Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, China and Japan, Volume XIV, Part 1

793.00/11–1054: Telegram

No. 390
The Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State¹

top secret

Taipei, November 10, 1954—7 p.m.

338. Limit distribution. Deptel 278.² Last paragraph reference telegram not clear to Embassy, MAAG or CINCPAC as regards how to identify any given case of Communist “reaction” as resulting directly from instance of Nationalist “retaliation”. As worded this paragraph could be interpreted by GRC as opening door to writing off Formosa whenever US chose to consider any particular Communist attack on this island as having been provoked by some Nationalist action. Also unclear is significance of “further” employment of Seventh Fleet.

In transmitting substance of referenced paragraph to GRC, as instructed, it is proposed simply to make clear that US will be free to take any course of action it sees fit in event of GRC air attack against Communist targets undertaken without prior American concurrence.

Rankin

1. A copy of this telegram was seen by Secretary Dulles, according to a handwritten note by O’Connor attached to the source text.
2. Document 381.