396.1 GE/4–2954: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Department of State
Secto 38. Repeated information Paris 143, Moscow 25, Saigon 12. Department pass USUN. French have advised us that member of [Page 618] their UN delegation was night before last invited privately to dine by Chechyotkin of Soviet delegation, who spoke along following lines:
Time had come to stop fighting in Indochina. This could be arranged within 48 hours. Soviet Russia could not appropriately propose it but French could, and would have support of British, if they would do it “free from American influence”. Important thing was strictly military cease–fire. Political arrangements should be made later but “eventual settlement should be political rather than territorial”.
Margerie commented that Soviet and Communist press in recent days had been savagely attacking Associated States and particularly Bao Dai Government (Molotov this afternoon referred to Associated States as “puppets”). Margerie believed Chechyotkin’s approach fitted into picture and that Communist campaign here, once Viet Minh had arrived, would be to attempt to discredit Associated States in eyes of Indochina and world public opinion, and to advocate formation of new provisional government on coalition basis to be followed by elections. This would conform to pattern of North Korean proposal on Korea and would obviously fit Communist strategy for Indochina.
Margerie said French were still studying necessary military and political safeguards for any armistice. Problems would not be too difficult in south where, except for Viet Minh pockets, population was relatively loyal. It would be far more difficult in north where Viet Minh were all over the place.