NAVAL WAR COLLEGE NEWPORT PAPERS 44 Taiwan’s Offshore Islands Pathway or Barrier? ISBN 978-1-935352-69-3 F asro el t yb eh S epu ir tn e edn tn fo D co mu e tn s , .U S G . evo r emn tn P ublishing eciffO I tn re en :t skoob t ro e . opg enohPvog. : lot l f eer ( 668 215) - 0081 ; D C a er ( a 202 215) - 0081 90000 aF :x ( 202 215) aM4012- :li S t Ipo CCD W , ihsa gn t no D , C 20402 - 1000 ISBN 978-1-935352-69-3 Bruce A. Elleman 9 781935 352693 U.S. GOVERNMENT Cover OFFICIAL EDITION NOTICE Above, John Foster Dulles (U.S. Department of State photograph, via Wikimedia Commons); below, Chiang Kai-shek (Academia Historica photograph, courtesy of the Office of the President, Republic of China [Taiwan], via Wikimedia Commons); background adapted from detail of “Japan Map” (LorenzoT81 / iStock / Getty Images). Use of ISBN Prefix This is the Official U.S. Government edition of this publication and is herein identified to certify its au thenticity. ISBN 978-1-935352-69-3 is for this U.S. Government Publishing Office Official Edition only. The Superinten dent of Documents of the U.S. Government Publishing Office requests that any reprinted edition clearly be labeled as a copy of the authentic work with a new ISBN. Legal Status and Use of Seals and Logos The logo of the U.S. Naval War College (NWC), Newport, Rhode Island, authenticates Taiwan’s Offshore Islands: Pathway or Barrier?, by Bruce A. Elleman, as an official publica tion of the College. It is prohibited to use NWC’s logo on any republication of this book without the express, written permission of the Editor, Naval War College Press, or the editor’s designee. For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; DC area (202) 512-1800 Fax: (202) 512-2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402-00001 ISBN 978-1-935352-69-3 Taiwan’s Offshore Islands Pathway or Barrier? Bruce A. Elleman NAVAL WAR COLLEGE PRESS Newport, Rhode Island To Pat, who always kept my spirits high, even in my darkest hours In Chinese, the number 4 sounds like the word for “death” and so is unlucky. The number of this monograph in the Newport Papers series—44, which sounds like “dying and dead” —is very unlucky indeed. Each chapter begins with a Chinese proverb related to death or war. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Elleman, Bruce A., 1959– author. | Naval War College (U.S.). Press, publisher. | Naval War College (U.S.). Center for Naval Warfare Studies, issuing body. Title: Taiwan’s offshore islands : pathway or barrier? / Bruce A. Elleman. Other titles: Newport paper ; no. 44. 1544-6824 Description: 1st edition. | Newport, Rhode Island : Naval War College Press, 2019. | Series: Newport paper, ISSN 1544-6824 ; 44 | “Center for Naval Warfare Studies.” | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2019002267 | ISBN 9781935352693 (paperback) Subjects: LCSH: Taiwan—Foreign relations—China. | China—Foreign relations—Taiwan. | United States—Foreign relations—Taiwan. | Taiwan—Foreign relations—United States. | Taiwan Strait—Case studies. | Taiwan Strait— Strategic aspects. | Islands—Taiwan—Strategic aspects. | Cold War. Classification: LCC DS799.63.C6 E44 2019 | DDC 327.51249051—dc23 | SUDOC D 208.212:44 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019002267 Naval War College The Newport Papers are extended research projects that Newport, Rhode Island the Director, the Dean of Naval Warfare Studies, and the Center for Naval Warfare Studies President of the Naval War College consider of particular Newport Paper Forty-Four interest to policy makers, scholars, and analysts. January 2019 The views expressed in the Newport Papers are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of President, Naval War College the Naval War College or the Department of the Navy. Rear Adm. Jeffrey A. Harley, USN Correspondence concerning the Newport Papers may be Provost addressed to the Director of the Naval War College Press. Dr. Lewis M. Duncan To request additional copies, back copies, or subscriptions Dean of Naval Warfare Studies to the series, please either write the President (Code 32S), Thomas J. Culora Naval War College, 686 Cushing Road, Newport, RI 02841-1207, or contact the Press staff at the telephone, fax, Naval War College Press or e-mail addresses given. Director: Dr. Carnes Lord Reproduction and printing are subject to the Copyright Managing Editor: Robert C. Ayer Act of 1976 and applicable treaties of the United States. This document may be freely reproduced for academic or Telephone: 401.841.2236 other noncommercial use; however, it is requested that Fax: 401.841.1071 reproductions credit the author and Newport Papers series DSN exchange: 841 and that the Press editorial office be informed. To obtain E-mail: [email protected] permission to reproduce this publication for commercial Web: usnwc.edu/Publications/Naval-War purposes, contact the Press editorial office. -College-Press Twitter: http://twitter.com/NavalWarCollege ISSN 1544-6824 Printed in the United States of America ISBN 978-1-935352-69-3 Contents Foreword v