Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI

Lot 53D444

Memorandum of Conversation,¹ by the Secretary of State

secret

[Washington,] July 24, 1950.

Japanese Peace Treaty

I discussed with the President the desirability of proceeding at once to work out with the Pentagon a plan for a Japanese peace treaty. This would cover the main points in the treaty and the procedure to be adopted. The President agreed that it was important to get on with this matter and approved our suggestion of how to do it.

I assured the President that before any steps were taken with other countries, the matter would be laid before him formally for his approval.

Dean Acheson

1. In a briefing memorandum to the Secretary of July 24, not printed, W. J. Sheppard, Deputy Executive Director of the Executive Secretariat, said in part: “You may wish … to explore with the President the situation with respect to a peace treaty for Japan. Mr. Dulles’ memorandum to you of July 19th, together with the attachment [apparently the draft security clauses of July 21], is at Tab A. There is also attached a note from Dr. Jessup re Genl. Bradley’s position.” (Lot 65D238) These papers are, respectively, p. 1243, not printed, and supra.