Attached hereto is the statement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, signed by
General Bradley, regarding the terms they feel are necessary and should be
imposed regarding any cease-fire settlement in Korea.
I am in general agreement with the various conditions enumerated but I wish
to state, however, that I do not consider the contents of
[Page 1529]
Paragraph 6 should have been included in
this document. I am assured that the possible implication of that paragraph
that the Joint Chiefs of Staff felt that a continued fight for the conquest
of North Korea was not the purpose of the statement. Rather it was included
merely to bring to the attention of higher authorities the certain
possibility resulting from a cease-fire negotiation.
[Enclosure]
Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of
Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Marshall)
top secret
Washington, December 12,
1950.
Subject: United States Position Regarding the Terms of
any United Nations General Assembly Cease-Fire Resolution for the Korean
War.
1. This memorandum is responsive to the directive of the National
Security Council issued on 11 December 1950 which called for, as a
matter of urgency, the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as to the
terms, conditions, and arrangements which should be agreed to prior to
United States acceptance of any United Nations cease-fire resolution for
the Korean war.
2. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, from the military point of view, cannot
concur in any United Nations cease-fire resolution which does not
include the terms, conditions, and arrangements set forth in paragraphs
3, 4, and 5 below. Further, these must be agreed to by all governments
and authorities concerned, including North Korea and Communist China,
prior to the implementation of any cease-fire arrangement.
3. The cease-fire arrangement:
-
a.
- Shall be confined to Korea;
-
b.
- Shall require all governments and authorities concerned, including
North Korea and Communist China, to order a cessation of all acts of
armed force; the establishment of a demilitarized area across Korea;
and all ground forces to remain in position or be withdrawn to the
rear except that all forces which may be in advance of the
demilitarized area shall be moved to positions in the rear
thereof;
-
c.
- Shall provide for supervision of the general arrangements as well
as specific details by a Cease-Fire Commission designated by the
General Assembly of the United Nations, which Commission shall have
free and unlimited access to the whole of Korea;
-
d.
- Shall require all governments and authorities concerned to cease
promptly the introduction into Korea of any reinforcing or
replacement units or personnel, including volunteers, during the
cease-fire period;
-
e.
- Shall require all governments and authorities to refrain from
introducing additional war equipment and material into Korea. Such
equipment and material will not include those supplies required for
the maintenance of health and welfare and such other supplies as may
be authorized by the Cease-Fire Commission; and
-
f.
- Shall continue in effect until a permanent settlement of the
Korean question has been arranged.
4. The Joint Chiefs of Staff consider the following specific details to
be essential to any cease-fire arrangement for the Korean war:
-
a.
- The demilitarized area shall be a zone on the order of 20 miles in
width, with the southern limit following generally the line of the
38th parallel.
-
b.
- The cease-fire arrangement shall apply to:
- (1)
- All opposing ground forces in Korea, wherever located. In
addition, these forces shall respect the demilitarized zone
and the areas in advance thereof;
- (2)
- All opposing naval forces in the Korean area which shall
respect the waters contiguous to the land areas occupied by
the opposing armed forces, to the limit of three miles
off-shore. Naval units designated by the Cease-Fire
Commission for sea transport, supply, evacuation,
surveillance, and humanitarian purposes shall be excepted
from the foregoing provision while such units are engaged in
these duties; and
- (3)
- All opposing air forces which shall respect the air space
over the demilitarized zone and the areas in advance
thereof. Air units designated by the Cease-Fire Commission
for air transport, supply, evacuation, surveillance, and
humanitarian purposes shall be excepted from the foregoing
provision while such units are engaged in these
duties.
-
c.
- Military observers appointed by the Cease-Fire Commission,
together with such United Nations Armed Guards as may be available
and considered appropriate by the Commission, shall have freedom of
movement anywhere throughout all Korea;
-
d.
- Prisoners of war shall be exchanged on a one for one basis,
pending final settlement of the Korean question;
-
e.
- Organized bodies of armed forces initially in advance of the
demilitarized zone shall be moved back or passed through to the area
of their own main forces. Guerrillas, both north and south of the
demilitarized zone, shall be withdrawn and be granted safe conduct
through the demilitarized area.
-
f.
- Nothing in the agreement shall preclude commanders in the field
from providing for the security of their forces, supplies, and
installations, except that no security forces for this purpose will
be permitted within the demilitarized area.
-
g.
- The Cease-Fire Commission shall be responsible for civil
government, including police functions, in the demilitarized
zone.
-
h.
- Refugees shall not be allowed to migrate in either direction into
or across the demilitarized area.
[Page 1531]
5. The Joint Chiefs of Staff feel strongly that, before the United States
should accept any cease-fire arrangement, provision must be made for a
competent Cease-Fire Commission which shall inspect to insure that the
terms, conditions, and arrangements as agreed to in the cease-fire
resolution will be carried out by all armed forces including guerrillas
in Korea. This Commission shall report promptly to the General Assembly
of the United Nations all violations of the ceasefire resolution. The
Commission shall be provided with a sufficient number of competent
military observers to enable it to carry out its duties and
functions.
6. In connection with all of the foregoing, the Joint Chiefs of Staff
would point out that execution of any United Nations cease-fire
resolution will, in all probability, prevent the attainment of the
United Nations objective of a free and united Korea.
For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
Omar N. Bradley
Chairman
