The Taiwan Strait crisis; U.S. concern with the defense of Taiwan and the maintenance of peace in the Taiwan area; the Formosa resolution; efforts to bring the problem before the U.N. Security Council; negotiations leading to the Republic of China’s evacuation of the Tachen Islands with U.S. assistance; diplomatic efforts to bring about a peaceful solution to the crisis; the question of U.S. policy with regard to Quemoy and Matsu; the question of Nationalist response to the growth of Communist air power; the Robertson–Radford mission to Taipei; the U.S. response to Premier Chou En-lai’s proposal of negotiations; diplomatic efforts to obtain the release of American prisoners in the People’s Republic of China; negotiations leading to the establishment of the Ambassadorial talks at Geneva between representatives of the United States and the People’s Republic of China 1
1. For previous documentation on this subject, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. xiv, Part 1, pp. 1 ff.
61. Memorandum of a Conversation, Washington, January 30, 1955, 10:45 a.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/1–3055. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by Scott, Director of the Executive Secretariat.
62. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/1–3055. Secret; Priority; Limited Distribution. Drafted and approved in CA. Repeated for information to USUN.
63. Memorandum of a Conversation, Washington, January 30, 1955, 6:30 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/1–3055. Drafted by MacArthur. The list of participants and the time of the meeting are from Goodpaster’s memorandum of this conversation, January 31. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International Series) His handwritten notes of the conversation are ibid., Miscellaneous Series, Formosa Area.
64. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Radford) to the President
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International Series. Top Secret. Source text bears the notation in the President’s handwriting: “approved for file. DE”
65. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Bohlen) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/1–3155. Secret; Niact. Received at 12:19 p.m. Repeated to London for information.
67. Memorandum for the Record by the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/8–2958. Top Secret. Filed with Howe’s memorandum of August 29, 1958, to the Acting Secretary. A memorandum of February 1, 1955, from Merchant to Scott, attached to a copy of this memorandum, states that it had been prepared at the request of Acting Secretary Hoover. (ibid., 793.5/2–155)
68. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/1–3155. Top Secret; Priority. Received at 5:41 p.m.
69. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/1–3155. Top Secret; Niact. Cleared with the President by Acting Secretary Hoover, according to a memorandum of February 1 from Scott to Goodpaster. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Miscellaneous Series, Formosa Area) Drafted by Murphy, Phleger, Robertson, McConaughy, Bowie, and Merchant. Also sent to USUN eyes only for Lodge.
70. Memorandum of a Conversation, Washington, January 31, 1955, 9:45 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/1–3155. Top Secret; Limited Distribution. Drafted by McConaughy and initialed by Robertson, indicating his approval. A note on the source text indicates that this conversation took place at the Chinese Ambassador’s residence after dinner.
71. Letter From the President to the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (Gruenther)
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Top Secret.
72. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–255. Top Secret; Priority. Received at 9:20 a.m. Repeated to USUN eyes only for Lodge, by the Department as Telegram 390 to New York, February 2, 1955.
73. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 2, 1955
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–255. Secret. Drafted by Merchant.
74. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–255. Top Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Bowie, Phleger, and McConaughy. Notations in Hoover’s handwriting on a draft copy state that he approved and that he read paragraph 5 over the telephone to Admiral Radford, who concurred. (Ibid., ROC Files: Lot 71 D 517, 1954–1955, Offshore Islands)
76. Telegram From the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Aldrich) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/2–355. Secret; Priority. Received at 12:14 p.m. Repeated to Taipei as telegram 436, and to USUN as telegram 398 to New York, February 3 by the Department.
78. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–355. Top Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. Drafted by McConaughy and approved by Robertson.
79. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 3, 1955, 4:30 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/2–355. Top Secret. Drafted by Martin and initialed by Robertson, indicating his approval.
80. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–455. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 7:55 a.m. Passed to USUN by the Department at Rankin’s request.
81. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Bohlen) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–455. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 12:33 p.m.
82. Telegram From the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Aldrich) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/2–455. Secret; Niact. Received at 1:57 p.m. A copy in the Whitman File bears the notation in Goodpaster’s handwriting that it was seen by the President at 6 p.m. that day. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Administration Series, Aldrich, Winthrop) This telegram was repeated to USUN for Lodge by the Department as telegram 401, February 4.
83. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Merchant) to the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/2–455. Secret. Sent via Murphy and Hoover. The source text bears Hoover’s initial “H”.
84. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/2–455. Top Secret; Niact. Sent at the direction of the President. A memorandum of February 5 by Goodpaster states that he had advised Hoover the previous evening that the President felt a message should be sent to Aldrich and outlined the points which were to be included. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Miscellaneous Series, Conferences on Formosa) This telegram was drafted by Murphy and Hoover and sent to USUN for Lodge as telegram 408, February 5. (Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/2–555)
85. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–455. Top Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. Drafted by McConaughy and Murphy; cleared in draft by Murphy and Robertson. Repeated to USUN as telegram 409, February 5. (Ibid., 793.00/2–455)
86. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Bohlen) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–555. Secret. Received at 7:19 a.m. Repeated to London for information.
87. Telegram From the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Aldrich) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/2–555. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 10:32 a.m. Shown to the President by Hoover on February 5, according to a handwritten notation by Goodpaster on a copy of the telegram. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Administration Series, Aldrich, Winthrop)
88. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–555. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 11:47 a.m. A handwritten notation by Goodpaster on a copy of the telegram states that the President was informed by Hoover on February 5. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Miscellaneous Series) The telegram was passed to CINCPAC, COMSEVENTHFLT, and USUN by the Department at the Embassy’s request.
89. Memorandum of a Conversation With the President, Washington, February 5, 1955, 12:30 p.m.
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Miscellaneous Series, Conference on Formosa. Top Secret. Drafted by Goodpaster.
90. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 5, 1955, 1 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–555. Secret. Drafted by Merchant. Copies of this document and its attachments were given to Dulles upon his return, along with Hoover’s February 5 memorandum, cited in footnote 6, supra .