793.00/8–1953
No. 136
Memorandum of Conversation, by the
Deputy Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs (Martin)
Subject:
- British Inquiry on U.S. Understanding with Chinese Government re Attacks on the Mainland.
Participants:
- Mr. MacGinnis, British Embassy
- Mr. Martin, CA
Mr. MacGinnis of the British Embassy called at his own request on August 19 to inquire about a story in the New York Times of the same date concerning a reported understanding between the United States Government and the Chinese Government providing for consultations between the governments under certain circumstances involving Chinese Nationalist attacks against the Communists. Mr. MacGinnis asked whether the story was accurate. I told him that the story was based on information which had been released to the press for background use by an authoritative source in the Department and was, therefore, essentially accurate. I had only one reservation about the story; I felt the word “pact” used in the heading was rather misleading and that the word “understanding” used in the text of the story was a more accurate description of the nature of the agreement with the Chinese Government. I told Mr. MacGinnis that I did not think there was anything I could add to the Times story regarding the understanding and the reasons for it.
Mr. MacGinnis asked whether this meant that the U.S. was concerned with all the military operations of the Chinese Government. I replied that, as indicated in the press story, the understanding covered only such operations as might result in the direct involvement of U.S. forces committed to the defense of Formosa. Mr. MacGinnis then recalled that at the time the U.S. Government had notified the British Government of President Eisenhower’s intention to revise the mission of the 7th Fleet, we had stated that the 7th [Page 246] Fleet’s mission would be limited to the defense of Formosa and the Pescadores. He wished to know whether this was still the case or whether the 7th Fleet was now charged with the protection of the Nationalist-held islands off the coast of the Mainland. I replied that to the best of my knowledge the 7th Fleet’s mission remained the same as that described in the communication to which he had referred. Mr. MacGinnis then speculated that in view of the armistice in Korea the Communists might now endeavor to capture the Nationalist-held off-shore islands. He expressed doubt that the Chinese Nationalists could hold the islands in such an event. I replied that it was, of course, quite likely that the Communists would eventually make an effort to capture the off-shore islands and that they probably have the capability of taking them provided they are willing to pay the price. However, I felt that the Nationalists would make a strong effort to hold them and should be able to put up a very good fight, at least on the major islands.