COMPILATION OF CERTAIN PUBLISHED INFORMATION ON THE MILITARY SITUATION IN THE FAR EAST 1. COMMUNICATIONS INITIATING INQUIRY A. Message from committee chairman to General MacArthur, April 13, 1951 Hon. GEORGE C. MARSHALL, Secretary of Defense, The Pentagon, Washington, D. C. APRIL 13, 1951. MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: The Senate Armed Services Committee has decided by unanimous vote to conduct a full inquiry into the military situation in the Far East and the facts surrounding the relief of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur from his assignment in that area. The committee requests that you appear at the first hearing, which will be held on Wednesday, April 18, 1951, at 10:30 a. m., in room 212, Senate Office Building. This will be an executive session of the committtee. The committee would also like to hear the views of General MacArthur at the earliest practicable date following your appearance. The general's first appearance before the committee will also be in executive session. Later sessions will be in accordance with the desires of General MacArthur and the committee. In view of the foregoing I request that you convey the following message to General MacArthur by the most expeditious means of communication available: "The Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously requests that you appear before it to give your views on the military situation in the Far East and the circumstances leading up to your relief from your several commands in that area. The committee plans to hear the Secretary of Defense on Wednesday, April 18, and will schedule a subsequent meeting with you to be held at your convenience. This initial meeting will be in executive session. Additionally, the Armed Services Committee has under consideration extending to all Members of the Senate and House of Representatives an invitation to an open meeting with you to hear such views as you may care to express. Please inform me as promptly as possible when you will be available to advise with the committee and whether you are agreeable to appearing at a meeting to which all Members of the Congress will have been invited. Personal regards. Signed Richard B. Russell, United States Senator, Chairman, Senate Committee on Armed Services." I should appreciate it very much if you would inform us as to the time when General MacArthur receives the above message and if you would transmit the reply to me upon receipt. With assurances of esteem, I am Sincerely yours, [s] RICHARD B. RUSSELL, Chairman. B. Reply thereto by General MacArthur "Reur DEF 88528 April 14, please give Senator Russell my personal regards and inform him that I am advised resolutions are pending in Congress inviting me to address a joint session as was done in the cases of Generals Eisenhower and Clay and others when they first came from abroad and that until action has been taken on such resolutions I would deem it inappropriate to make any other plans. If such resolutions are approved, I would regard it a great honor and distinction to address the Congress in general terms.' C. Message from committee chairman to General MacArthur, April 14, 1951 Hon. GEORGE C. MARSHALL, Secretary of Defense, The Pentagon, Washington, D. C. APRIL 14, 1951. MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I wish to thank you for transmitting my previous message to General MacArthur and for sending me the General's reply. I request that you convey the following message to General MacArthur by the most expeditious means of communication available: "Re your message: Insofar as I am advised, all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee are supporting the resolution for you to address joint meeting of Congress. Suggestion in my wire that committee was considering inviting all Members of the Congress to an open meeting to hear you was made before it became clear that a concurrent resolution might be adopted. Indications are this resolution will be approved on Tuesday the 17th. My first message referred more especially to your appearance before the committee in executive session to discuss with us the matters referred to in that message. We, of course, realize that any invitation extended to you by concurrent congressional resolution will take precedence over committee hearings and understand why you might prefer that your address to the Congress should be in general terms. However, the members of the Armed Service Committee, having definite responsibilities in the field of national defense, wish to discuss with you in executive session matters which might affect security if made public. Please inform me as promptly as possible what dates subsequent to April 18 will be convenient for you to meet with the committee. Regards. Signed Richard B. Russell, United States Senator, Chairman, Senate Committee on Armed Services." I should appreciate it very much if you would inform us as to the time when General MacArthur receives the above message and if you would transmit the reply to me upon receipt. With assurances of esteem, I am, Sincerely yours, [s] RICHARD B. RUSSELL, Chairman. D. Reply thereto by General MacArthur "Reference your 88565. Please convey to Senator Russell my regards and state that I will be available to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee at any time after I have addressed the Congress in accordance with the concurrent resolution to that effect." E. Telegram from committee chairman to General MacArthur, April 17, 1951 Gen. DOUGLAS MACARTHUR, St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco, Calif.: Appreciate your acceptance of our invitation to appear before Senate Armed Services Committee subsequent to your address to Congress. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee also desires to hear your testimony and in order to avoid duplication and to conserve your time and efforts, arrangements have been made for a joint meeting of these committees to hear you. Your schedule for the remainder of this week appears to be quite strenuous and I assume you would prefer to be heard next week. I hope you can appear early in the week of April 23. I shall look forward to seeing you while you are in Washington, and if it is more convenient you can advise me as to an acceptable date while you are here. Personal regards, F. Unanimous consent agreement of the Senate, April 25, 1951 [From Daily Congressional Record, April 25, 1951, p. 4434] JOINT MEETING OF ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS TO HEAR GENERAL MACARTHUR Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. President, Gen. Douglas MacArthur has accepted the invitation of the Senate Committee on Armed Services to appear before that committee on Thursday, May 3. