793.5/7–1750
The Secretary of Defense (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: In its aide-mémoire of 7 July to the Department of State,1 a copy of which has been made available to the Department of Defense, the Chinese Nationalist Government has expressed its concern over the military status of certain islands now under its control near the mainland of China. The Chinese Nationalist Government has stated that it is maintaining its position “in Lintin and the Lema Islands off Canton, in the Island of Kinmen off Amoy, in the Island of Matsu off Foochow and in the Tachen Islands off Chekiang Province”, and requested the views of the U.S. Government regarding the defense of these Islands. The problem, from the military point of view, is whether these Islands should be incorporated into the area of U.S. defense responsibility as set forth in the President’s statement and what action, if any, the United States should take if the Nationalist Government utilizes these Islands to launch attacks against Communist-held areas.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff have studied this problem and have submitted [Page 380] to me the following views and recommendations, with which I concur:
“The Joint Chiefs of Staff do not consider that United States forces should be committed to the defense of these islands and recommend that the Chinese Nationalist Government be informed that such islands are not included in the area of United States responsibility as set forth in the President’s statement of 27 June 1950. Further, they consider that action in defense of these islands is a matter which rests with the Chinese Nationalist Government, and, finally, that offensive action directed against the mainland from these islands may not be supported in combat by military forces based on Formosa or the Pescadores. However, the U.S. Government should not prevent the Nationalists from defending these islands and should not stand in the way of the Nationalists supporting such operations from Formosa.”
Sincerely yours,