No. 66
Editorial Note

President-elect Eisenhower and Secretary of State-designate Dulles had a series of conferences with British Prime Minister Churchill January 3–8, while the latter was visiting in New York. Dulles gave an account of the conferences to several officers of the Department on January 8; his report is summarized in an undated memorandum by McWilliams. The portion of the memorandum headed “Formosa” reads:

“Mr. Dulles said there was not a great deal of discussion about Formosa but that he had informed Mr. Churchill that the new administration would want to change the mission of the Seventh Fleet so as to take away the prohibition against any attack on the mainland as an adjunct to the Chinese communists when they are attacking us.

“Mr. Churchill at first said this was a good way of putting it and he understood it but later he told Mr. Dulles that he hoped there would be an exchange of views between the governments on this subject. Mr. Dulles informed Mr. Churchill that he was informing him officially as of now and also warning him that there may be a statement of this in General Eisenhower’s inauguration address.” (Conference files, lot 59 D 95, CF 135)

The complete text of this memorandum is scheduled for publication in volume VI.