<--PREV Doc #2054  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #2056 Document #2055; October 30, 1956 To Robert Anthony Eden Series: EM, AWF, International Series: Eden ; Category: Top secret The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVII - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part XI: The free world's "sad mess"; October 1956 to January 1957 Chapter 22: On Suez "we do not see eye to eye"   Dear Anthony: Thank you very much for your second explanatory cable which reached me shortly after I had dispatched one to you urging caution and moderation with full opportunity for the United Nations to do its best on this difficult problem.1 I must say that it is hard for me to see any good final result emerging from a scheme that seems certain to antagonize the entire Moslem world. Indeed I have difficulty seeing any end whatsoever if all the Arabs should begin reacting somewhat as the North Africans have been operating against the French.2 Assuredly I hope, as I know you do, that we shall not witness any such spectacle as the Soviets have on their hands in Hungary.3 However, I assume that you have your plan all worked out and that you foresee no such dreary and unending prospect stretching out ahead.4 I think I faintly understand and certainly I deeply sympathize with you in the problem you have to solve. Now we must pray that everything comes out both justly and peacefully.5 With warm regard, As ever 1 This draft message is marked "not sent"; see State, Foreign Relations, 1955-1957, vol. XVI, Suez Crisis July 26-December 31, 1956, pp. 874-75. An attached memorandum informed Dulles's secretary that Eisenhower wanted Dulles to approve the message before it was sent (Whitman to Bernau, Oct. 30, 1956, AWF/D-H). Eisenhower wrote on a subsequent draft (dated October 31) "Do not send. Eden and I exchanged short cables last night, late. Be sure our file has copy of all incoming & outgoing messages" (AWF/I: Eden). Eden's second message defended the Israeli invasion and set forth Anglo-French demands for control of the canal. Eden attempted to assure Eisenhower that the Anglo-French action was "not part of a harking back to the old Colonial and occupational concepts" (Eden to Eisenhower, Oct. 30, 1956, AWF/I: Eden); see also State, Foreign Relations, 1955-1957, vol. XVI, Suez Crisis July 26-December 31, 1956, pp. 871-72. After receiving this telegram, Eisenhower read this draft reply to Dulles, remarking, "This is getting to be a sort of trans-Atlantic essay contest" (Telephone conversation, Eisenhower and Dulles, Oct. 30, 1956, AWF/D). Dulles, after reading the letter from Eden, remarked that he was "not impressed by its sincerity" (Telephone conversation, Eisenhower and Dulles, Oct. 30, 1956, Dulles Papers, Telephone Conversations; State, Foreign Relations, 1955-1957, vol. XVI, Suez Crisis July 26-December 31, 1956, pp. 870-71). 2 On the difficulties of the French in North Africa see no. 1792. 3 For background see no. 2044. As the Hungarian revolt spread to the countryside, negotiations which would lead to the temporary withdrawal of Soviet troops from Budapest had begun in the capital on October 28. The U.N. Security Council had agreed on the same day to place the Hungarian situation on its agenda but had set no date to begin debate. The United States, Britain, and France had stated that they preferred to "wait and see" what effect the United Nations action would have on the Soviet Union (New York Times, Oct. 28, 29, 1956). For developments see no. 2067. 4 Eisenhower would change this sentence to read "I assume, however, that you have gone too far to reconsider so I must further assume your plan is all so worked out that you foresee no dreary and unending prospect stretching out ahead." 5 Eisenhower would add "reasonably" before "peacefully." Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. Top secret To Robert Anthony Eden, 30 October 1956. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 2055. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/2055.cfm <--PREV Doc #2054  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #2056

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