740.00119 Control (Korea)/6–2348
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Army (Royall)
Dear Mr. Secretary: It will be recalled that on April 8, 1948, the President approved the Conclusions of National Security Council paper No. 8 on The Position of the United States with Respect to Korea, and directed that they be implemented by all appropriate Executive Departments and Agencies of this Government under my coordination.
[Page 1225]It is my understanding that the Department of the Army, in accordance with the foregoing directive, has authorized the initiation of preparations for the withdrawal of occupation forces from Korea, and that, for planning purposes, August 15, 1948 has been set as the date on which actual troop withdrawal will commence. These preparatory measures would appear to be entirely consistent with the provision of the National Security Council paper that “every effort should be made to create conditions for the withdrawal of occupation forces by 31 December 1948.”
In the light of the present world political ‘situation, however, and of the inescapable effect which our actions in Korea will have upon that situation, it is of particular importance that withdrawal should be “phased in consonance with the accomplishment of the objectives outlined [in that paper] and with the relevant commitments of the U.S. vis-à-vis the UN”. While every effort should be made to bring about the withdrawal of our occupation forces from Korea by the end of the current year as presently contemplated, sufficient flexibility should be maintained in the preparation and execution of withdrawal plans to make possible changes in the implementation of such plans which UN action or other developments may make advisable.
I assume, therefore, that the plans of the Department of the Army for withdrawal of our occupation forces from Korea, and particularly before initiation of actual withdrawal, are adaptable to changes which may be necessary to correlate with developments contemplated in the National Security Council paper. Assistant Secretary Saltzman will act as my representative in connection with the implementation of the National Security Council paper.
Faithfully yours,