160. Memorandum of a Conversation, Taipei, March 16, 1956, 11 p.m.1
PARTICIPANTS
- President Chiang Kai-shek
- Foreign Minister George Yeh (Interpreter)
- Assistant Secretary of State Walter S. Robertson
- First Secretary of Embassy Paul H. Meyer (Reporter)
SUBJECT
- Conference Between President Chiang and Assistant Secretary Robertson
After the conference with the Secretary, President Chiang asked Mr. Robertson if he would stay on for a few minutes for further conversation. During the discussion with Secretary Dulles, President Chiang had said that he was a “candidate” for the job of Chief of Staff of the United States Army. Mr. Robertson opened his conversations by asking the Generalissimo what he would do if he were Chief of Staff of the United States Army to counter the new Communist tactics. President Chiang stated that the solution for Asia lies in an attack on the mainland of China. He did not think the time was right at present, but suggested that when President Eisenhower is re-elected we start thinking about a liberation movement. He contemplated military action taken by China without United States participation. When asked by Mr. Robertson whether he could be successful in such a venture without the participation of the United States, President Chiang stated that he had complete confidence that he could. His objectives were to avoid a world war, to check the advance of communism by creating confusion in communist areas and to bail out the Chinese people from communist control. In order to create confidence among people behind the Iron Curtain it was necessary to break through the curtain at certain points.
Mr. Robertson stated that he would be less than frank if he did not take this opportunity to express the American viewpoint. He said that neither Congress, the people of the United States, nor the President will make offensive war anywhere for any purpose. We would of course, oppose by force communist aggression. There was a tremendously important role for Free China to play. Free China offers the only alternative to communism on Taiwan, overseas and on the mainland. Despite all claims made about Red China, conditions there were probably worse for the average man than ever before. Mao and his group no more represent the people of China than William Z. Foster2 represents the American people. No one knows when the break is coming on the mainland, but there must be a Free China when it comes. Free China needs to be strengthened for that time. He again stated that the United States is not prepared to support offensive war anywhere in the world. With reference to the statement that the United States has no firm policy, Mr. Robertson suggested that if the President could have heard President Eisenhower talk to Mr. Eden he would have said that our policy is firm. We are under tremendous pressures for recognition of Red China. We have resisted them all. The Generalissimo said that to the popular mind the Geneva talks were a step in that direction. Mr. Robertson said that one purpose of this trip is to disabuse that idea in peoples’ minds.
[Page 332]The Generalissimo said he fully understands and does not expect the United States to participate in a war, but that there must be some way the United States can strengthen China’s position to recover the mainland.