Word: bidault
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Since World War II, the collection of shifting shadows which calls itself the government of France has concentrated primarily an staying in office-to the ludicrous point where France's Foreign Minister Georges Bidault is able to operate at Geneva because his Cabinet is too divided to give him instructions, and the Cabinet survives because the French Assembly is too fragmented to throw it out. In the magnificent heritage of France, the U.S. again and again found hope for improvement. Indo-China was the last hope. Under General de Lattre de Tassigny, who recalled a different France, the hope...
Plots & Revolts. The British snapped that the U.S. seemed no more willing to intervene than they were, called the U.S.'s eleventh-hour rescue proposals hysterical and impractical, complained that the U.S. had talked tough one day and recoiled from action the next. Bidault was waspish-ly angry, resentful and deeply depressed. Though French opinion flinched at talk...
...shock came at the first meeting of the three foreign ministers Thursday morning. Dulles and Eden found Bidault in a highly emotional state over Dienbienphu and the perilous prospects of the Laniel government. Because of Bidault's agitation, all Dulles was able to get was agreement on a note rejecting Moscow's demands for equal status for Red China at Geneva...
Crucial Meeting. By Saturday, French leaders had recovered from their first panic. Bidault held a crucial meeting with the Cabinet. He fought down those who wanted peace at any price and at once, even if it meant dealing directly with the Viet Minh. He won "a free hand" to negotiate at Geneva, but only coupled with a specification-"to bring back peace in Indo-China...
That afternoon Admiral Arthur Radford flew in from the U.S., went straight from the airport to confer with Dulles, then met Eden and Bidault. At 4 o'clock the three Western ministers met for a final conference at the Quai d'Orsay. Bidault admitted frankly that the fall of Dienbienphu was a matter of days, if not hours. Bidault discussed the possibility of the U.S. and Britain sending planes or troops. Both Eden and Bidault agreed that the best answer was the Southeast Asia pact, which only two weeks ago they had both viewed with misgivings. But such...