Acknowledgments vii Naval Terms and Acronyms ix CHAPTER ONE The Two Chinas and the Battle for Control of Offshore Islands 1 CHAPTER TWO President Harry S. Truman’s Decision to Protect Taiwan 19 CHAPTER THREE The First Taiwan Strait Crisis, 1954–1955 37 CHAPTER FOUR The Growing Militarization of the Offshore Islands 59 CHAPTER FIVE The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, 1958 77 CHAPTER SIX The Possibility of the Use of Atomic Weapons 95 CHAPTER SEVEN Using Taiwan to Undermine the Sino-Soviet Alliance 105 Conclusion: The Offshore Islands’ Strategic Significance during the Cold War 117 Selected Bibliography 127 About the Author 131 Index 133 The Newport Papers 141 Foreword Following the Nationalist defeat on the mainland in 1949, Chiang Kai-shek and his followers retreated to Taiwan, relocating the Republic of China (ROC). To many it seemed almost certain that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) would attack and take Taiwan, perhaps as early as the summer of 1950. Control over a number of offshore islands, especially Quemoy (Jinmen) and Matsu (Mazu), became a deciding factor in whether the PRC could invade Taiwan or, conversely, the ROC could invade the main- land. Twice in the 1950s tensions peaked: during the first (1954–55) and second (1958) Taiwan Strait crises. During both events the U.S. government intervened diplomatically and militarily. This study will discuss the origins of these conflicts, the military aspects of the confrontations, and in particular the complicated and largely secret diplomatic negotiations—including two previously unknown Eisenhower-Chiang secret agree- ments—going on behind the scenes between the U.S. government and the Nationalist government on Taiwan. bruce a. elleman William V. Pratt Professor of International History Naval War College Acknowledgments The author would like to thank those who shared their insights and expertise, includ- ing the archivists, archival technicians, and archival specialists at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, including Jim Armistead, David Clark, Janice Davis, Sam Rushay, Randy Sowell, Tammy Williams, and Kurt Graham. At the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Kevin M. Bailey was extremely helpful, as was Michelle Kopfer. For in-depth information about the Taiwan Patrol Force, I am indebted to James Barber, Lyle Bien, Bob Chamberlin, Doug Hatfield, Jay Pryor, Paul Romanski, and Michael Westmoreland. At the Naval War College, I benefited from the support of Timothy Schultz, Phil Haun, Lewis Duncan, Tamara Graham, and Jeffrey Harley. At the Naval History and Heritage Command, John Hodges gave me incredible access to the U.S. Navy archives. At the Library of Congress, College Park, Maryland, Don Mcilwain and Alan Lipton were very helpful. Ben Primer helped me use the John Foster Dulles Papers at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University. I also owe a considerable debt to the Naval War College Library. At the Naval War College Press, I would like to thank Carnes Lord, Robert Ayer, and Pel Boyer. I am especially indebted to Andrew Marshall, director of the Office of Net Assessment until his recent retirement, and Andrew May, deputy director, for their ongoing support for this and other China- related projects. All American and British sources with classification designations have been declassified in accordance with standard procedures of the respective countries. Naval Terms and Acronyms C CHICOM* Chinese Communist Chinat* Chinese Nationalist CHINCOM* China Committee CIA Central Intelligence Agency CinCPac Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command CNO Chief of Naval Operations COCOM Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls F FRUS Foreign Relations of the United States G Gimo Generalissimo GPO U.S. Government Printing Office GRC Government of the Republic of China J JCS Joint Chiefs of Staff L LCM landing craft, mechanized LCVP landing craft, vehicle, personnel M MAAG Military Assistance Advisory Group N NHHC Naval History and Heritage Command NIOHP Naval Institute Oral History Program NSC National Security Council O ONI Office of Naval Intelligence x the newport papers P PLA People’s Liberation Army PLAAF People’s Liberation Army Air Force PLAN People’s Liberation Army Navy PRC People’s Republic of China R ROC Republic of China T TNA The National Archives (of the United Kingdom, Kew) U USIA U.S. Information Agency USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the Soviet Union) W WEI Western Enterprises Incorporated * Variously capitalized in the literature on the subject. CHAPTER ONE The Two Chinas and the Battle for Control of Offshore Islands War is death’s feast. (战争是死神的筵席.) This Newport Paper will examine the role of offshore islands in twentieth-century East Asian history, in particular those islands in the Taiwan Strait that were disputed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) during the 1950s and afterward, and how these apparently insignificant islands impacted Cold War his- tory.