Office of the Historian

132. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Burma1

Washington, February 25, 1955—8:06 p.m.

Tedul 23. Admiral Radford has become increasingly concerned over progress our logistic support to Formosa. He fears Department of Defense may be gearing their efforts to the routine scheduled MDAP program rather than to actual requirements of existing situation, with possibility that needed equipment might not arrive Formosa in time to do any good.2

In view numbered paragraph 2 your Dulte 2,3 Admiral Radford with my concurrence plans have Admiral Carney leave Monday afternoon for Formosa arriving early Thursday March 3 A.M. local time. Admiral Carney will find out actual military needs so that we may be able provide effective and prompt logistic assistance.4 In addition, Admiral Carney will be able assist CINCPAC in carrying out obligations that you pointed out in numbered paragraph 3 Dulte 2.

Hoover
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 793.5 MSP/2–2555. Top Secret; Priority. Drafted by Walter K. Scott and signed by Hoover. Secretary Dulles visited Burma after his departure from Bangkok.↩

  2. Telegram DEF 976742 from Secretary of Defense Wilson to the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, February 25, reads as follows:

    “It is important that our logistics support of the Chinese Nationalist Forces be directly and immediately related to the exigencies of the present military situation and not solely as previously, to the currently approved MDAP programs. Addressees are directed to cooperate in meeting requests by the Executive Agent (Department of the Navy) for equipment which is necessary to insure effective and sustained Chinese Nationalist military effort.

    “The Department of the Navy is also responsible for expediting delivery of such additional equipment as would be necessary to insure effective cooperation between U.S. and ChiNat Forces in joint combat operations if such operations are directed.”

    A copy bears the President’s initials. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Miscellaneous Series, Formosa Area—Admiral Carney)

    ↩
  3. Document 123.↩
  4. A memorandum of February 28 by Goodpaster states that he informed Acting Secretary of Defense Anderson by telephone that the President desired that Carney be told he should be “completely non-committal in any discussions with Chiang on U.S. logistic support for China operations” until after he had met with Secretary Dulles in Formosa. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Miscellaneous Series, Formosa Area—Admiral Carney)↩