Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The Far East, Volume VIII

740.00119 Control (Korea)/9–446

The Secretary of State to the Political Adviser in Korea (Langdon)

confidential
No. 41

Washington, November 29, 1946.

The Secretary of State refers to the Political Adviser’s despatch No. 44 of September 4, 1946, which encloses a draft of a proposed Congressional Resolution⁸⁴ regarding United States aims and purposes in Korea. The Department is fully aware of the desirability of widespread interest and backing for United States policy in Korea and agrees Congressional attention to the problem of Korea would be helpful, but feels that the introduction of the proposed Resolution at this time might result in a Congressional debate on Korea which would do more harm than good.

The State, War and Navy Departments have under consideration a directive for the operation of United States Military Government’ in Korea which will supersede the present basic initial directive under which the Command in Korea has been operating. Operations under this new directive will probably require greater financial obligations for Korea than hertofore and will consequently necessitate War Department action to obtain these funds from Congress.

Under the terms of the new directive, provision is made for State, War and Navy Department support of a request for legislation, and it is expected that the material contained in the proposed resolution submitted under cover of the Political Adviser’s despatch will form a substantial part of the legislation as finally drawn.

A copy of the Political Adviser’s despatch together with its enclosure, has been given to the War Department, and in communicating the information contained herein to the responsible officers of the United States Command in Korea, the Political Adviser may express the Department’s appreciation of their interest in submitting the resolution and the hope that they will concur in the view that the action contemplated above will accomplish the aim of the proposed resolution and provide a firm basis for continued operations in Korea.

84. Neither printed. The draft resolution was prepared by Maj. Gen. Archer L. Lerch, Military Governor of Korea. Mr. Langdon stated that General Hodge, Dr. Bunce, and he concurred that formal Congressional enunciation of U. S. intentions in Korea would have a profound effect among the Korean people and dispel their doubts of the earnestness or resoluteness of American commitments. (740.0019 Control(Korea)/9–446)