Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Western European Integration and Security, Canada, Volume VII, Part 1

244. Memorandum of Conversation⁰

US/MC/20

Paris, December 21, 1959, 9:30 a.m.

MEETING OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT

Paris, December 19–21, 1959

PARTICIPANTS

• United States
  • The President
  • Ambassador Houghton
  • Lt. Col. Vernon Walters
• France
  • Prime Minister Michel Debre

SUBJECT

• Military Integration

In the course of a conversation with the President on another matter¹ Mr. Debre said that he wanted to talk to the President about military integration. In recent years France had been threatened with disappearance as a national entity in the European Defense Community and some other concepts of Western European unity. This had given the word “integration” a bad connotation. The President jokingly said “like collaboration” and Mr. Debre smilingly said “Not quite as bad as collaboration”. Mr. Debre also said that he wished to report to the President something General De Gaulle had previously said to him, namely that the military commanders must have a sense of responsibility toward their own country and not have this feeling completely diluted. The President said that he had been in touch with officers serving in integrated forces for many years and he knew of no case where this service had in any way lessened their sense of duty towards their own country. Certainly in the case of our own officers this service had not in any degree lessened their loyalty and sense of responsibility towards the United States. Mr. Debre said that in these technical and operational matters where close coordination was required there would be no difficulty on the part of the French. It was only where this sense of responsibility toward one’s own country was concerned that they had reservations.

The President then spoke at length concerning the changed face of war, the speed at which events would move and the absurdity of thinking there would be one air battle on the Rhine and a completely different one in France. He wished to assure Mr. Debre that no one was more mindful of the prestige, interests and future of France than he was. His strong feelings on this matter were not merely the result of his experience as a soldier but also the result of his long friendly and close interest in France and her future.

Mr. Debre said that all French people recognized this.

The President then said that he would be very happy if General Norstad were given an opportunity to explain the technical details of his air defense plan. Mr. Debre said that for the next 15 days he had a very rough time ahead with his Parliament and Ambassador Houghton could confirm this, but he would be happy to see General Norstad in January and discuss these matters with him. The President said he would be very happy if General Norstad were given this opportunity of presenting this plan to General De Gaulle and to Mr. Debre.²

0. Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1569. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Walters and approved by the White House on March 24. The meeting was held at the U.S. Embassy Residence.
1. Eisenhower and Debré discussed the Algerian resolution in the United Nations. A memorandum of their conversation is ibid.
2. In a memorandum for the record, prepared on December 29, Goodpaster wrote that he called Norstad on December 21 at the President’s request to ask him to arrange an appointment with De Gaulle at which time he would present “a specific and detailed exposition of integrated air defense.” Later he called Norstad again after the President’s meeting with Debré to say that the latter had asked that Norstad see De Gaulle and himself in January. (Eisenhower Library, Project Clean Up, France, Vol. II)