795B.5/6–2950
Memorandum by the Deputy Assistant of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Merchant) to the Secretary of State
In Mr. Rusk’s absence I saw the Chinese Ambassador1 at 4:30 this afternoon at his request. The most important matter he had to discuss was to state that his Government’s representative at Lake Success was informing Secretary Lie that in response to the latter’s circular request, the National Government of China was prepared to afford military assistance to the best of their ability in Korea.2
The Ambassador went on to say that before making a specific offer his Government desired to know our reaction to what they had in mind. He said they are unable to spare naval or air force units but that they are prepared to furnish one army of approximately 33,000 men, composed of three divisions with the best field equipment available to the Chinese. They lack sufficient shipping to transport the entire body.
The Ambassador also said that the Chief of the Chinese Mission in Tokyo was approaching General MacArthur since it was their intention that any forces supplied would come under his command.
I thanked the Ambassador for this information and said that we would undertake urgently to provide him with the reaction of the U.S. Government to this proposal. A full memorandum of the entire conversation will follow.3 A copy of the Aide-Mémoire which the Chinese Ambassador left with me is attached.4
- V. K. Wellington Koo.↩
- Text in U.N. document S/1521.↩
- For the memorandum by Mr. Freeman, dated June 29, see vol. vi, p. 640.↩
- Not attached to file copy; text in Department of State Bulletin, July 10, 1950, p. 47.↩