No. 249
Editorial Note
During a meeting of the National Security Council on August 5, during the intelligence briefing by Director of Central Intelligence Allen Dulles, the following exchanges relating to China were recorded:
“Mr. Dulles then noted that severe floods, the worst in a hundred years, were reported in the Yangtse Valley of China. Railroads and airfields had been washed out and the rice crop of the area would probably be lost.
“Secretary Dulles remarked that probably the United States could, if it wished, offer assistance to the victims of the flood without arousing great antagonism. The President said that such an offer, which differentiated between Red China and the Chinese people, would be the neatest trick of the week. Governor Stassen felt that an effort to help China, when friendly Asian countries were suffering, would be misunderstood throughout Asia.”
. . . . . . .
“Mr. Dulles then rapidly reviewed the post-Geneva situation. He said that the Communists had settled for less than they could have obtained at Geneva, one reason for this being the possibility of U.S. intervention in Indochina. In the short term, it was unlikely that the Communists would make a major military move anywhere in the world. However, they would continue to try to block EDC, split the West, and wreck NATO. In the Far East they would make efforts to undermine Thailand and Japan, and would make Formosa a major diplomatic issue. Diversionary attacks on the offshore islands near Formosa were possible. The Communists would probably not violate the armistice in Indochina, but would use subversive means to gain control. The Communists apparently regard Korea as a stable stalemate. They would emphasize Asia for the Asiatics and seek to increase neutralism to prevent the establishment of additional U.S. bases. Throughout the world the Communists would emphasize expansion of East-West trade.
“Secretary Dulles remarked that it might be useful for the Navy to make more visits to the Formosan area. The President recalled that the Navy was now under an injunction to make periodic visits to this area, including going ashore from time to time. He said that [Page 519] if the Communists tried an invasion of Formosa by a fleet of junks, this might make a good target for an atomic bomb.” (Memorandum of discussion by Marion W. Boggs, Coordinator of the NSC Board of Assistants, dated August 6, 1954; Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower papers, Whitman file)