Conference files, lot 60 D 627. CF 308
The United States Delegation to the Department of State
priority
Dulte 100. Eyes only Secretary. Your Tedul 107.1 I will advise Eden in accordance with your instructions and provide him with a confirming memorandum.2 Will omit paragraph four, since Australia and New Zealand have been informed and are participating and our relationship to ANZUS is well understood.
With regard to final paragraph of Tedul 107, it is completely impossible for me to understand the reasoning which prompts the decision by our Joint Chiefs of Staff that they should downgrade the rank of our representation on these five power staff conferences. Regardless of the actual outcome, the simple fact that very senior military officers of the five powers were meeting in Washington would convince the Russians and Chinese, who inevitably would know about it, that, regardless of protestations or statements to the contrary, we really intended serious business. I really regret this decision more than I can say.3
- Dated May 22, p. 888.↩
- In telegram Dulte 117, May 26, Smith reported that “Eden has forwarded my memorandum to London and is confident it will be well received. He hopes talks will start as quickly as possible and so do I. Can we not get on with them?” (790.5/5–2554)↩
- In telegram Tedul 112, May 24, the Secretary of State informed Under Secretary Smith that he had “discussed final paragraph [of telegram Dulte 100] with Radford and Chiefs will reconsider. Their motivation has been primarily political, feeling that British wanted high ranking to obviate carrying on broader political talks.” (Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 242)↩