210. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India0
2274. Eyes Only for Harriman and Galbraith from the President. Messages from New Delhi show your watchfulness on the matter but I want to emphasize again that I think it is important that we neither push the Indians forward nor hold them back in the present phase. We do not wish to be responsible either for war or for truce. We should be ready to cooperate with them, subject to obvious limits of our capabilities, in whatever course they choose, but it must be for them to make the choices. Obviously we should not hesitate to give advice against more obvious forms of political or military rashness and our calmness should be a counterpoise to shaken Indian confidence. But we cannot allow them to put off on us the basic responsibilities which must remain Indian.1
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 691.93/11-2362. Top Secret; Niact. Drafted by McGeorge Bundy, cleared by the President and Talbot, and approved by Rusk.↩
- In telegram 2032, November 24, Galbraith responded: “There are few matters on which I have been so clear as the need to avoid either cheering the Indians on to battle or telling them to make peace, each with its attendant responsibilities for blame.” He noted that Harriman agreed. (Ibid., 691.93/11-2462)↩