711.56392/8–1754
No. 434
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Defense for International Security Affairs (Davis) to the Secretary of
State
Dear Mr. Secretary: I refer to the letter from my office dated 4 June 1954,1 in which it was stated that the Joint Chiefs of Staff had requested the Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force to conduct an immediate study and to make recommendations as to the airfield or airfields, if any, to be developed in Thailand and the Kra Peninsula.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff have reviewed the study prepared by the Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force, and recommend that no further action be taken at this time regarding the proposal of the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand for airfield construction or rehabilitation, or for the deployment of a U.S. Air Force unit to Thailand.
It is considered unsound from the military standpoint to attempt to defend Southeast Asia under the concept of a static-type defense, and the deployment of any U.S. Air Force unit to Thailand would be but the first step leading to the commitment of U.S. forces under such a concept. It is further considered that the United States should adopt a concept of offensive action against the military power of the aggressor, rather than the concept of reaction locally at the point of the attack.
Additionally, since an airfield complex exists outside the mainland of Southeast Asia adequate for the attainment of the objective [Page 737] outlined above, and current plans for implementation of this action do not require utilization of Thailand airfields, it is considered that the United States should not undertake the construction of airfields in Thailand at this time.
Sincerely yours,
- Not printed.↩