795.00/7–1254: Telegram
The Ambassador in Korea (Briggs) to the Department of State
priority
32. Repeated information Tokyo priority 20, Taipei 1, Saigon 1. Tokyo pass CINCUNC. For the Secretary.
After conversation described Embassy’s telegram 30,1 repeated Tokyo 18, President Rhee talked for half hour in deeply pessimistic vein regarding Indochina with renewed request “two or three ROK divisions be sent there at once” and also request his views be brought personal attention President Eisenhower.
Rhee said he spent yesterday with ROK generals who share his conviction that while French talk and talk at Geneva all Indochina is being lost to free world with consequences disastrous to contemplate. Substance Rhee’s thesis as follows:
Fall of Dien Bien Phu, unless immediate remedial measures can be taken, will have proved turning point in collapse of all Asia to Communism. Until then, non-Communist Asia felt that notwithstanding menace of Red China, free world was winning side. Since fall Dien Bien Phu, Rhee says this attitude changed and free Asia is alarmed, discouraged and either scrambling to get aboard Communist bandwagon or swinging inevitably toward Nehru’s neutralism “which is suicide.” (As Department will recall from Ambassador Dean’s telegrams two months [Page 1836] ago, Rhee deeply affected by surrender Dien Bien Phu and this continues to color his thinking.)
“The French in Asia,” said Rhee, “are finished. I think they are finished in Europe too, along with British and Italians, but looking at scene from strictly Asian point of view, Indochinese don’t want French and won’t fight for French, and French themselves won’t fight in Asia. Colonialism is dead in Asia and so are the French. So unless something prompt and drastic is done, Communists are bound to win, just as they are in fact winning right now, while US Government thus far powerless stem tide far less reverse it.” Only solution as Rhee sees it is Van Fleet plan (sic) utilizing Asian manpower willing fight for freedom plus US air and naval power and US material. (See Embassy telegram 28,2 July 10, repeated Tokyo 15.)
Rhee accordingly advocates immediate transfer ROK divisions Indochina and all-out US air, navy and logistic support. Any Asian willing to fight Communism should be encouraged fight, declared Rhee. I gather from this (and previous indications) Rhee likewise advocates participation Nationalist Chinese forces, if not directly in Indochina then by Nationalist attack on mainland in vicinity Formosa.
Rhee indicated foregoing project discussed in some detail with General Van Fleet during latter’s recent visits and that he now looks forward eagerly to Van Fleet support plus support other US leaders during forthcoming Washington visit. (As to what Van Fleet and Rhee discussed with exception vague reference by Van Fleet to ROK-Japan relations, I have not been previously informed.) In bringing up these subjects today Rhee emphasized that in his opinion time is now so rapidly running out and that Washington decisions should be made without awaiting other developments.
In general connection all foregoing, Department’s attention called OPI release yesterday by Kongkee Karl, government spokesman (TWX DTG 111400Z3) who again declared ROK no longer bound by armistice. This contains following sentences:
“Should US and other UN allies seek any further temporizing with Communism, however, we shall have no choice except to go forward alone. We have made no commitments to contrary, and we shall make none.
“We are not waiting for leadership of US or any other country. If we have that leadership, well and good. We want it. But if we do not have it, we shall proceed anyway, as best we can.”
At end our conversation President Rhee again urged his views be placed before President and you as soon as possible.