Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Indochina, Volume XIII, Part 1

751G.00/3–1254: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China¹

confidential

Washington, March 26, 1954—3 p.m.

802. Taipei’s 502.² You may inform Foreign Minister US is not disposed to accept passively loss of Indochina and South East Asia to Communists. We are actively exploring procedures and courses of action and among other things we are giving careful consideration to placing matter before UN.

For your information it seems unlikely there will be any decisive military result during present fighting season. At most there will be military developments which may weaken French political will to continue the struggle. However, ending of the fighting will give opportunity for political explorations.

Dulles

1. Drafted by the Secretary of State. Repeated to Saigon as 1778 and Paris as 3330.
2. In telegram 502 from Taipei, Mar. 12, Karl L. Rankin, the Ambassador in the Republic of China, stated the following: “Foreign Minister today expressed himself to me quite pessimistically over Indochina situation. He thinks additional ground forces, American or other, will be needed. Recognizing political and other objections to US as such furnishing military support, he inquired re Department’s attitude toward US placing matter before Security Council with view to eventual UNO action.” (751G.00/3–1254)