795.00/8–2150
Memorandum by the Counselor (Kennan) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Matthews)
top secret
[Washington,] August 21, 1950.
I approve generally of the considerations set forth in Mr. Jessup’s memorandum of August 17 about our position with respect to an eventual proposal for withdrawal of United Nations forces concurrent with the withdrawal of the North Korean forces to the 38th Parallel.
I am not sure that we will have to insist on United Nations supervision of elections “throughout Korea”. I think it may be necessary to return to the divided status, leaving South Korea as a sort of U.N. trusteeship, protected by forces of other U.N. nations, under U.N. control.
George F. Kennan