751G.5/S–2453: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France1
641. Memo conversation August 142 between Under Secretary, Bonsal and Daridan pouched you. In any conversation you may have with Laniel or Bidault in next few days, you may wish discuss two items contained above-mentioned memo.
First pertains additional aid, subject on which our dealings heretofore have been in first instance with Laniel, also Bidault and Jacquet. Daridan, under instructions Schumann, asked when US would be position make definite commitment, apparently unaware US has been waiting for data from French. Under Secretary replied we hope receive shortly info promised by French and required by us. Said he hoped final presentation NSC could be made week August 24 to obtain definitive approval policy additional aid to which preliminary approval has already been given; for this purpose needed from Defense final and favorable judgment military elements Navarre Plan and from Stassen similar evaluation cost factors.
Therefore, French through Daridan informed preliminary approval. However, there should be no misunderstanding final approval awaits two evaluations based data to be furnished by French.
Second, Daridan on behalf Schumann sought US views possibility US and UK would at Korean Political Conference support French attempt find some basis terminating hostilities Indochina through negotiation. Under Secretary replied emphatically that we can at this time make no commitment enlarge agenda Korean Political Conference to which Daridan expressed disappointment, claiming our “present [Page 737] position even more negative than that described by Secretary to Bidault in July.” He then asked whether, if French at conference developed on own initiative promising prospect negotiation on Indochina, US would support such initiative. Under Secretary replied he could not, at this time, give any indication what our attitude might be, to which Daridan again expressed disappointment.
Appears Foreign Office may have misunderstood US position. In July tripartite meeting (Deptel 158)3 Secretary in reply Bidault noted difficulty attempting discuss Indochina at Korea conference, stated preferable remain alert and seize whatever opportunity might come along seek solution Indochina problem. In reply Salisbury observations, Bidault indicated understanding undesirability negotiating from weakness (which point had been stressed at length by Secretary in Bidault talk with French July 12)4 said new French plans did call for regaining initiative. On July 31 Bonnet left aide-mémoire with Secretary5 (copy being pouched) in which French proposed several possibilities discussion Indochina during Korean conference, which Secretary described as impracticable except for proposal for “parallel” conference having no tie to UN which Secretary described as “might be feasible”. Department noted thereafter that AFP August 4 carried item “Today Washington suggests that a special conference be called by France and considers that it could take place parallel to that on Korea.” If this represented Foreign Office interpretation Secretary’s comment on French aide-mémoire and Secretary’s prior remarks to Bidault, as is indicated by Daridan’s approach to Under Secretary, Embassy should take steps assure complete understanding.
Although US would not refuse examine any situation which French might present to us, US has made no commitments regarding support for bringing up Indochina at time Korean conference and very skeptical possibilities achieving anything in negotiations at least until implementation Navarre Plan develops present situation of weakness into one of strength. Entire basis our favorable consideration French request for very substantial additional aid is that French plan seek military victory in framework political progress in Indochina and are not concurrently seeking any negotiated agreement for termination hostilities.6
- Drafted by William D. Fisher of the Office of Western European Affairs.↩
- Ante, p. 725.↩
- Telegram 158 to Paris, July 14, summarizing the U.S.-French meeting of July 13, is not printed. For the record of that meeting, see p. 669.↩
- For the record of the meeting of July 12, see p. 656.↩
- See footnote 3, p. 709.↩
- In telegram 746 from Paris, Aug. 25, Theodore C. Achilles, the Deputy Chief of Mission, reported that he had raised the subject with Premier Laniel that afternoon. Laniel had stated that he was determined that there would be no negotiations until France was in a position to negotiate from strength. He had expressed the desire to discuss the matter personally with Ambassador Dillon in the immediate future. (751G.5 MSP/8–2553)↩