285. Editorial Note
Former Ambassador to the Soviet Union W. Averell Harriman met with Chairman of the Soviet Council of Ministers Nikita S. Khrushchev in Moscow on June 23, 1959. A record of the conversation, transmitted in despatch 734 from Moscow, June 26, reads in part as follows:
“[Khrushchev said that former French Prime Minister Pierre] Mendes-France had suggested to Mr. Khrushchev that China with its bursting population was a menace to the Soviet Union. This, he said, was hardly true. The Soviet Union, if it so desired, could turn its Siberian forests into arable land sufficient to feed all of China if necessary.
“Nevertheless, he said, the Chinese presented a special and delicate situation since they had their own way of looking on problems and the Soviets did not want to tell them how to run their country. (More on China later.)”
The discussion returned to China:
“Discussing the Japanese question, Mr. Khrushchev said, ‘We helped to defeat Japan at the request of Roosevelt. It is true that we agreed to help Chiang Kai-shek but that was during the period in which Japan was the enemy. Once Japan was defeated, the situation was changed and when another force—the communists—arose, naturally we supported them against Chiang and we will continue to support them. What is China, Peking or Formosa? To whom does Formosa belong? Only to China, and China is Peking. At any time we desire, we can destroy Formosa. I will tell you confidentially, we have given the Chinese rockets which are in the Chinese hinterland but within range of Formosa and can destroy it at will. Your Seventh Fleet will be of no avail. Fleets today are made to be destroyed. If the Chinese decide to take Formosa, we will support them even if it means war.’” (Department of State, Central Files, 032–Harriman, Averell/6–2659)
Vice President Richard Nixon reminded Khrushchev of these remarks during a conversation on July 26 during a visit to the Soviet Union. A memorandum of the conversation by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Foy Kohler reads in part as follows:
“The Vice President observed that this situation was a two-way street and then referred to Khrushchev’s statement to Mr. Harriman to the effect that the USSR had given China missiles to shell Quemoy.
“Khrushchev denied this and asserted that all he had said was that the USSR would supply China with missiles if it were attacked by the U.S. He also said that in view of the insignificant distance of 70 kilometers between the Chinese mainland and Formosa, the USSR could, if necessary, supply China with a large number of missiles capable of covering that distance, but again asserted that at the present time the USSR was not furnishing missiles to anyone.”(Ibid., 033.1100–NI/7–2659)
Further documentation concerning the Harriman and Nixon trips is printed in volume X, Part 1.