740.00119 Control (Korea)/4–2346: Circular telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Officers81

secret

Having blocked Soviet attempt exclude moderate rightist elements from participation formation provisional Korean govt by acceptable formula Hodge reports next problem selection representatives to be consulted. Foreseeing USSR will reject US idea of advisory group or union, US proposal will be consult immediately all parties both zones. Hodge assumes only Moscow-dominated parties exist Soviet zone and their cooperation with leftist parties US zone would produce Moscow-dominated slate. To combat this US delegation in consultations in Soviet zone will build up evidence to prove that all but leftist parties been excluded or suppressed in Soviet zone, that leftist parties two zones closely identified, that Americans prohibited observe in Soviet zone. Thereupon US delegation will demand either immediate lifting 38th degree barrier and complete freedom political activity by non-leftist groups in Soviet zone or acceptance US views re composition structure provisional govt. Third weapon would be threat full US publicity.

Acheson
  1. At London, Moscow, Nanking, and Paris.