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  4. Document 90

90. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, March 15, 19551

MTW MC–3
Washington, March 15, 1955

PRIME MINISTER MENZIES’ DISCUSSIONS IN WASHINGTON, MARCH 14 [15], 1955

PARTICIPANTS

  • Australia
    • Robert Gordon Menzies, Prime Minister
    • Sir Percy Spender, Ambassador to the United State
    • Arthur Harold Tange, Secretary of the Australian Department of External Affairs
  • United States
    • John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State
    • Herbert Hoover, Jr., Under Secretary of State
    • Livingston T. Merchant, Assistant Secretary for European Affairs
    • Walter S. Robertson, Assistant Secretary for Far Eastern Affairs

[Here follows discussion of China.]

MENZIES asked, “What about Indonesia?” The Secretary replied that it would of course be a very serious matter to have this archipelago fall into Communist hands. What we can do is not clear. He had [Page 144] talked with Ambassador Cumming at Manila.2 Cumming thought the situation in Indonesia was better than generally believed. He felt that the elections would be held and that [the] Muslim Party would win. MENZIES pointed out that the elections, however, would come after the Bandung Conference which presumably would bring great prestige to the present Government. … A discussion followed as to the effectiveness of our propaganda efforts. The Australians felt that their shortwave broadcasts had been effective. It was suggested by the Secretary that we might explore the possibility of such broadcasts from the Philippines.

[Here follows discussion of Malaya.]

Spender then brought up the question of West New Guinea which he said under no circumstances should be allowed to fall into Communist hands. The Secretary stated that we were also concerned and fully sympathized with their position but as explained to the Dutch we were equally concerned with keeping Indonesia with its 80 million people from falling into Communist hands. For this reason we did not feel that we should jeopardize our influence with the Indonesians by taking sides in the dispute. However, the Secretary said, if it came to a real showdown about New Guinea, then the United States would back Australia “right or wrong”. The Prime Minister said he thought that spirit was reciprocated in Australia.

  1. Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 60 D 627, CF 439. Secret. Presumably prepared by Robertson, although the source text, dated March 22, bears no drafting information. Another memorandum of this conversation, MTW MC–2, refers to a separate memorandum by Robertson. (Ibid.)↩
  2. See footnote 6, Document 86.↩