Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Korea and China, Volume VII, Part 2

CA Files: Lot 56 D 625

Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Rusk) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Merchant)

secret

[Washington,] February 7, 1951.

Regarding your questions about our Formosa policy, I believe FE should operate on the following basis:

(1) The President has given the Seventh Fleet a mission to protect Formosa against attack and can be expected to continue that mission indefinitely into the future in the absence of a major change in the situation in the Far East. This mission involves the heavy U.S. commitment which requires maximum assistance from the Island itself. Our military assistance program should be pressed vigorously in order to put the Island in the best possible state of defense.

(2) Our military assistance program will probably not terminate with the termination of the mission of the Seventh Fleet. As a matter of fact, the mission of the Seventh Fleet could more readily be terminated if the forces on Formosa are in the best possible position to defend themselves.

(3) There is full policy basis for the vigorous pursuit of a military assistance program for Formosa within the limits of available funds and matériel.

(4) The priority of the Formosa program may require adjustment from time to time. Presently, its priority should be related to the United States commitment represented by the mission of the Seventh Fleet. If the mission of the Seventh Fleet changes, the priority may go up or down, depending upon the circumstances at the time.