396.1 GE/6–1454: Telegram
The United States Delegation to the Department of State
priority
Dulte 180. Eyes only and personal for Secretary from Under Secretary. From his own statements and from other evidence Eden intends to pack up and depart Thursday at latest, taking most of his delegation with him. He will probably leave one or two officers as observers. Bidault will be here from time to time but will probably leave Chauvel in charge while military talks are going on. As indicated in my Dulte 179,1 French pin their hopes on what Chauvel referred to as the “underground” conversations, which are presumably proceeding under cover of the military talks, and think that while these are going on Vietminh will not make all-out attack on Hanoi. I would think that Molotov will leave about the time Eden does, if we have by then brought things to a head, and I believe we also should depart about the last of this week, leaving a State officer, a military officer, and a stenographer, as observation and reporting group.
Think it is vital to get breaking off issues brought out and Foreign Ministers to go if we are to begin serious talks on collective action, particularly while Churchill is in US and also while Casey is there. I hope five power staff talks have produced some realistic, coordinated estimates which might form the basis of collective action discussions.
[Page 1137]If things go here as we hope, and if general timing is as indicated above, request your approval to proceed accordingly.2
- Dated June 14, p. 1132.↩
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In a memorandum by the Secretary of State of a meeting with the President, June 14, Dulles wrote that he had “reported briefly on the Indochina situation and on conditions in Geneva, and I read to the President Dulte 180 reporting Smith’s prospective return coincidentally with Eden’s return. The President agreed on such return.” (Eisenhower Library, Dulles papers, Meetings with the President)
In telegram Tedul 200, June 14, the Department informed the Under Secretary that “On assumption situation develops along lines in Dulte 180 we are giving thought to who should remain behind after you leave Geneva. We agree your view that a State officer, military officer and stenographer would be suitable and are thinking of Bonsal.” (396.1 GE/6–1454)
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