Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI, Part 1

S/P Files: Lot 64D563

Memorandum on the Substance of Discussions at a Department of State–Joint Chiefs of Staff Meeting¹

top secret

[Washington,] July 25, 1951—11 a. m.

Present:

General Bradley	Mr. Matthews
General Vandenberg	Mr. Hickerson4
Admiral McCormick2	Mr. Rusk
General Hull3	Mr. Nitze
Admiral Duncan	Mr. Ferguson
General Bolte	Mr. Tufts5
Admiral Davis	Mr. Lay
General White	Mr. Nash6
Admiral Wooldridge
Admiral Lalor
Colonel Carnes

[Here follows the portion of this memorandum which deals with Korea; documentation on this subject is scheduled for publication in volume VII.]

Mr. Rusk raised the question of the Philippine attitude toward the Japanese Peace Treaty. He stated that the Philippine Government was angry over the reparations issue even though it had known for six years that it was not going to receive reparations. He thought that it might be necessary to register in some kind of statement or agreement the importance which the U.S. attached to the security of the Philippines. General Bradley thought that our present bilateral arrangements were perfectly satisfactory and provided every assurance that the Philippines required. He asked whether Mr. Rusk thought something more was required. Mr. Rusk replied that he was not thinking of an additional commitment but an expression of our present commitments in a new piece of paper.

General Bradley stated that the Joint Chiefs disliked the idea of any five-power arangements in the Pacific area and thought that a bilateral arrangement with the Philippines was the most satisfactory way of dealing with this problem. Mr. Rusk agreed that we do not want to water down our present arrangement and that we do not want to become involved in an organization which would make necessary the exchange of information and planning on a joint basis. He thought that if these two points were safeguarded, it would be possible to give new expression to our determination to react in the event of an attack on the Philippines. General Vandenberg thought that the Joint Chiefs would have to look at any proposal before they could approve it in principle. He pointed out that if there were simultaneous attacks on Japan and the Philippines, we might be unable to come to the assistance of the Philippines.

It was decided to postpone further consideration of this issue for the time being.

1. The source text bears the following notation: “(State Draft. Not cleared with any of the participants.)”
4. John D. Hickerson, Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs.
2. Adm. Lynde D. McCormick, Vice Chief of Naval Operations.
3. Lt. Gen. John E. Hull, Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration, U.S. Army.
5. Robert Tufts of the Policy Planning Staff.
6. Frank Nash, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.