740.00119 Control (Korea)/8–1147: Telegram
Lieutenant General John R. Hodge to the Secretary of State
urgent
Zgcg 1013. Pass to Hilldring. Reference is made to various requests from me and Jacobs for a simple statement on high level that the American Commander in Korea and his assistants are carrying out the policies of their Government, to radios from Lerch to Hodge on the subject and their answers, and to State serial 92, 21 May and 142, 14 July, which indicated public statements on high level when needed.
It may appear that the time has passed when such a statement will be of any great value for the present phase of events here but the fact remains that the Rhee charges are continuing and are growing in effect in creating anti-American feeling. Moreover, if I am to remain in command in Korea after we are forced by Soviet noncooperation to change tactics here, I consider it to be essential that there must be something said to the effect that the command here has faithfully carried out and is still carrying out United States policies in Korea.
Rhee’s crowd is still active in public and whispered propaganda that “General Hodge has not and is not now carrying out his directives and the policies of his Government”.
They are using the Wedemeyer mission to indicate that the President and the Secretary of State feel that United States policy is not being followed in Korea and have sent Wedemeyer to find out why not, intimating strongly that Wedemeyer is a personal envoy to the “great leader” Syngman Rhee. Since no one above General Hodge refutes the statement that he is not carrying out US policies, the “line” gets a lot of credence, and Rhee will gracefully accept full credit for “exposing” General Hodge and for changes in the local unpopular American “policies of General Hodge” in trying to make the hated Moscow decision work, in his dealings with the Russians in the Joint [Page 748] Commission and in his attempting to establish middle of the road political leadership. Unchallenged, this line, coupled with the Wedemeyer visit which Rhee will make every effort to capitalize, will serve effectively to discredit me for future value in dealing with those Koreans we normally expect to be of assistance. This will result in added local difficulties with respect to leading the Koreans in future efforts and in getting the backing we will require for the success of any future moves.
I realize that US press has carried little of this, the principal reason being that I have been able to persuade the American press representatives here generally to keep it out of US news since it would only confuse Americans who do not know local conditions.
Statement need not mention Rhee by name or point to the “extreme right” as a group.