Office of the Historian

93. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Consulate General at Geneva1

Taipei, November 6, 1955—6 p.m.

96. For Secretary Dulles. Department’s 274.2 No significant increase GRC air activity has occurred recently.

Progress in training GRC Air Force units and in transition from propeller-driven to jet aircraft has resulted in proportionate increase in reconnaissance capability and general efficiency over past six months. Shooting down of Chinese Communist Mig October 15 over East China Sea and sinking of Communist gun boats November 3 north of Matsu attributable to this increased effectiveness rather than to any recent step-up in air activity. Above engagements occurred during routine patrols flown by GRC on daily basis. Frequency such patrols somewhat increased during past six months, but increases planned and gradual and not in a nature of upsurge caused by any change in GRC policy.

Days after gun boats sunk, I went over reports in detail with our Air Attaché. He and I concluded this attack quite in line with what GRC has been doing all along and presumably justified on basis of military requirements in absence any definite US position opposing such action.

Rankin
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/11–655. Secret. Repeated to the Department for information as telegram 408, which is the source text; also repeated to London.↩
  2. Telegram 274 to Taipei, November 5, instructed the Embassy to cable the Secretary promptly “any information on reported increase GRC air activities and explanation thereof which may help in discussion subject with Macmillan.” (Ibid., 793.5/11–555) It referred to Tosec 174 to Geneva, repeated to Taipei, November 5, which stated that the British Embassy had informed the Department that Macmillan expected to take up with the Secretary on November 9 at Geneva the question of Nationalist air activity against South China, which, according to British information, had recently increased sharply. (Ibid., 396.1–GE/11–555) A notation on the source text in McConaughy’s handwriting states that on Robertson’s instructions, he had given Sir Hubert Graves, Minister at the British Embassy, an Oral paraphrase of the substance of the first and second paragraphs of the telegram. No record has been found of any conversation on this subject between Dulles and Macmillan at Geneva.↩