Office of the Historian

Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 35: Telegram

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

top secret
operational immediate
Washington, 5 December 1951—6:22 p. m.

JCS–88877. From JCS.

1. JCS are pleased with progress made to date on item 3 and consider that negotiations are now at such a crucial stage that particular care must be exercised to prevent any regression.

2. While agreement on this item may be possible, JCS consider that even full Communist acceptance of final position set forth in JCS 882261 will not insure security of UN forces in event of Communist breach of faith in observance of armistice. Accordingly, possibilities of action along lines indicated in para 2 of JCS 872392 are being pursued. Conversations with UK are continuing and matter was discussed at Rome by Sec Acheson, Sec Lovett and Gen Bradley with Mr. Eden and reptvs of British C of S.

3. Dependent upon development these conversations as well as continuing course of armistice negotiations, JCS may desire to reconsider final position on item 3. Consequently without further instructions from JCS you should continue to refrain from taking any irrevocable positions on points now at issue in negotiations on item 3 or in public statements thereon. However, you should not interpret this as precluding a continuation of your present effective efforts to expose difficulties in Communist proposals and obtain maximum possible degree of Communist agreement to our present final position.3

  1. Dated November 28, p. 1193.↩
  2. Dated November 16, p. 1142.↩

  3. This message was repeated by General Ridgway to Admiral Joy with the following comment:

    “1. Invite your attention to my C 57217 of 14 [13] Nov and JCS reply thereto in JCS 87239, 17 [16] Nov, as well as JCS 88877, [5] Dec, being repeated to you separately, for your guidance pending further instructions from here.

    “2. Your difficulties are appreciated but it is vital that we continue to explore Communist proposals and indicate interest therein. Cannot accept Communist subdelegation charge that we are stalling in any way. We must have details of their proposals and intentions which, balanced against our own principles, will provide guidance towards final positions acceptable to us.” (Black Book, Tab 30; telegram C–58790, December 6)

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