Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, China, Volume II

315. Memorandum of a Conversation, Geneva, July 23, 1955, 9:30 a.m.¹

Geneva, July 23, 1955, 9:30 a.m.

PARTICIPANTS

• The President
• Ambassador Bohlen
• Marshal Zhukov
• Mr. Troyanovsky

. . . . . . .

The President said he had one more point to raise before the conclusion of the interview, though he felt sure the Marshal was as busy as he was. He said he was convinced the Soviet Government wants peace just as we do, and did not wish to have any wars, big or little. He said that among the problems were those of divided countries—that they had been able to settle Austria, the fighting had been ended in Korea and Indochina, and there were hopes for some progress on the German question. There was also the problem of a divided China, and in regard to that he wished to ask only that the Soviet Government should use its influence with the Chinese in order to persuade them that problems should not be settled by fighting. These problems take time and might be long in settling, but since we had settled Austria, Korea, and Indochina, it was important that the Chinese not do something which all would subsequently regret. He said he did not suggest that the Soviet Government was responsible, but was merely asking it to use its good offices to that end. Zhukov said he agreed and held similar views. He said insofar as he was aware the Chinese had no intention to have recourse to armed force. They had been waiting patiently for settlement of these matters and if some hope could be given them there was no doubt that they would continue to wait with patience. He felt that the initiation of direct conversations between the United States and China, possibly at first on minor matters and then later on larger questions, would give such hope. The President said we were not averse to such talks but that the Marshal should understand that the United States was very angry at the fact that the Chinese were still holding soldiers from the Korean War prisoner, but that he did not reject the idea that there might be some hope in negotiation.²

. . . . . . .

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers. Extract. Top Secret. Drafted by Bohlen. The complete text is scheduled for publication in the compilation on the Geneva Conference in a forthcoming volume.
2. In a conversation with Marshal Zhukov on July 20, the President raised the subject of the American prisoners in China and asked Zhukov to do what he could to bring about their release. Zhukov raised the questions of U.N. membership, the offshore islands, and Taiwan, commenting that delay in settling these questions was not advantageous even to the United States. The President replied that the matter was extremely complicated but pointed out that “in spite of extreme provocation, he had restrained [refrained] from sending powerful forces to the area since there was no desire to become involved in war in that area.” Bohlen’s memorandum of the July 20 conversation is scheduled for publication in the compilation on the Geneva Conference in a forthcoming publication.