Office of the Historian

751.5 MAP/11–1750: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France

secret
Washington, November 17, 1950—8 p. m.

2731. Tomap. Dept has recd from Fr Emb note1 which again raises question of loan by US to Fr of aircraft carrier to be used IC operations for duration (such loan was included in Mar 31, 1950 list delivered Dept by Fr Emb,2 was introduced into Aug 30 FonMin Council conversations,3 was discussed at Pentagon Oct 10 during Lemnitzer–Vernoux4 conversations, and was included conversations Nov 7 between Fr Amb and SecDef5 and between Fr Coun and Asst SecState Rusk).6 Fr contention is that carrier wld facilitate antismuggling operations. SE Asia survey team disapproved carrier loan when broached them in Saigon. Fr Emb has been informed both orally and in writing that MAAG Saigon is proper agency through which submit requests. However, pls comment.

Rptd Saigon for comment.7

Acheson
  1. Reference is to French Embassy note No. 337, November 8; not printed (PSA Files: Lot54D190).↩
  2. See footnote 2, p. 741.↩
  3. See footnote 3, p. 880.↩
  4. Major General Vernoux, Chief of Staff, Combined Staff, French Ministry of National Defense.↩
  5. Records of the specific conversations under reference have not been found in the files of the Department of State. Information on the financial-military talks which occurred prior to and following the October United States-French ministerial conversations in Washington is scheduled for publication in volume iii.↩
  6. Conversation not identified.↩

  7. In telegram 943 from Saigon, November 25, Brigadier General Brink, chief of the United States Military Assistance Advisory Group, stated the following: “Carrier question has been fully discussed with French and request in hand. Consider operational Carrier would be very considerable value in Indochina. Plan for employment involves support ground force operations, strikes on installations, patrol for antismuggling and possibly transport work.” (751G.5 MAP/11–2550)

    However, telegram 645 to Saigon, November 27, informed the legation that the Department of Defense had disapproved the loan of a carrier for the following reasons: (1) Both the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Erskine–Melby Mission had recommended against it. (2) The Navy had stated that no carrier was in excess of United States needs. (3) The JCS and the Survey Mission agreed that small craft were preferable for antismuggling operations. The French Embassy had been informed of this decision. (751G.5 MAP/11–2550)

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