795.5/2–2351
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of Defense (Marshall)
My Dear Mr. Secretary: The Department has considered the recommendations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff concerning the possibility of additional ground forces from United Nations member states for service in Korea, as transmitted in your letter of January 30, 1951. Informal discussions between officers of our two Departments have been held on this subject and I am writing you now to apprise you of the prospects.
The United States is approaching the governments of Australia and New Zealand with a view to securing the dispatch to Korea of an additional battalion by each country. Similarly, the Department will approach the government of Canada with a view to its increasing its ground contingent in Korea to the size originally contemplated.
Discussions will be held in the near future with the governments of Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Chile and Peru for the purpose of attempting to persuade those governments to provide units of a size to conform with the criteria laid down by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Department believes that it would be unwise at this time to press either the Turks or the Greeks for additional forces, but advantage will be taken of any opportunity to encourage a voluntary offer on their part. In connection with the Greeks, who originally offered a brigade, the Department has sent a telegram to the Embassy in Athens with a view to ascertaining the feasibility of raising the Greek contribution from the present battalion to a full brigade.
It is intended that current talks at the technical military level with the Uruguayans, Ethiopians and Cubans will proceed, with a view to placing these units in the field in accordance with the offers made by those governments and already accepted by the Unified Command.
[Page 195]A review has been made of all other possible contributors, exclusive of those specifically eliminated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the conclusion has been reached that for the foreseeable future there are no worthwhile prospects except those discussed above.
Sincerely yours,