795.00/8–2850
Memorandum by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Merchant) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Matthews)
In accordance with your instructions I asked General Burns this morning urgently to ascertain from the Department of Defense all relevant facts concerning the alleged bombing of three Manchurian cities as charged in Chou En-lai’s communication to the Secretary.1
Shortly after noon, General Burns read me the text of the attached copy of memorandum prepared by General Vandenberg for Secretary Johnson. After receiving this text I pointed out to General Burns through Captain Murdaugh2 that the memorandum contained no mention of whatever air activity there was on August 27, the date of the alleged bombing and asked that, if it had not already been done, the Department of Defense urgently inquire of General MacArthur’s headquarters what if any US air activity there was in the border areas on August 27.
In my first conversation I had asked General Burns if Defense was planning to issue a denial in addition to that already issued in Tokyo by FEAF and added that this Department would naturally have no [Page 463] objection if they decided to do so. General Burns said he knew of no such intent but would check into the matter.3
- Under date of August 28, Chou En-lai had complained to Mr. Acheson and to Trygve Lie that United States planes bombed and strafed Chinese territory, damaging buildings and vehicles and injuring and killing civilians. He urged that the U.N. Security Council condemn these aggressive acts and take measures to insure United States withdrawal from Korea. (U.N. document S/1722)↩
- Capt. Albert C. Murdaugh, Acting Director of the Office of Foreign Military Affairs, Department of Defense.↩
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On August 29, the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) informed the Secretary-General that no evidence had been found to indicate that United States aircraft had violated the instructions under which they operated prohibiting them from crossing the frontiers of Korea into adjacent territory. The United States said that it would welcome an investigation on the spot by a Commission to be appointed by the Security Council. (U.N. document S/1727)
On August 30, the People’s Republic of China again complained of the killing and wounding of Chinese civilians by United States planes on the previous day (S/1743). The question was taken up by the Security Council on August 31; see editorial note, p. 476.
↩ - Lt. Gen. George E. Stratemeyer, Commanding General, U.S. Far East Air Forces.↩