indochina, November 17, see infra. For summaries of aspects of the conversations with Mendès-France regarding Indochina, see the following telegrams to Saigon: 2070, November 22, page 2277; 2112, November 24, page 2303; and 2126, November 26, page 2306. Other telegrams to Saigon concerning the talks include the following: 2046, November 19, page 2271; 2055, November 20, page 2274; and 2056, November 20, page 2275.
For a comprehensive record of all the meetings held in Washington with Mendès-France, including minutes of the four plenary sessions, during which Indochina was the dominant subject of discussion, see volume VI. Unpublished material on the Mendès-France visit, including position papers prepared on Indochina, may be found in Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 398.