Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of France Henri Bonnet, and Elim O'Shaughnessy

our science 344 14 v) DEPARTMENT OF STATE M.A. Memorandum of Conversation corf DATE: August 23, 1950 SUBJECT: French Memoranda on Defense Program, Korea, Formosa, 230 Indochina, German defense potential. PARTICIPANTS: Ambassador Bonnet The Secretary O'Shaunersy, WE DECLASSIFIED COPIES TO: STATE DEPT. MEMO 2-1-L4 EUR FE RA G Project NLT 82-4 TRUMAN S. ARCHIVES "NATIONAL AND By NLT- He NARS, Date A-11-LY RECORDS SERVICE" is coverage u. s., GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 Ambassador Bonnet called today at his request. He said that he wanted to tell me the views of Messrs. Pleven, Schuman and Moch regarding the two French memoranda on rearmanent. He referred to recent articles appearing in the American press which tended to disparage the French Defense effort as well as that of other European countries and to the fact that these articles had caused some concern in Paris. The first point that he wanted to stress was the seriousness with which the French Government regarded the necessity for increased and mutual effort and their willingness to make the necessary sacrifices. Secondly, he wanted to stress the need for making the NATO a more efficient and workable organism. Certain modifications would help, such as giving the organization a better staff and perhaps croating certain organizations similar to those used during the last war, such as the Combined Chiefs of Staff and the Combined Boards (sic) under the direction of a strong executive organ. I replied that I could only give him my personal estimate of the French proposals at this time but that my first reaction to all of the proposed additional defense programs was that they tended to fall short of the effort necessary successfully to defend Europe and I felt that a greater effort must be made by all than was apparent in the programs if we were to attain our objectives. With regard to the proposals to strengthen NATO through reorganization, I said that the matter was a complex one and was under active study. It would also require decision at the highest government levels. The French objective to create a more efficient machinery was one to which we naturally subscribed. The French proposals might help to provide a solution and we will examine them sympathetically. TOP SECRET I said