320/11–1352

Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Bruce) to the President1

secret

Subject:

  • Korean Resolution in the United Nations General Assembly

As you are aware, the United States, along with 20 other sponsors, has introduced into the General Assembly a resolution affirming and endorsing the position taken by the United Nations Command on non-forcible repatriation of prisoners of war.

The Indian Delegation to the General Assembly has been very active in attempts to formulate a substitute resolution which would be acceptable to the Chinese Communists. It appears that the Indians are maintaining contact with the Chinese Communists at Peking on the text of various proposals. While the Indians have thus far apparently supported the principle of non-forcible repatriation, they have been attempting to find a formulation acceptable to the Communists and to ourselves which would assuage the alleged Chinese Communist fears that the United Nations Command will coerce and restrain prisoners desiring to return from doing so.

The UK has now formulated a text of a resolution based on discussions with the Indians. This resolution, a copy of which is included in the attached telegram 180 of November 12 from New York,2 in the opinion of the Secretary and the Department goes so far to meet the Communist point of view as to in fact contemplate the ultimate abandonment of the principle of no forced repatriation. The prisoner of war commission contemplated under the resolution would presumably have to hold indefinitely prisoners resisting repatriation and subject them to Communist haranguing until they give up and decide to go home. That is, the resolution provides for no disposition of the prisoners other than being held indefinitely under the control of the commission or returning to Communist control.

The Department has, in consultation with the Department of Defense, formulated an amendment to the original U.S. resolution, which is consistent with the second proposal made by General Harrison at Panmunjom on September 28 and which in the opinion of the Department goes as far as we can go in meeting the point of view of the Indians and other such delegations. A copy of this amendment (to which some minor verbal changes are being made) is included in the attached telegram number 151 of November 8 from New York.3 If the Delegation [Page 615] considers that the acceptance of such an amendment would markedly increase the support for the United States resolution, it has been authorized to negotiate on the basis of this text. However, the present view of the Department and the Delegation is that unless marked increased support would thereby be obtained, it is preferable to stand firm on the original text as introduced.

The Secretary has asked that the situation be explained to you and that your views be obtained concerning the attitude the United States Delegation should take regarding the Indian and such other proposals as do not clearly affirm the principle of non-forcible repatriation.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that you authorize the Department to inform the Secretary that the United States Government will strongly oppose any resolution which does not clearly affirm and support the principle of non-forcible repatriation.

David Bruce
  1. This memorandum was drafted by Johnson. The following note in Truman’s handwriting appeared at the bottom of the source text: “Approved 11/13/52, Harry S. Truman”. In a covering note attached to another copy of this memorandum (795.00/11–1352), Bruce noted that he had met with the President on Nov. 13 regarding the situation in New York.
  2. Printed ante, p. 610.
  3. Printed ante, p. 588.