Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Far East, Volume VI

121.893/7–747: Telegram

The Secretary of State to General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, at Tokyo

top secret
us urgent

Washington , July 7, 1947—4 p.m.

256. Personal and eyes only for General MacArthur from Secretary Marshall. Wedemeyer will probably proceed to China on a fact-finding mission within a few days.¹⁹ It is estimated that he and a small group of experts and assistants will be in China not longer than 6 weeks. I should like to have your comment on suggestion that he return via Korea for a brief survey of current conditions there.²⁰

Marshall

19. For White House press release on July 11 about Lt. Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer’s mission, see Department of State Bulletin, July 20, 1947, p. 149. For General Wedemeyer’s mission to China, see volume vii .
20. In telegram 265, July 11, 5 p.m., to Tokyo, Secretary Marshall informed General MacArthur of the plan to have the Wedemeyer Mission visit Korea, after completing its visit to China, for the purpose of making a brief survey of Korean conditions, especially with reference to their relation to plans for an economic aid program for Korea (121.893/7–1147).