255. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State (Herter) to the Secretary of State1
I found from Manny Sprague that the counter-proposal2 which the Koreans made to our proposals3 on the reduction of forces has not been accepted because of lack of clarification as to actual numbers involved. The counter-proposal of the Koreans was that they would reduce by two Divisions and the hitch lies in just what this means. If it means what Manny hopes it means, namely, that two Divisions of 15,000 men each are to be deactivated, plus one man in support of each front-line Division man, there would be a total reduction of 60,000 individuals. Manny says that, should this understanding be confirmed, he feels the Korean counter-proposals would be satisfactory, but they would be unsatisfactory if the Koreans are merely talking about two front-line Divisions. He hopes to have the picture clarified early next week and will get in touch with Walter Robertson on the working out of a joint position to present to the Koreans.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795.5/11–2257. Secret.↩
- See Document 253.↩
- See Document 247.↩