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 China1
1. For previous documentation on this subject, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. xiv, Part 1, pp. 1 ff.
91. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Republic of China
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–555. Top Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. Drafted in CA and approved by Robertson.
92. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Key) to the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–555. Secret. Drafted by De-Palma.
93. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–655. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 7:24 a.m. Passed to USUN by the Department at Rankin’s request.
94. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–755. Top Secret; Niact. Received at 11:14 p.m. on February 6. Passed to USUN by the Department at Rankin’s request.
95. Telegram From the Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–655. Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. Received at 12:53 a.m. on February 7.
96. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 7, 1955, 11:30 a.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–755. Top Secret. Drafted by Merchant.
97. Memorandum From the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Bowie) to the Secretary of State
Source: Department of State, PPS Files: Lot 66 D 70, China. Top Secret. A notation on the source text indicates that it was returned by the Secretary’s office on March 7.
98. Telegram From the Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–855. Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. Received at 2:35 p.m.
99. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State Washington, February 9, 1955, 2:58 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/2–955. Top Secret. Drafted by McConaughy. The time of the meeting is from Dulles’ appointment diary. (Princeton University Library, Dulles Papers)
100. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Bohlen) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–1055. Top Secret; Priority. Received at 9:13 p.m. on February 9. Repeated to London for information.
102. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 10, 1955
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–1055. Top Secret. Drafted by McConaughy.
103. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 10, 1955, 2:08 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–1055. Secret. Drafted by McConaughy. The time of the meeting is from Dulles’ appointment diary. (Princeton University Library, Dulles Papers)
104. Letter From President Eisenhower to Prime Minister Churchill
Source: Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204, Eisenhower Correspondence with Churchill. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Sent to Ambassador Aldrich with a covering note from John W. Hanes, Special Assistant to the Secretary, requesting that he deliver the letter to Prime Minister Churchill.
105. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 11, 1955, 10:39 a.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/2–1155. Top Secret. Drafted by Raynor. The time of the meeting is from Dulles’ appointment diary. (Princeton University Library, Dulles Papers)
106. Telegram From the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Aldrich) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–1155. Top Secret. Received at 5:09 p.m.
107. Telegram From the Deputy Representative at the United Nations (Wadsworth) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–1155. Secret; Niact; Limited Distribution. Received at 8:45 p.m.
108. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Republic of China (Rankin) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 293.9322/2–1055. Sent through Navy channels. Received at the Department of State at 7:46 a.m. on February 12. Repeated for information to the Naval Attaché in Taipei and to CINCPAC.
110. Message From Prime Minister Churchill to President Eisenhower
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International Series. A copy is in Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204, Churchill Correspondence with Eisenhower. Sent with a covering note from Ambassador Makins to the President, dated February 15 and classified Top Secret.
111. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Department of State, INR–NIE Files. Secret.
112. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the President and the Secretary of State, Washington, February 16, 1955, 8:55 a.m.
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Probably prepared by Ann Whitman. The conversation is also recorded in notes by Phyllis Bernau on which the bracketed interpolations are based. (Ibid., Dulles Papers, White House Telephone Conversations)
113. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Representative at the United Nations (Lodge)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.95A241/2–1655. Secret; Limited Distribution. Drafted in CA; cleared by Secretary Dulles (initialed for him by a member of the Executive Secretariat Staff) and by Wainhouse; approved by Robertson.
115. Memorandum of Discussion at the 237th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, February 17, 1955
Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret. Dated February 18. The portion of the memorandum printed here was drafted by Bromley Smith, Senior Member of the NSC Special Staff.
116. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 17, 1955, 2:34 p.m.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–1755. Secret; Limited Distribution. The time of the meeting is from Dulles’ appointment diary. (Princeton University Library, Dulles Papers)
117. Telegram From the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Bohlen) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–1855. Secret. Received at 1:12 p.m. Sent to Secretary Dulles, who left Washington on February 18 for Bangkok, via CINCPAC. A copy bears the notation that it was seen by the Secretary. (Ibid., Conference Files: Lot 60 D 627, CF 426)
118. Telegram From the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Aldrich) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.00/2–1855. Secret. Received at 4:08 p.m. Repeated to Moscow for information.
119. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5/2–1855. Top Secret; Priority. The message to Prime Minister Churchill was drafted in the White House and incorporated several revisions suggested by Dulles and Hoover, as set forth in a memorandum of February 18 from Dulles to the President. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International Series)
120. Telegram From the Deputy Representative at the United Nations (Wadsworth) to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.95A241/2–1855. Secret; Limited Distribution. Received at 8:19 p.m.