793.54/7–3150
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. James L. O’Sullivan of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs
Subject: Common Western Policy in Southeast Asia
| Participants: | Mr. Henri Bonnet French Ambassador |
| FE—Mr. Rusk, Assistant Secretary | |
| PSA—Mr. O’Sullivan | |
| WE—Mr. O’Shaughnessy |
Ambassador Bonnet called this afternoon at his request. He began by mentioning the contradictory intelligence reports his Government was receiving regarding movements of troops within China, mentioning that some reports stated troops were being withdrawn from [Page 840] the Canton area toward Hankow, while other reports indicated Communist troops were moving toward the Indochina border. He also said that there were reports on the building of roads in Yunnan and particularly Kwangsi. He pointed out that these roads might be used to move up tanks for an attack upon the Tonkin border.
Ambassador Bonnet then suggested that the time has arrived for the establishment of a common Western policy with regard to Southeast Asia. Within this framework the Ambassador thought that it was necessary to establish a common military policy, possibly by establishing a theater of Southeast Asia in which each country interested would have a specific field of responsibility. He pointed out that the British were already committed in Malaya and Hong Kong, and that the French should, of course, bear the major responsibility in Indochina, where they had 150,000 troops at the present moment. He adverted to the conversations in Saigon between the French and General Erskine of the Melby Mission, and said that the French were particularly concerned, should the Chinese Communists launch an attack on the Tonkin border, as to who would provide the tactical air support for the French defenders. He said that the French had insufficient aircraft to provide such support themselves.
In reply to a question, Mr. Bonnet said that he did not believe an attack by the Chinese on the Tonkin border would cause further mobilization in France.
He said that the French had, however, already appropriated an additional 80,000,000,000 francs for military expenditures and were stretched very thin.
In reply to a question, he indicated that the French were not certain that the Chinese Communist attack on the Tonkin border would be coordinated with an attack inside Indochina launched by Ho Chi Minh, but that they assumed liaison between Ho and the Chinese Communists was very close.
Mr. Rusk said that he would consult with his colleagues and that he felt a reply to the French proposal would take a considerable amount of study.