751G.00/4–7M: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France1
3534. Your 3738.2 Limit distribution. Request was examined at the highest level on April 6 and as a result General Valluy was informed [Page 1286] by Admiral Radford on April 7 along the following lines: 1) Length of necessary flight training for French crews would appear to prevent use of B–29s during current emergency. 2) Defense believed additional B–26s, based in Viet Nam would be preferable B–29s based a considerable distance away. We are prepared to supply additional B–26s according to the French ability to fly them. We offered 25 Corsair fighter bombers and they are now being sent. 3) Negotiations with the Philippines to permit the suggested basing of bombers there to operate against the Viet Minh would take too much time in view of the urgency of the situation.
General Norstad who was in Washington during the last few days is informed of and approves above decisions. He has returned to Paris where he will be seeing Pleven and will be able bring you up to date on this matter.3
You may wish to inform Bidault of above, including reference to Valluy’s having been informed directly by Radford.4
- Drafted by Hoey of PSA.↩
- Dated Apr. 6. p. 1248.↩
- In a memorandum of Apr. 7, addressed to the Secretary, the Under Secretary, Murphy, Robertson, Merchant, and Bowie, MacArthur described the status of negotiations between United States and French military authorities regarding increased U.S. support for the French air force in Indochina. (751G.00/4–754)↩
- Ambassador Dillon reported in telegram 3777 from Paris, Apr. 8, that he had informed Bidault of the contents of this telegram. The Foreign Minister had expressed his appreciation for the prompt action of the U.S. Government. (751G.5 MSP/4–854)↩