54. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Secretary of State and the British Ambassador (Makins), Department of State, Washington, January 28, 19551
At the dinner with Makins I brought him up to date on the China question. We discussed the situation. He said that the United Kingdom was prepared to stand firmly behind the United States in so far as related to Formosa and the Pescadores. The area of possible difference was Quemoy and Matsu. There we would have to hope that the United Nations cease-fire and lapse of time might bring a solution. He recognized that it would be hard to determine whether or not the Communist operations against these islands were in reality part of an attack designed against Formosa and the Pescadores. We discussed possible motivation back of the Chinese Communists and the Russians. He felt, and I agreed, that we might have to review our basic assumption that neither of them wanted general war at this time.
- Source: Department of State, FE/FA Files: Lot 62 D 225, Relations with the British Commonwealth. Top Secret. Drafted by Dulles on January 29.↩