The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s

by William I. Hitchcock

Thus, on January 24, Eisenhower sent a message to Congress asking for authority to use armed forces to defend Taiwan—indeed to do more than that: to repel attacks on “closely related localities” that might be a preliminary to an attack on Taiwan. That could only mean Quemoy and Matsu. “Our purpose is peace,” Eisenhower declared, but then insisted that he be given authority to wage war if the line he now drew was crossed. Four days later the “Formosa Resolution” passed the two houses of Congress with near unanimity. Unlike during the Dien Bien Phu crisis, Eisenhower had laid down a bold red line and signaled to his adversary that he, and his nation, would not retreat.71