Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Korea and China, Volume VII, Part 1

Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 82: Telegram

The Commander in Chief, Far East (Ridgway) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff

secret
flash

Tokyo, 25 September 1951—5:01 p. m.¹

C–51545. In last 24 hours 2 developments in armistice discussions may be of great significance.

First, Communist liaison officers, Colonel Chang spokesman, in meeting with our liaison officers, Colonel Kinney spokesman, on 24 and again 25 Sep, have been adamant in refusing to discuss anything but time and date of next full delegation meeting in Kaesong, which they state must occur “immediately”.

Second, Kinney reports they “appear extremely anxious to get the delegations together” and are acting “far more hurriedly than we have seen them act previously”.

At liaison meeting today which began at 1000I time, Chang put into the record his refusal to discuss conditions mutually satisfactory for resumption of armistice talks. When Kinney proposed recess to permit liaison officers to obtain further guidance, Chang countered with proposed “meeting of delegations” at 261000I Sep. When Kinney replied that his instructions were “to discuss conditions for resumption of talks” Kinney reports that “Chang angrily recessed meeting unilaterally and stalked from the room”, his precipitate departure affording our liaison officers no opportunity to arrange for next meeting.²

Evaluation is proceeding here. Determination of underlying reasons for such nervous, insistent and precipitate action on the part of the Communist liaison officers, quite at variance with their former conduct, might well offer us great advantages. One hypothesis, supported by some indications here, would be that his general military position in Korea is deteriorating by reason of our combined operations and that approaching winter will accelerate that deterioration. Another hypothesis could be that Peiping or Moscow, for reasons of their own, have ordered Kim and Peng to proceed with the discussions without further delay. Would appreciate soonest any evaluation State or Defense cares to make.

1. Due to the time difference between Washington and Tokyo, this message was received early on September 25.

2. Later on September 25, General Ridgway reported in his telegram C–51563 that Colonel Kinney had addressed the following message to Colonel Chang:

   “Despite your unilateral action in recessing the meeting today and your abrupt departure therefrom, I am prepared to meet with you tomorrow 26 September 1951 at 1000 to discuss conditions mutually satisfactory for resumption of the armistice talks.” (Black Book, Tab 85)