The Communist Threat in the Taiwan Area

The Communist Threat in the
Taiwan Area, by

John Foster Dulles and Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Title: The Communist Threat in the Taiwan Area
Author: John Foster Dulles and Dwight D. Eisenhower

Release Date: June 28, 2005 [eBook #16142]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
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THE COMMUNIST THREAT IN THE TAIWAN AREA
Statement by Secretary Dulles
White House Statement
President Eisenhower's Report to the American People
President Eisenhower's Letter to Premier Khrushchev
The Department of State Department of State Publication 6708 Far
Eastern Series 76
Released September 1958
Public Services Division

THE COMMUNIST THREAT IN THE TAIWAN AREA
1. Statement by Secretary Dulles,
September 4, 1958
I have reviewed in detail with the President the serious situation which
has resulted from aggressive Chinese Communist military actions in
the Taiwan (Formosa) Straits area. The President has authorized me to
make the following statement.
1. Neither Taiwan (Formosa) nor the islands of Quemoy and Matsu
have ever been under the authority of the Chinese Communists. Since
the end of the Second World War, a period of over 13 years, they have
continuously been under the authority of Free China, that is, the
Republic of China.
2. The United States is bound by treaty to help to defend Taiwan
(Formosa) from armed attack and the President is authorized by joint
resolution of the Congress to employ the Armed Forces of the United
States for the securing and protecting of related positions such as
Quemoy and Matsu.
3. Any attempt on the part of the Chinese Communists now to seize
these positions or any of them would be a crude violation of the
principles upon which world order is based, namely, that no country
should use armed force to seize new territory.
4. The Chinese Communists have, for about 2 weeks, been subjecting
Quemoy to heavy artillery bombardment and, by artillery fire and use
of small naval craft, they have been harassing the regular supply of the
civilian and military population of the Quemoys, which totals some
125,000 persons. The official Peiping radio repeatedly announces the
purpose of these military operations to be to take by armed force
Taiwan (Formosa), as well as Quemoy and Matsu. In virtually every
Peiping broadcast Taiwan (Formosa) and the offshore islands are linked
as the objective of what is called the "Chinese Peoples Liberation
Army."
5. Despite, however, what the Chinese Communists say, and so far
have done, it is not yet certain that their purpose is in fact to make an
allout effort to conquer by force Taiwan (Formosa) and the offshore
islands. Neither is it apparent that such efforts as are being made, or
may be made, cannot be contained by the courageous, and purely

defensive, efforts of the forces of the Republic of China, with such
substantial logistical support as the United States is providing.
6. The joint resolution of Congress, above referred to, includes a
finding to the effect that "the secure possession by friendly
governments of the western Pacific island chain, of which Formosa is a
part, is essential to the vital interests of the United States and all
friendly nations in and bordering upon the Pacific Ocean." It further
authorizes the President to employ the Armed Forces of the United
States for the protection not only of Formosa but for "the securing and
protection of such related positions and territories of that area now in
friendly hands and the taking of such other measures as he judges to be
required or appropriate in assuring the defense of Formosa." In view of
the situation outlined in the preceding paragraph, the President has not
yet made any finding under that resolution that the employment of the
Armed Forces of the United States is required or appropriate in
insuring the defense of Formosa. The President would not, however,
hesitate to make such a finding if he judged that the circumstances
made this necessary to accomplish the purposes of the joint resolution.
In this connection, we have recognized that the securing and protecting
of Quemoy and Matsu have increasingly become related to the defense
of Taiwan (Formosa). This is indeed also recognized by the Chinese
Communists. Military dispositions have been made by the United
States so that a Presidential determination, if made, would be followed
by action both timely and effective.
7. The President and I earnestly hope that the Chinese