Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of France Henri Bonnet, Frederick Reinhardt, and U. Alexis Johnson

NLT 829 639 DEPARTMENT OF STATE COPY x OF 8 COPIES Memorandum of Conversation S/S 84 DATE: August 3, 1951 SUBJECT: Intelligence Reports on Outbreak of World war III 227 PARTICIPANTS: Mr. Henri Bonnet, French Ambassador The Secretary Mr. Reinhardt, EE Mr. Johnson, NA COPIES TO: s/s FE EE R u. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 Ambassador Bonnet called at his request and stated that he had been instructed by the Foreign Minister to inquire of the Secretary concerning our evaluation of certain intelligence reports received by the French Government. He stated that the first report, which had been received by the French representative in Tokyo from U.S. military sources there, was to the effect that the Vice President of the Chinese Communist government had recently transmitted a message to the chief of the Chinese Communist secret service and to the Commander of the Chinese Volunteer Forces in Korea to the effect that an outbreak of general hostilities could be expected shortly after the si uning of the Japanese peace treaty on September 4. The second report, also received by the French representative in Tokyo from U.S. military sources there, was to the effect that in a recent conference between Mao Tse-tung and Chou En-lai it was stated that the successful outcome of the present armistice negotiations in Korea could not be expected and that general hostilities would break out immediately following the signing of the Japanese peace treaty on September 4. The third report, the Ambassador stated, was received by the French Govern- ment from Cominform sources in France, to the effect that World War III would start during September of this year and preparations therefor should be made. The Secretary replied that he had no personal knowledge of the first two reports and as far as the third report was concerned our information, while indicating the Communists were probably in a position to undertake general hostilities at any time, reported no unusual signs or indications pointing toward their intent to do so in September. Thuman DECLASSIFIED ARCHIVES "INATIONAL RECORDS SERVICE** AND with The Ambassador CIA LTR. 6.5.99 STATE LTR. 6-12-79 E.0.12065 Es By NLI-HU NARS, Date 7.79