DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: August 3, 1950
SUBJECT: Proposed U.K. Note Relating to Increased Military Effort; China.
PARTICIPANTS: Sir Oliver Franks, British Ambassador Mr. Dean Acheson, Secretary of State Mr. W. Averell Harriman, Special Assistant to the President Mr. H. Freeman Matthews, Deputy Under Secretary of State, and Mr. George W. Perkins, Assistant Secretary of State,
COPIES TO: S/S C BNA
Sir Oliver came in to discuss the proposed note which the U.K. was planning to deliver to the American Embassy in London in connection with their increased military effort. He prefaced his remarks by saying that in considering the situation we should allow for the fact that ten days ago we had been pressing for a statement from the U.K. and that the fact that the statement appeared less urgent to us now did not alter the fact that it had been prepared in answer to our request. He then said that he had heard from London in connection with the deletions which had been discussed with Mr. Perkins the previous evening. London was unwilling to drop the part of paragraph 3 suggested for deletion, and I agreed that this was not of great importance. Sir Oliver said that they were, however, prepared to make the deletions in paragraphs 6 & 7 which had been suggested. I stated that we felt this to be very important and urged strongly that this is done.
Mr. Harriman raised the question of the negative tone of the note and felt that the way in which the increased effort was being presented percentage- wise did not do justice to what the U.K. was in fact doing.
Sir Oliver
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agreed, but felt that it would probably be impossible to make these changes, and that we must allow for the fact that the note was probably good public relations in the U.K. even though it may not be the best public relations in the U.S.
I told Sir Oliver that putting aside the wording of the note, we felt the action which the British Government indicated it was willing to take was very good and would set a good pattern for the other European countries; that if all for them could get their military expenditures up 10 percent it would be a great step forward.
Sir Oliver then switched to the question of China and said that he was increasingly disturbed about the developing sentiments of London and Washington concerning China. He stated that he feared that these might crystallize to a point where it would be very difficult to reconcile them, and he hoped that something could be done to keep the situation fluid. He reviewed briefly the British attitude towards the situation and particularly emphasized the feeling that although he might win in Korea we still might lose the orient to the Communists. I told him that I shared his concern but that my position on China was perfectly clear and referred to my speech before the press club. I said that, however, under the circumstances I did not see what other course was open to us; my greatest hope was that the whole issue might somehow be deferred and considered rationally and at leisure in the General Assembly.
Dean Acheson
EUR:GWPerkins:ebw