Office of the Historian

794A.5 MSP/12–2054

No. 423
Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)1

top secret
Washington, 1 December 1954.

Subject:

  • Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the Republic of China.
1.
In accordance with the request contained in a memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of Defense (ISA) of 10 November 1954, subject as above,2 the Joint Chiefs of Staff submit herewith their views regarding the proposed mutual defense treaty between the United States and the Republic of China and the proposed exchange of notes supplementary to the treaty which have been prepared by the Department of State.
2.
The last sentence in Article VI of the proposed treaty, to the effect that the defense provisions of the treaty might be applicable to territories other than Taiwan and the Pescadores, should serve to create doubt among the Chinese Communists as to whether the Offshore Islands will be included in the defense arrangement. On the other hand, the inclusion of the phrase “as may be required for their defense” in the last sentence of Article VII would tend to dissipate any such doubt and might thereby invite attack upon these islands. For the foregoing reasons the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that Article VII be changed to read as follows (changes indicated in the usual manner):3

Article VII

“The Government of the Republic of China grants, and the Government of the United States of America accepts, the right to dispose [Page 981] such United States land, air and sea forces in and about Taiwan and the Pescadores as may be required for their defence for the purpose of this treaty as determined by mutual agreement”

3.
Subject to the foregoing comments, the Joint Chiefs of Staff consider that the proposed treaty and supplementary note thereto are acceptable from the military point of view.
4.
In regard to paragraph 3 of the memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of Defense (ISA) referenced in paragraph 1 above, it is noted that an article on the subject of a mutual defense treaty between the United States and Nationalist China appeared on page 1 of the Sunday, November 28, 1954, edition of The Washington Post and Times Herald.
For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
Arthur Radford

Chairman
Joint Chiefs of Staff

  1. A covering letter of Dec. 20 from Wilson to Dulles stated that, although the treaty with the Republic of China had already been formalized, he was forwarding the JCS views so that the Department of State could have them for future reference. A letter of Jan. 5, 1955, from Dulles to Wilson acknowledged Wilson’s letter transmitting the JCS views and stated:

    “I assure you of my regret that the signature of the Treaty took place before these views were received. When the Treaty was signed on December 2 it was our understanding that clearance had already been given informally by Defense.

    “From the practical standpoint, I believe that no real harm has resulted since the only change suggested by the Joint Chiefs is a relatively minor one. It is our view that the phrase “for their defense” in Article VII, which was questioned by the Joint Chiefs, can be construed liberally so as to give us as much latitude as required, should it become desirable to dispose United States forces in and about Taiwan and the Pescadores.” (794A.5 MSP/1–555)

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  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Recommended omissions crossed out; recommended additions in italics.↩