396.1 GE/5–554: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Dillon) to the Department of State
4212. Repeated information Geneva 172, Saigon 496. In the course of yesterday’s Assembly discussions on Indochina which led last night to the government’s request for a vote of confidence, Laniel made the following statement inter alia:
“It will depend tomorrow on the Viet Minh, which is invited to the Geneva conference, to realize the hopes we have placed in it (for a counterproposition leading to a cease-fire). But one must not expect from us a pure and simple capitulation. To accept a cease-fire today, at the demand of Ho Chi Minh, would simply mean to lay down our arms. Parliament never gave us (the government) such a mandate. If it had it would be up to another government than mine to carry it out. Instructions have been given accordingly to the French delegation at Geneva.”
In the light of the above I do not think it appropriate for me to make formal representations to Laniel or Maurice Schumann as suggested Deptel 3944 repeated Geneva Tosec 69.1 I am seeing the latter this evening, however, on another subject and will take occasion to touch on this subject.
- In telegram 3944 to Paris, May 4 (396.1 GE/5–354), Acting Secretary Robert Murphy informed Ambassador Dillon that he strongly supported Under Secretary Smith’s suggestion made in telegram Secto 78 “that at your discretion you talk to Laniel or Maurice Schumann along lines Secretary’s letter (Dulte 46).” For telegram Dulte 46, May 3, containing the Secretary’s letter to Bidault, see p. 677. In telegram Secto 78, May 3 (396.1 GE/5–354) the Under Secretary reported that he would be discussing with Bidault or Chauvel a concern raised by Dejean with McClintock (see telegram 2181 from Saigon, May 3, in volume xiii) that certain Ministers of the French Government would advise a policy of asking for an immediate cease-fire in Indochina in order to save Dien Bien Phu. The Under Secretary said he was “confident that Bidault would not take such action, certainly not without informing us, except under specific orders from Cabinet and that he would be most reluctant to do so even then.”↩