Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Geneva Conference, Volume XVI

396.1 GE/4–2854: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Department of State

top secret
priority

Geneva, April 28, 1954—2 p.m.

Dulte 17. For General Smith from Secretary.

(1) Re your Tedul 14,¹ we are now working on draft cable giving our overall views on entire subject of intervention and hope to have it dispatched from here by seven o’clock tonight.² We will at that time include our specific comments on your recommendation contained Tedul 2.³

(2) Would appreciate having promptly a summary of what transpired at President’s meeting with Congressional leaders last Monday on the subject of Indochina.⁴ Would also like reaction of President and Security Council on my views as expressed Geneva Dulte 3.⁵

(3) Re your Tedul 10,⁶ I have no objection and delighted you have made such progress. I will look forward to talking with him on my return.

(4) I will try and reach decision on best date for your arrival at Geneva by tomorrow. It is difficult at this point to make any judgment on how long I should stay.

Dulles

1. Dated Apr. 27, p. 588.
2. Telegram Dulte 21, Apr. 29, p. 605.
3. In telegram Tedul 2 (Apr. 24, in volume xiii), the Acting Secretary recommended that military representatives of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and New Zealand appraise the military situation and examine possible courses of military action “aimed to hold remainder Southeast Asia.” (790.5/4–2454) In telegram Dulte 25, Apr. 29, not printed, Secretary Dulles informed Acting Secretary Smith that he did “not believe at this moment in present situation we should propose constitution high level military commission of US, UK, France, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand.” (Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 264) For documentation on the five–power military consultations, see vol. xii, pp. 1 ff.
4. Received that day in telegram Tedul 16, Apr. 28. p. 599.
5. In telegram Dulte 3 (Apr. 25, in volume xiii), Secretary Dulles outlined his reasons for believing that “it is my opinion that armed intervention by executive action is not warranted.” (751G.5/4–2554) A handwritten notation on the source text indicated that telegram Dulte 3 was answered in telegram Tedul 15 (Apr. 28. supra) and in telegram Tedul 16 (Apr. 28, p. 599).
6. Not printed. Telegram Tedul 10 contained information of a personal nature between Secretary Dulles and Under Secretary Smith pertaining to an appointment to the Department of State. (Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 241)