791.13/11–3054
Memorandum by the Secretary of State to the President1
Subject:
- Personal Letter to Prime Minister Nehru
I believe this might be a good time for a friendly and personal approach to Mr. Nehru. The reports we have received suggest that Mr. Nehru’s visit to Peking may well turn out to be, on balance, advantageous to the West. We have considered that Nehru’s policy toward Communist China has been one based on considerations of admiration and fear in about equal proportions. Reports suggest that as a result of his visit Nehru is more than ever concerned by the implications for India of Chinese Communist policies and strength. Your talk with Dr. Radhakrishnan2 offers a suitable reason for a friendly letter to Mr. Nehru.
I recommend that you send a personal letter to Mr. Nehru and am enclosing a suggested message for your consideration.3
- This memorandum was drafted by William L. S. Williams, Officer in Charge, India–Nepal–Ceylon Affairs, on Nov. 22.↩
- President Eisenhower spoke with Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the Vice President of India, on Nov. 18. A memorandum of this conversation is in Department of State file 033.9111/11–1854.↩
- Enclosure not printed; for text of the letter as sent, see infra.↩