751G.00/5–2954: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France1
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4356. Eyes only Under Secretary and Ambassador from Secretary. Reur 4596.2 We are gratified at progress made but believe you should warn Laniel that no statement implying anything like final agreement should be made to his Cabinet or in Parliament or otherwise now or at any time without careful prior agreement between our Governments as to precise form of words. You will bear in mind that the U.S. conditions required among other unfulfilled conditions assurances of action and participation by other governments and also that political and military conditions cannot be divorced for, as I earlier pointed out, the military situation might deteriorate to a point where a collective defense of Indochina would be impractical. Any premature or inaccurate statements which now attain publicity would cause Congressional and public reactions which might necessitate a denial or explanation here which would leave the situation worse than if nothing had been said by Laniel.3
- Drafted by Secretary Dulles. Repeated to Geneva for information as Tedul 149.↩
- Dated May 29, p. 1635.↩
- In telegram 4421 to Paris of June 4, repeated to Geneva as Tedul 158, the Department of State reiterated the position that it was inaccurate to state that the United States and France had reached basic agreement on conditions for the military participation of the United States in Indochina. A precise statement from the French on how they proposed to meet the conditions of the United States was required. For text of telegram 4421, see United States–Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967, Book 9, p. 530.↩