219. Memorandum of Conference With President Eisenhower0
OTHERS PRESENT
- General Twining
- Major Eisenhower
General Twining, first of all, reminded the President that the last American troops left Lebanon as of October 25th.
General Twining then brought up the matter of the guidance under which Admiral Smoot, Commander, U.S. Taiwan Defense Command, should now operate. In particular, the Admiral is concerned over his immediate action to be implemented in the event of an emergency. General Twining’s views would be to reinstate the original guidance which instructed ComTaiwanDefCom to convoy only in international waters, when required. He feels that the GRC cannot perform this function themselves. The President’s view in this matter would be to instruct Admiral Smoot to resume normal patrolling with no mention of convoying as such. The President expressed the opinion that an emergency requiring immediate automatic action will not happen. At the most, enemy action can only cut off one day’s supply, and supplies on Quemoy are now quite adequate. He pointed out that in this view he is influenced by the ever present possibility of a leak. The President feels that the Generalissimo should not receive any inkling of a lack of confidence on our part in his ability to take care of himself or lack of determination on our part that he should do so within his capabilities. In this connection, the President pointed out that Secretary Dulles’ conferences with the Generalissimo have had good results in softening up his attitude. General Twining is to call Secretary Dulles on this entire matter.
[Here follows discussion of unrelated matters.]
Mayor, United States Army
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Top Secret. Prepared by Major John S.D. Eisenhower, Assistant Staff Secretary to the President.↩