Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, China, Volume II

167. Memorandum From the Counselor of the Department of State (MacArthur) to the Secretary of State¹

Washington, March 25, 1955.

In compliance with your instructions, I met this morning with Admiral Anderson and Admiral Orem and told them that you had asked me to take up with them, within the framework of the liaison arrangements directed by the President, the following three matters:

1. Information with respect to existing instructions on authorizing the Chinese Nationalists to take military action against the mainland.

In response to my query, Admiral Anderson indicated that Admiral Stump had been given paragraph 11 of NSC 5503,² which reads as follows:

“11. Do not agree to GRC offensive actions against mainland Communist China, except under circumstances approved by the President. Agree to GRC actions against Communist China which are prompt and clear retaliation against a Chinese Communist attack; provided such retaliation is against targets of military significance which meet U.S. criteria as to feasibility and chance of success and which are selected with due consideration for the undesirability of provoking further Chinese Communist reaction against Formosa and the Pescadores.”

With respect to the second sentence of the above NSC paragraph, Admiral Anderson informed me that existing instructions to CINCPAC permitted him to authorize the Chinese Nationalists to retaliate without referring the decision to Washington if in CINCPAC’s judgement such retaliation were within the frame of reference of the above NSC paragraph.

I told Admiral Anderson that you desired to be informed immediately through me of any request, whether for retaliation or other action against the Chinese mainland, which might be made by the Chinese Nationalists. Admiral Orem and Anderson confirmed that they would inform me immediately of any such request.

2. Information regarding military conversations in Formosa.

I told Admirals Anderson and Orem of your desire to be kept informed of military discussions which our senior military people have with the Chinese Nationalists on Formosa. I said you felt that information contained in such reports supplemented information which we received through our channels and that you would like me to see such reports so that I could judge whether you might wish to see them personally. I mentioned Admiral Pride’s visit to Formosa,³ which was reported in the press yesterday, as a case in point, and said you would be interested in knowing the scope of his conversations there. It was agreed that Admiral Orem would keep on the look-out for any pertinent reports of conversations and would get in touch with me regarding them.

3. Continuing liaison.

It was also agreed that while Admiral Anderson and Admiral Orem and myself need not meet every day, we would keep in close touch with each other and check several times a week by telephone. It was also agreed that if anything came up on either side we would feel free to suggest a meeting at once.

Douglas MacArthur II

1. Source: Department of State, EA Files: Lot 66 D 225, Relations with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Top Secret.
2. Document 12.
3. See Document 240.