Eisenhower Library, Dulles papers, “Telephone Conversations”
Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Anderson)1
The Sec. said he was having a staff meeting on Indochina. Your people—Collins with the strong backing of the JCS—are taking the position that in effect the French have got to be totally phased out from the standpoint of military forces and training. That will be difficult to accomplish but perhaps it can be. The Sec. said he wondered if sufficient thought has been given that if this happens, we take the entire responsibility that the situation will likely be lost. The Sec. is not sure we should be so insistent on sitting alone on this. A. said he is not sure how strong the JCS are on this. They feel not much reliance [Page 2271] can be placed on the French. The Sec. said that is right, but if we do this, the French will plaster us with the responsibility all over the world and try to sabotage the result—they are still powerful there. If we fail, it will be a terrible blow to our prestige in that area. So far we have been able to say the losses in that area have been French failures. The Sec. said we may have to talk along this line today. A. will talk with Hensel before he comes over here, and A. seemed sympathetic to what the Sec. said.
- Drafted by Phyllis D. Bernau of the Secretary’s office.↩