Ike's Rebuff' of De Gaulle in '58 Bared
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statement that he could no longer justify delegating Free World defense decisions to the United States, adding: "It would be more realistic at this time to create a tripartite or- ganization to take joint de- cisions on global problems." Ike's Rebuff ' State's memorandum does not mention Germany, but Schoenbrun states what was well known: the Dulles view Of de Gaulle that France was a continental power like Germany and not a world power like the United In '58 Bared States and Britain. This con- k i lL/101 cept de Gaulle then rejected By Chklmers M. Roberts and today still rejects, as indi- Washington Post Mail Writer cated by the current NATO, problem he has created in Wel A bit of history was put on search for a world-wide French the public record yesterday great power role independent but It will probably serve less of the United States. the cause of enlightenment The Eisenhower reply on Oct. 20 reflected the Dulles than further to exacerbate view. The President replied French-American relations. close cooperation at line sum- mit between France, the Unit- that "our present procedures The State Department re- ed Kingdom and the United for organizing the defense of leased to a Senate subcom- States." the Free World clearly require mittee the text of a 1958 De Gaulle on Sept. 17 wrote the willing cooperation of letter from President- Eisen- President Eisenhower "to indi- many other nations, both with- hower that in effect rejected cate that NATO in its present in and outside NATO. We can- President de Gaulle's call for form no longer met the needs not afford to adopt any system an American-French British of French security" and noted which would give to our other directorate to take joint de- that France had world-wide re- allies, or other Free World cisions on global problems. sponsibilities. The State De- countries, the impression that Neither the de Gaulle letter partment said de Gaulle basic decisions affecting their nor the Eisenhower response "therefore called for a tri- own vital interests are being had been printed in full, but partite organization on the made without their participa- their substance long ago be- level of world policy and strat- tion." came well known. The de egy" to take joint decisions on In short, the President re- Gaulle letter remains classi- political and strategic issues jected the de Gaulle direc- fied in both Paris and Wash- "notably with regrad to the torate scheme without direct- ington. employment of nuclear weap- ly saying so. He aalso said he Along with the Eisenhower ons." saw "ve"very serious problems, text, the State Department The General "thought it both within and outside NATO, sent Sen. Henry M. Jackson's would also be possible to fore- in any effort to amend"m the national security subcommit- see and organize, among the NATO treaty "so as to extend te a summsumaary of events of that three governments, eventual coverage beyond the areas period In French-American re- theaters of operation and sub- presently covered." lations. ordinate theaters." State's memorandum adds The subcomitte,rn in the David Scboenbrun in his re- that Washington subsequently course of recent hearing on cent book. "The Three Lives initiated tripartite discussion, the North Atlantic Alliance, of Charles de Gaulle," said the both political and military,litary, on had requested the text. General's letter included the African and Far East problems As State explained it, de but that after a few sessions Gaulle told Secretary of State the French showed no further John Foster Dulles in Paris on interest in this substitute pro- July 5, 1958, just after the cedure. General 01 a d returned to De Gaulle again raised the power, that France "intended issue with the President when to become a nuclear power." they met on June 10, 1960. The French nuclear program and was again rebuffed, I had begun under the Fourth the Republic, Slate memorandum showed, In fact, in an Aug. 31 Eisenhower De Gaulle "emphasized," 1 ette r. President Kennedy said State, "that nuclear weap- raised the problem when he ons could be located in France met de Gaulle on June 2, 1961, only under French control and disposition, could be used in but the State Department I accordance with NATO plans said the French never desig- provided France had the same nated a military representa tive to join in Kennedy-pro- plans, and that this required posed studies of strategic an arrangement at the summit commitments. for French participation in planning for world security and armament_ He said that the political functioning of NATO would be facilitated by eee,.ese... teeeiteRt.teesseePeaseeTr-..-weeeeese.tanketea steteesstee se-- -s e, -,fieee-scwm%eneSweXemAtneemegew■MItze X-WOMWS'"tve-. .