795.00/7–650: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic and Consular Offices 1
Reporting NK advance to Pyongtaek, 20 miles south Suwon, Hq Tokyo states NK forces displaying resourcefulness and tactical skill. One NK division said to have 15 Sov advisers while Sov personnel manning NK tanks north Seoul were identified by ROK general. B–3 [Page 310] report states 200,000 Chi Commie troops massing Antung on Chi–Korea border. US Far East Air Force reports NK planes avoiding combat.
Jap officials wholeheartedly behind US action Korea according USPolAd, who has received confidential msgs from Emperor expressing gratitude. Indications are Jap Govt wld like, within limits imposed by occupied status, offer support SC res.
In reply charge by Trotskyite MP that Ceylon is tied US and UK imperialism, Ceylon cabinet min stated that, faced by necessity choosing between US and USSR, his govt will follow US and its democratic principles.
Re Chi Govt offer send 33 thousand troops Korea, Chi Amb Wash has conveyed his govt’s complete agreement our reply suggesting consultation with MacArthur whether Formosa defense wld thereby be weakened, which Chi Amb believed might well be case. In response question by Chi Amb, Dept stated no info recd clearly indicating USSR planning early offensive action other parts world.
Indians advise against dismissing lightly Chi Commie allegations US action re Formosa is aggression against Chi2 and cite reports of rising feeling in Commie Chi that US is using Korea as pretext to strengthen its armed forces in region for eventual support Chi Natlsts. Indians note possibility Peiping making such claims as basis for possible future request for Sov assistance under Sino-Sov treaty.3 While aware US conviction that USSR and Chi Commies wld if participating UN merely denounce as invalid all actions taken behalf Korea, Indians feel it important both countries take seats SC near future believing way might then be opened for negots on Korea and Formosa and for preventing decline UN into group nations revolving around US and West.
Port FonMin holds principal Sov objective remains Mediterranean and that Sov moves other areas may be flank operations preparatory to central drive somewhere between Adriatic and Afghanistan.
UK, Fr, and Nor delegs UN in agreement US draft res establishing unified command Korea under US with omission provision for UN Comite.4
[Page 311]Austral PriMin informed AmAmb Canberra he wld like spend week Wash on return from London end July in order discuss with Pres questions Pacific and world defense and Austral contribution thereto.
Inform Dept if in view expense transmission and limitation your code facilities you believe circular tels Korea shld be discontinued to your post.
- This message was sent to all diplomatic missions except Colombo and to the Office of the Acting Political Adviser in Japan, and to the Consulates General in Hong Kong and Singapore.↩
- The text of a statement to this effect was communicated to Secretary-General Lie by Chou En-lai on July 6; see U.N. document S/1583.↩
- Reference is to the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance, February 14, 1950; for related documentation, see vol. vi, pp. 256 ff.↩
- At a meeting with President Truman on July 6, Secretary of State Acheson secured the President’s approval for the U.S. draft resolution as contained in telegram 15, July 4, to New York, p. 300, through numbered paragraph 6 (795.00/7–650). Concerning JCS opposition to the concept of a U.N. Committee, see Schnabel, Policy and Directions, p. 101.↩