13. Editorial Note
At the 367th Meeting of the National Security Council on May 29, Director of Central Intelligence Allen Dulles discussed France during his briefing on significant world developments. That portion of the memorandum of discussion by S. Everett Gleason reads:
“[2 paragraphs (16 lines of source text) not declassified]
“The President inquired what could be expected of the French armed forces if President Coty were to ask for full powers for himself. Mr. Dulles commented that this was an interesting thought. The President replied that it was not a new thought. He had heard it when he was last in Paris and talked with Coty about the problem of French constitutional reform. On this occasion Coty had impressed the President as a forceful and decisive leader; but the real question in the President’s mind was whether the French armed forces would find it possible to support Coty. [3 lines of source text not declassified]
“The President commented that he had been through similar situations before, beginning with Darlan. The French seemed to require a legalistic cover for any assumption of emergency powers. The President indicated his fear of grave civil disorder if the Communists and Socialists insisted on standing firmly together against the assumption of power by General de Gaulle.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)