. oF . at | | : . “ k . 4 . \ , - “TOP SEGRET: . 1 a a a . yi wo % 2 : ch oo : OY ri With reepect to the Off-shore Islands, 1 expressed my comcern that we would not have the support of neutral countries, our allies, or indeed even poeaibly domestic public opinion if we engaged in hoetilitiss which promised to become wide-spread eimply for the purpose af holding on to the real estate. The President agreed with this in principle and said that’ he had done everything he could four yeare ago to prevent the movement t of large numbers of troops to the Off-shore Ielande. He indicated that he had sent two of his most persuasive spokesmen (Walter Robertson and Admiral Radford) who found Chiang adamant. He felt, however, that another principle was involved and that was the protection of the symbol of the free worid. He felt that inaemuch as the Chinese Communists themselves had by statement and action indicated that the forceable capture of the Off-shore Islands was only a prelude to the forceful capture of Formosa, we would be compelled to assist Chiang if this became necessary, to prevent lose of the Off-shore Islands by force. , 3 ’ He did agree with the view that some honorable way out of the Off-ehore lalands dilemma was desirable. In this he indicated that perhape his viewe as to methods were somewhat at variance with the Secretary of State's. Gordoo Gray Special Assiatant to the President TOP SECRET: made reproduction Electrostatic for preservation purposes by the Ersenhower Library for rapiaceneat of a deteriorating manuscript item a bs :