Editorial Note
At his news conference of April 29, 1954, 9 a.m., President Eisenhower was questioned extensively regarding Indochina and the Geneva Conference. The remarks he delivered in response included the following statements. He repeated that the United States would not become involved in war except through constitutional processes which included a declaration of war by Congress. Asked for his thoughts regarding a possible modus vivendi in Indochina, the President said that it was necessary to steer a course between the unacceptable and the unattainable. It was unacceptable for the anti-Communist defenses of Southeast Asia to be allowed to crumble entirely, yet it was beyond hope that a completely satisfactory solution could be achieved.
The President also expressed opposition to possible Congressional efforts to curb his powers to act in an emergency. He denied that a French request for air intervention had been refused at the urging of the British. The matter of what kind of help should be given to France had been discussed within the Executive Branch, and with legislative leaders. It was not subject to British veto. The President refused to say whether the French had requested intervention by planes flown by American pilots, citing the ongoing Geneva Conference. With regard to bipartisanship in the case of Indochina, he cited numerous meetings with leaders of both houses of Congress, including three in the month of April.
Finally, the President refused to endorse or reject partition as a solution to the conflict in Indochina. He stated that he did not intend to raise the defense budget as a whole as the result of the Indochina situation.
For the record of the news conference of April 29, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1954, pages 427–438.