751G.00/5–1354: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Dillon) to the Department of State
niact
[Received 3:56 p.m.]
4357. Repeated information Saigon 522, Geneva niact 230. Embtel 4330, May 12.1 Parodi this afternoon officially requested assistance U.S. Govt in repatriating Dien Bien Phu wounded. He said he understood this had been discussed most informally by Generals Fay and Norstad and he proposed that, if approval in principle were given, all necessary details be worked out by appropriate French and American military authorities.
Request urgently that Emb be authorized give approval in principle soonest. Believe also from psychological point of view most important that first contingent of wounded, if only token, be flown to France soonest possible.
In telegram 4330 from Paris, May 12, not printed, Ambassador Dillon reported that General Fay, the French Air Force Chief of Staff, had discussed with General Norstad (Air Deputy, SHAPE) the possibility of U.S. assistance in the repatriation of French wounded from Dien Bien Phu. Dillon stated that he assumed that such a request would be approved, but requested confirmation from the Department. He also suggested that repatriation to France via Japan and the United States would have psychological advantages. He concluded that “from standpoint French internal psychological reaction nothing at this time could serve our purpose more than gesture of this sort.” (751G.00/5–2154)
In telegram 4061 to Paris, May 13, which crossed Paris telegram 4357, the Department of State agreed that the United States should agree to provide assistance, with the ways and means to be worked out after the dimensions of the operation were determined. (751G.00/5–1254) The U.S. Delegation at Geneva concurred (in Secto 207, May 14) that it was important that the United States assist in every way possible. (396.1 GE/5–1454)
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