U.S. Troop Reductions and Related Defense Issues, November 1969–February 1971


45. Memorandum From President Nixon to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 341, Subject Files, HAK/Presidential Memoranda, 1969–1970. No classification marking. Haig initialed the memorandum and added: “Lynn has action.”


46. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 541, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. II, 10/69–5/70. Secret. Sent for information.


47. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 541, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. II, 10/69–5/70. Top Secret; Sensitive. Sent for action.


48. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1322, NSC Unfiled Material, 1969, 19 of 19. Secret. Sent for action. Kissinger wrote the following note at the top of the first page: “Al—How do you make such a check? Can you make sure it happens. HK


49. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 541, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. II, 10/69–5/70. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Peters (EA/K), approved by Brown and S/S, and in draft by Ware (DOD/ISA). Repeated to CINCPAC.


50. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 541, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. II, 10/69–5/70. Secret. Sent for action.


51. Minutes of a National Security Council Review Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H-111, Senior Review Group, SRG Minutes Originals 1970. Secret. The meeting was held in the White House Situation Room. On February 3, Lynn sent Kissinger a memorandum in which he provided a progress report on the NSSM 27 study. (Ibid.) For the preliminary response to NSSM 27, see Document 27.


52. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff Representative to the National Security Council Review Group (Unger) to the Chairman of the Review Group (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–042, Senior Review Group Meetings, Review Group Meeting—NSSM 27 Korea 2/19/70. Secret. Copies were sent to members of the Review Group.


53. Memorandum From Laurence E. Lynn, Jr., of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 541, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. II, 10/69–5/70. Secret. Sent for information. A copy was sent to Haig. Kissinger initialed the memorandum on March 9 and added “Good report.”


54. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 541, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. II, 10/69–5/70. Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by Holdridge who sent it to Kissinger under a memorandum in which Holdridge recommended “in-house distribution.” Kissinger initialed his approval on March 10. (Ibid.)


55. Draft Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–109, NSC Minutes, Originals, 1970. Secret. Prepared by Haig; no approved or final minutes were found. There are a very few handwritten and typewritten corrections which have been incorporated unto the text printed here. According to the President’s Daily Diary, the meeting lasted from 9:38 until 10:45 a.m. (Ibid., White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary)


56. National Security Decision Memorandum 48

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 363, Subject Files, National Security Decision Memoranda, Nos. 1–50. Top Secret;Nodis. Haig initialed the NSDM. Telegram 43550 to Seoul, March 25, transmitted a summary of this NSDM. (Ibid., Box 541, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. II, 10/69–5/70)


57. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 541, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. II, 10/69–5/70. Top Secret; Nodis. Drafted and approved by Johnson on April 22 and cleared in S/S.


58. Letter From President Nixon to Korean President Park

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 757, Presidential Correspondence 1969–1974, Korea: President Chung Hee Park, 1970. Top Secret. On April 29, Rogers sent a draft of this letter to Nixon under a covering memorandum with the recommendation that he sign it. Rogers noted that the “Under Secretaries Committee has recommended that, following one or two more talks between Porter and Park, you should brief congressional leaders and ask for their backing. In view of the problems that could arise should Park remain adamant, we believe you should respond to Park first.” On May 25, Kissinger forwarded Rogers’s memorandum and draft letter to President Nixon under a covering memorandum with the recommendation that he sign the letter. The Department transmitted the text of Nixon’s letter in telegram 81354 to Seoul, May 27. (All ibid.)


59. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 541, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. II, 10/69–5/70. Top Secret; Immediate;Nodis.


60. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Top Secret; Nodis.


61. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Top Secret; Immediate; Nodis.


62. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Top Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Henry Bardach and Donald L. Ranard (EA/K); cleared in draft in S/S, by Captain Guthrie (DOD/JCS) and by Colonel Boylan (DOD/ISA); and approved by Ambassador Brown (EA).


63. Memorandum From John H. Holdridge of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Secret; Nodis. Sent for information. In the upper right hand corner, Kissinger wrote next to his initials: “Al, see my note on reporting cable.” The memorandum bears Haig’s initials and the word “clipped” in parentheses. Kissinger’s note has not been found.


64. Letter From President Nixon to Korean President Park

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 757, Presidential Correspondence 1969–1974, Korea: President Chung Hee Park, 1970. Secret. A typed note indicates the letter was pouched on July 9. On June 19, Rogers sent a draft of this letter to the President with the recommendation that he sign it. Kissinger forwarded a substantially revised draft to the President under a June 28 covering memorandum that summarized Park’s letter of June 15 and suggested modifications and subsequent actions. Kissinger stated that Park would probably modify his position of total opposition if the United States initiated a “major modernization program for ROK forces” before U.S. departure, which “might be as much as $2 billion or more,” and assured the ROK that the United States would “reinforce our units in the event of aggression.” Kissinger noted that Park “is now publicizing the issue in Korea in an attempt to block any withdrawal until after the Presidential election of May 1971.” Kissinger concluded: “I believe that we must not let Park feel that he can interfere with your decision by misuse of publicity on this issue,” and he recommended that the President sign the letter. On an undated memorandum from Holdridge to Kissinger, transmitting the June 28 memorandum, Kissinger wrote: “I feel sorry for Park.” (All ibid.)


65. Memorandum From John H. Holdridge of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Top Secret. Sent for action.


66. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Confidential. The meeting was held in Kissinger’s office. This memorandum is attached to a July 15 memorandum from Holdridge to Kissinger, upon which the latter initialed his approval of the memorandum of conversation on August 13.


67. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Pacific (McCain) to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Secret; Nodis. Repeated to Seoul and to Laird. Haig initialed the telegram and noted “HAK read.”


68. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Secret; Priority;Nodis.


69. Telegram From the Commander, United States Forces in Korea (Michaelis) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (McCain)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Top Secret; Eyes Only; Noforn. Repeated to Moorer, Westmoreland, and Haines. Moorer requested that the telegram be distributed to Laird, Packard, Nutter, Vogt, General Zais, Admiral Weinel, Admiral Zumwalt, General Ryan, Chapman, Kissinger, and Ambassador Brown.


70. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Secret. A notation on the memorandum indicates that Kissinger signed the original, which was sent to the President on August 22. An attached August 19 memorandum from Haig to Kissinger alerted the latter to the Under Secretaries Committee recommendations.


71. Backchannel Telegram From the Ambassador to Korea (Porter) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Sent to Lord for Kissinger in San Clemente where it was received at 4:55 a.m. on August 25.


72. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 283, Dept of State, 1 Sep–Nov 1970, Vol. IX. Secret. An attached September 29 memorandum from Kennedy to Haig noted that Rogers’s memorandum “was passed directly to the President on Saturday, September 26. It was returned to us from the President without comment.”


73. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by U. Alexis Johnson and approved by Ranard and Curran (S/S).


74. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 542, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. III, 6/70–Dec 70. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Crowberg (EA/K) and approved by Ranard, Johnson, and Curran (S/S).