851G.00/12–2846: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Vice Consul at Hanoi (O’Sullivan)95
25. No objection your acting humanitarian grounds as described urtel 160 Dec 2896 or, with French agreeing, in any other strictly local, military, non-political situation in order save lives. You should not, however, without express Dept authorization become involved any situation any way which could be interpreted as mediation basic political issues between opposing parties. For your secret info, Acting Secy in Dec 23 conversation with French Amb here expressed our concern outbreak hostilities and our readiness do anything which might be considered helpful but stated we have no wish offer mediate present conditions. Further, on receipt info that Chinese had approached Brit FonOff and AmEmb Paris with proposal joint mediation, Dept decision was adverse this juncture in view certainty resentful rejection by French. Brit reaction also negative. Chinese desire extend influence Indochina seems clear and French Communists ready make instant capital any appearance outside intervention Indochina as “foreign imperialism”.
- The Department also sent information telegrams, giving the gist of this telegram to Paris, London, Nanking, and Saigon.↩
- In this telegram Vice Consul O’Sullivan reported that he had informed the Chinese Consul General at Hanoi that he would be willing to aid in any capacity to which French authorities gave approval and requested the Department’s instructions on this point. The Chinese had suggested that the Vietnamese might wish unofficial presence of British and American consular officers in any meeting with the French. (851G.00/12–2846)↩