795.00/8–150
Memorandum by Mr. John Foster Dulles, Consultant to the Secretary of State, to the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Nitze)
With reference to the paper on “Advance Beyond the 38th Parallel” (UM D–109),1 I want to make it clear that while I accept the conclusion that we should not make any commitment one way or another now, I did not agree with much of the body of the paper.
In my opinion, there is every reason to go beyond the 38th Parallel except possibly one, and that is our incapacity to do so and the fact that the attempt might involve us much more deeply in a struggle on the Asiatic mainland with Soviet and Chinese Communist manpower because of the strategic bearing that the northern part of Korea has toward Port Arthur and Vladivostok.
I think, however, we should allow the government of the Republic of Korea to advocate the unity of Korea as this is the one great popular issue and if the North Koreans advocate unity and the Republic of Korea seems to advocate a return to disunity, then it will forfeit all popular support throughout Korea.