Office of the Historian

684A.86/4–1254: Telegram

No. 435
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Aldrich) to the Department of State

top secret
priority
London, April 12, 1954—10 a.m.

4490. For the Under Secretary from the Secretary.1 Eden dined quietly with Aldrich and me last evening. We had a preliminary exchange of views with him of a general character on following subjects:

1.
Arab-Israel problem, which we will discuss further tomorrow (see separate telegram re possibility message to Sharrett2).
2.
Atomic and hydrogen weapons. This was a general discussion on public reaction to nuclear weapons and problems connected with achieving adequate defense for bearable cost. I will talk to Eden about this further tomorrow.
3.
Indochina and joint action in Southeast Asia. I explained to Eden in detail our apprehensions regarding French weakening at Geneva and our views on joint action in SEA. Eden indicated a real willingness to consider defense arrangements in SE Asia on the basis of united action but he is obviously against implementation of any coalition prior to Geneva. I believe he would strongly and actively support such action if Geneva fails. He was enthusiastic about Thailand support. He is very doubtful that Indochina can be held by additional air and sea support only and does not see where additional ground forces will come from. I had impression UK thinking not so much in terms of holding Indochina as in looking to possible arrangements for holding remainder of Southeast Asia if Vietnam goes.3
4.
We also touched very briefly the EDC situation which we will discuss again before I leave. Eden will announce UK declaration of association with EDC on April 15.4

Aldrich
  1. On Apr. 10 Secretary Dulles left Washington for talks with the British and French in London and Paris on the situation in Indochina. He was in London Apr. 11–13 before continuing to Paris. For further documentation on his trip, see vol. xiii, Part 1, pp. 1302 ff.↩
  2. Telegram 4489 from London, Apr. 12. (684A.85/4–1254)↩
  3. For further documentation on Dulles’ discussions with the British on Southeast Asia, see the memorandum by MacArthur, Apr. 12, and Sectos 1, 2, 3, and 10, dated Apr. 13, vol. xiii, Part 1, pp. 1307, 1319, 1321, and 1322.↩
  4. For documentation on the British Declaration of Association with the EDC, see vol. v, Part 1, pp. 905 ff.↩