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Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
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| 79. | It is noted by the NSC Planning Board that France has had the loan of U. S. carrier "Belleau Wood" for nearly a year without use in the Indochina war. Further, the French "urgent requests" for U. S. aircraft appear contradictory in light of the sale of "Ouragon" jets to India and use of the "Belleau Wood" as a "delivery wagon." General Bonesteel Memorandum for Robert Cutler Presidential Assistant, 10 April 1954 | 380 |
| 80. | In view of the NSC actions on 6 April (192d Meeting) and subsequent Presidential approval the Secretary of Defense directs the JCS to "promptly prepare the military plans" for the contingency of intervention at Dien Bien Phu. He also notes that the Presidential directed the State Department to concentrate its efforts prior to Geneva on organizing a regional grouping for the defense of Southeast Asia. Secretary of Defense Memorandum to the Secretaries and JCS, 15 April 1954 | 382 |
| 81. | The Department of Defense indicates concern over the lack of U. S. policy and pressures the State Department to come up with a U. S. position for the Indochina phase of the Geneva Conference. The Defense version of a draft position recommends a positive and definite stance that U. S. objectives in Southeast Asia not be compromised and that if France does not accept this position the U. S. should not participate at Geneva. Defense Foreign Military Affairs Letter to U. Alexis Johnson, Coordinator of U. S. Delegation to Geneva, 15 April 1954 | 384 |
| 82. | Eden informs Dulles that Britain is strongly opposed to intervention at Dien Bien Phu and intends to lend only diplomatic support to France at Geneva in search of a settlement. DULTE 5 (Geneva) to Washington, 25 April 1954 | 388 |
| 83. | Dulles expresses "dismay that the British are apparently encouraging the French in a direction of surrender which is in conflict not only with our interest but what I [Dulles] conceive theirs to be." DULTE 9, 26 April 1954 | 390 |
| 84. | The Joint Chiefs of Staff reject a French proposal for additional aid because of the major military consequences of involving U. S. planes and crews in the Indochina action as well as the little value of the project to relief of Dien Bien Phu. JCS Memorandum for Secretary of Defense, 27 April 1954 | 392 |
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