687. Letter 41 from Johnson to McConaughy1
Just a few brief notes. First thanks for your letters 50 and 51. Incidentally in your No. 50 you mentioned some excerpts from a letter of Bob McCann’s, but they were not enclosed. Very sorry to hear about [Typeset Page 1120] him, but knowing him would be very reluctant to reach any conclusions on the basis of a letter in which he may have had some particular purpose in mind. However, I entirely agree that on the basis of this and Mackensen’s letter they may very well be attempting to prevail on some Americans to remain as a counter to the reluctance of Chinese to return.
Incidentally I had heard nothing here about a NBC filmed interview and, of course, would do nothing about it in any event. However, all of the correspondents here have been pushing me hard for “anniversary stories”, and in reply I have been stressing that I simply do not look at it in that light, it having been just another meeting. I have, of course, seen them individually and explained there is nothing new, everything having been very thoroughly covered in the press releases. They have also pressed me hard for “private and personal” opinions on the relationship with our elections but I have strictly refused any discussion of this pointing out that there was no reason to believe that on the fundamental questions of release of American prisoners or renunciation of force there was or could be any differences of opinion among Americans. You can thus expect a spate of “birthday stories” from here which they have all been instructed to write but I wanted to let you know I have done my best to minimize them. The only thing I have done is to give AP a list of the remaining 11 taken from the Dept’s. lists giving their occupation and home towns.
[Facsimile Page 2]Wang’s performance today together with his proposal for another two week’s gap to the next meeting confirms me in my belief that they intend to mark time until November. Depending on how they read our domestic political situation we must expect some new move on their part shortly before or very shortly after the election. I do not think that we should exclude the possibility that they may estimate that if the “peace” issue figures heavily in the campaign the administration would be responsive to pressures just before the election that would threaten hostilities in the offshore islands.
I certainly have no objection to a speech by Lodge on the missing servicemen issue. I presume it would be in the GA and tied to the still outstanding UN resolution.
One aspect of my guidance for today’s meeting on which I would appreciate a little more background amplification is how far I can go if I think it useful in stating the converse of the proposition that there can be no fruitful discussion of trade in the absence of a renunciation of force. You will note that today I carefully kept away from this converse and will try to continue this line. However, if necessary, how it is suggested that I handle the implied converse, that is, could I hold out any hope for a “fruitful discussion” of trade in the event of a satisfactory agreement on renunciation of force, and, of course, release of the [Typeset Page 1121] prisoners? I hope that by the next meeting we will know what is going to happen with respect to the Chinese prisoners. You will note that today I made a really “big speech” on the Americans, which I tried to make as fervent as I am capable. Incidentally it is only when we get on the subject of implementation that Wang gets really emotional. It does not stand out too clearly in the translation but it is obvious he is putting real personal feeling into this subject. I suppose that whatever personal convictions he may have on this are fed by the equivocal letters they probably receive from Chinese in the U.S. who are still sitting on the fence for personal reasons or to protect their families.
I do not yet know what I will do with this two week’s gap and will have to wait until I see how things are when I get back to Prague. In absence of word to the contrary you can assume I am there. If you do not get distribution on my Prague arrival and departure telegrams you might check with EE.
Regards to all,
Sincerely,
- Source: Department of State, Geneva Talks Files, Lot 72D415. Secret; Official–Informal. The signature is handwritten.↩