Office of the Historian

36. Telegram From the Chargé in France (Achilles) to the Department of State1

Paris, February 9, 1955—8 p.m.

3351. Re Deptel 2781, February 7.2 While it is too soon usefully to appraise Indochina policy of next French Government,3 long-range factors remain relatively unchanged. These factors were discussed at length Section II Embtel 2080, November 15, 1954,4 particularly that Mendes approach Indochina has broader base and deeper roots than Mendes, his entourage or government. While there is slight possibility that recent improvements in South Vietnam may produce slightly more favorable atmosphere and while passage of time since Geneva may be producing slightly less all black and all white view of elections in relation to Geneva Agreement, paramount objective of French Indochina policy under any government will certainly be to avoid any risk of reopening hostilities. We also believe any successor government likely be more rather than less sensitive regarding US role in Vietnam and Cambodia. Nor do we anticipate any early lessening of French efforts to maintain its economic interests and cultural [Page 81] influence in North Vietnam without reference to personal factors (Sainteny).

We will reappraise our views as soon as possible after Mendes’ successor obtains Parliamentary approval but we believe it would be unrealistic to anticipate any substantial changes. Most important single means of influencing any successor government toward our objectives will be to demonstrate with maximum clarity that our intentions are not bellicose and that over long-term, we are placing greater reliance upon developing indigenous Asiatic resistance to Communism than upon western armed force to prevent further Communist expansion. Next most important will be to convince French that US not seeking replace France as mentor and protector of Associated States but that on contrary, we fully recognize French interest in Indochina and expect France to share with us responsibility of achieving our major joint objectives.

Achilles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/2–955. Secret.↩
  2. In this telegram, the Department requested the Embassy’s appraisal of the possibilities for change in French Indochina policy by the successor government to that of Mendès-France, which was on the point of dissolution. (Ibid., 751.00/2–755)↩
  3. On February 23 a new French Government was formed with Edgar Faure, Radical Socialist and former Foreign Minister under Mendès-France, as President of the Council and Antoine Pinay, Independent Republican, as Foreign Minister.↩
  4. For text, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. xiii, Part 2, p. 2246.↩