Office of the Historian

212. Telegram From the Embassy in the Republic of China to the Department of State1

Taipei, December 10, 1955—1 p.m.

541. Department’s 349.2 Suggestion that visit Far Eastern subcommittee offered “unique channel influence Chiang’s decision membership issue” underestimates intensity sub-committee’s feelings and intimate individual and collective knowledge this and related issues. I feel certain they would say their position resulted from their own convictions regardless any guidance they received or might have been given in Taipei. I said “I was in position add very little to what they already knew” because they were as fully informed as I with [Page 443] their extensive background and worldwide press coverage of almost every detail in present case.

Sub-committee arrived Taiwan, after some 8 weeks travel, shocked, alarmed at expansion of Communist influence and power in various areas and correspondingly sensitive to any evidence of what might appear to them as new Communist successes. Department will have noted that sub-committee’s message made no reference to Outer Mongolia but reflected grave concern with larger issues implicit in package deal. Presumably they felt that UN membership for this or that country was comparatively secondary consideration. If so, it is scarcely surprising that President Chiang takes similar view re both new applicants and GRC’s own membership.

Of course I discussed with them messages from President and Secretary, which already widely known through press and USIA coverage including latter’s November 29 release. I stressed US anxiety obtain GRC’s agreement refrain from using veto. I told Zablocki and Judd directly that Washington would be most grateful if they could change Chiang’s mind. Response clearly presaged sub-committee’s message subsequently transmitted in Embassy telegram 528.3

I did not feel free show Embassy’s file this subject to subcommittee and saw no purpose doing so. If Department still dissatisfied after reading above I suggest complete file of exchanges on this matter between Washington and Taipei from November 13 to date be made available to sub-committee upon arrival Washington. If this done, however, I believe much fuller explanation be available of apparent change in US position than that given in Department’s 305.4 I should appreciate learning results of such steps, with Department’s comments.

Rankin
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 310.2/12–1055. Secret. A handwritten notation on the source text reads: “Eyes Only.”↩
  2. Document 209.↩
  3. Document 205.↩
  4. Document 177.↩