795.00/9–2650: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received September 26—8:22 p. m.]
614. For Webb from the Secretary. Believe State and Defense Departments should recommend to President that General MacArthur [Page 786] be authorized at his discretion to broadcast message to North Korean Commander-in-Chief along following lines:
The early and total defeat of your forces is now inevitable. In order that the decisions of the United Nations may be carried out with a minimum further loss of life and destruction to Korea, the United Nations Commander-in-Chief calls upon you and the forces under your command wherever situated to lay down your arms and cease hostilities forthwith. United Nations forces will supervise compliance with this requirement.
All United Nations prisoners of war and civilian internees under North Korean control must be immediately liberated and provision made for their protection, care, maintenance and immediate transportation to places directed by the Commanding General of the United Nations Unified Command.
North Korean forces, including prisoners of war in the hands of United Nations forces, will be treated correctly and will be permitted by United Nations authorities to return to their homes as soon as practicable.
The Republic of Korea will be immediately re-established with its capital in Seoul. The question of the future of Korea is now before the United Nations. The action of United Nations forces in Korea will conform to the wishes of the United Nations.1
- The text of the proposed broadcast, identical with that set forth above, was forwarded to President Truman by Acting Secretary of State Webb on September 27 with the indication that it had also been approved by the Secretary of Defense. Mr. Truman approved the proposal on the same date and the text was forwarded to General MacArthur by the JOS in telegram 92762 of September 27 (795.00/9–2750).↩