Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Korea, Volume XV, Part 1

FE files, lot 55 D 128: Telegram

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

top secret
priority

Washington, October 3, 1952—5:33 p.m.

JCS 920188. From JCS reur CX 56247¹ and CX 56259.²

1. Agree Gen Harrison must be given leeway in determining if Commie reply on 8 Oct constitutes rejection and such determination is left to his discretion. Further agree that Commie statement that their posit remains unchanged from that of 28 Sep constitutes rejection. However, without restricting Gen Harrison’s authy re this, it is clear that our posit on suspending negots wld be strengthened if Commies categorically rejected all UNC proposals, and, to extent practicable, Gen Harrison shld seek such rejection if this is in fact Commie posit.

2. Statements contained in ur CX 56247 and CX 56259 have recd most careful consideration here from overall view pt. This consideration has indicated desirability of certain changes in texts of statements. These changes are designed primarily to strengthen indictment of Commies for obstructing armistice, to avoid implications inherent in undue identification of POW question as sole issue, to anticipate Commie propaganda reaction, and to lessen possibility that our action is misinterpreted as termination of negots. Re this it is important that in any addnal statements which may be made these factors be in mind. While net effect our actions is indefinite suspension you shld particularly avoid use of term as such in any pub statements. Posit with respect to queries re this wld be that recess is indefinite only in sense that it is up to Commies to decide when they are prepared to meet and negotiate in good faith.

3. To avoid possibility of misunderstanding, approved texts are being transmitted in full in immedy folg msgs.³ Rqst immed notification when statements are issued.

1. In the telegram under reference, dated Oct. 2, Clark transmitted to the JCS the texts of alternative statements which Clark believed Harrison should make in the event the Communist Delegation at Panmunjom either directly or indirectly rejected the UNC proposal of Sept. 28, 1952 (FE files, lot 55 D 128).
2. In the telegram under reference, dated Oct. 2, Clark transmitted the text of the statement he proposed to make in support of the UNC Delegation in the event it became necessary to recess the armistice negotiations at Panmunjom (FE files, lot 55 D 128).
3. The approved texts were transmitted in telegrams JCS 920223 and JCS 920224 to Clark, both Oct. 4, 1952, neither printed (FE files, lot 55 D 128). For texts of these statements, made at Tokyo and Panmunjom on Oct. 8, 1952, see Department of State Bulletin, Oct. 20, 1952, pp. 600–602.