Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson and Ambassador of Great Britain Sir Oliver Franks

DECLASSIFIED by authority of 171 p.k.afu.f. VOL.VII 1950 PAGE 1430 TRONHA Initials HL Date 6-24-77 5. ARCHIVES AND July 348 'NATIONAL RECORDS es SERVICE* TOP SECRE 347 December 7, 1950 MEMORANDUM After the 9:30 meeting this morning, Mr. Acheson discussed the conversation which took place last night at dinner at Sir Oliver Franks' residence. He said that he would dictate later on the conversation, but would tell us the high points. The Secretary said that twice before the talk with the President and the Prime Minister, General Tedder and General Slim said to the Secretary that they had muffed the ball on his kick-off on the defense business in the meeting yesterday afternoon. They said it had been hard for them to do anything since their chief did not lead off. They asked Mr. Acheson if there was any way they could retrieve the situation. The Secretary said it was up to them to handle it. After dinner, Sir Oliver Franks, the Prime Minister, the President, General Marshall, General Bradley, General Slim and Mr. Acheson talked from about 9:30 until midnight. They were joined by others around 11 S'clock. Both the President and the Prime Minister said they were pleased with the conversations. The British brought up again the defense matter discussed in the meeting yesterday and the Secretary said he did not feel they got very far. The Secretary said to them that there were two points he felt which should be borne in mind. First is that when the British leave, unless the President and General Marshall are convinced that the British are doing all possible in the direction of their own defense effort, the British have not accomplished much here. The Secretary told them that there was a feeling in Washington that the British were not doing all they could do. He said that if the President and General Marshall were convinced that the British were doing all they could, this would help a great deal in meeting the feeling in this country to the contrary. TOP SECRET