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has requested that it be permitted to meet with us in a joint meeting. I ask unanimous consent that that may be done, for the purpose of that meeting as well as subsequent hearings on the subject. The VICE PRESIDENT. Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr. WHERRY. Mr. President, will the Senator yield for a question? Mr. RUSSELL. I yield. Mr. WHERRY. Is it contemplated that the two committees will sit jointly in continuous meetings? Mr. RUSSELL. Yes; both for the purpose of hearing General MacArthur, and for the purpose of subsequent hearings to be held on the same subject. II. CHRONOLOGY OF SOME SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MILITARY SITUATION IN THE FAR EAST [Compiled by John L. Houk and Ellen Clodfelter, Foreign Affairs Section, Legislative Reference Service, Library of Congress, April 16, 1951] 1945 September 9: United States troops accept the surrender of Japanese forces south of the 38° parallel and United States Military Government in Korea is established. 1947 May 17: South Korean Interim Government is established by Ordinance No. 141 of the United States Army Military Government in Korea: November 14: The UN General Assembly passes a resolution stating that the Korean people themselves should create a provisional government through free and secret election of representatives and that subsequently foreign troops should be withdrawn from Korea. UN Temporary Commission on Korea is created to observe the election and to consult with the elected representatives and the government. 1948 June 25: The UN Temporary Commission on Korea adopts a resolution stating that the election held in the southern zone on May 10 was a "valid expression of the free will of the electorate in those parts of Korea which were accessible to the Commission and in which the inhabitants constituted approximately two-thirds of the people of all Korea.” August 15: The Government of the Republic of Korea with Syngman Rhee as its President, is inaugurated and Army Military Government in Korea is terminated. September 9: The Supreme People's Council in North Korea formally declares the establishment of a "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" claiming jurisdiction over the entire country. October 12: The U. S. S. R. extends diplomatic recognition to the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea." During the following six weeks the Mongolian People's Republic and the Soviet satellite states of Eastern Europe also recognize the "government" in North Korea. 1949 April 8: Russian veto blocks Korean Republic's admission to UN. July 1: United States Army discloses that the withdrawal of American occupation forces is completed. Only a small contingent of some 500 officers and men for training Korean forces is left. 1950 June 19: Dulles assures Korea of continued United States support and predicts Communists will lose grip on North Korea eventually. 1950 June 25: Between 4 and 5 o'clock in the morning (Korean time) North Korean Communist forces attack South Korea defense positions south of the 38th parallel. At 5:45 p. m. the Security Council adopts a resolution (9-0, Yugoslavia abstaining, U. S. S. R. absent) calling for an immediate cease-fire and the withdrawal of the North Korean forces to the 38th parallel. All members are requested to "render every assistance to the United Nations in the execution of this resolution and to refrain from giving assistance to the North Korean forces. June 27: At 12 noon President Truman reveals that, pursuant to the Security Council's call upon UN members to render every assistance to the execution of the June 25 resolution, he has ordered United States air and sea units "to give the Korean Government troops cover and support," and has asked Moscow to act to terminate the fighting in Korea. At 10:45 p. m. the Security Council adopts a resolution sponsored by the United States requesting "that the Members of the United Nations furnish such assistance to the Republic of Korea as may be necessary to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and security in the area." June 29: In reply to United States note of June 27 asking that the U. S. S. R. "use its influence with the North Korean authorities toward immediate withdrawal of their invading forces," the U. S. S. R. replies that "the events which are going on in Korea were provoked by the attack of troops of the South Korean authorities," and that the Soviet Government "holds now also to the principle of the inadmissibility of the interference of foreign powers in the internal affairs of Korea." U. S. S. R. declares that the Security Council resolution on Korea is illegal. President Truman holds that the United States is "not at war." June 30: President Truman states he has authorized General MacArthur to use certain supporting ground units and the Air Force to conduct missions on specific targets in northern Korea wherever militarily necessary, and a naval blockade of the entire Korean coast. "Within hours" a battalion of United States infantry is ashore in Korea. July 2: In answer to the Chinese Nationalist's offer of June 29 and 30 to furnish troops, United States replies that in view of Chinese Communists' threat to attack Formosa, a conference should be held with General MacArthur before troops are dispatched from the island. July 7: The Security Council adopts by 7 votes (India, Egypt, and Yugoslavia abstaining) a resolution to channel men, ships, planes, and supplies from contributing UN members directly to a unified command under the United States which would have discretion as to using the United Nations flag. In a note to the United States, the U. S. S. R. states that it will hold the United States responsible for "all damage to interest of the Soviet Union" caused in carrying out the blockade. July 8: President Truman names MacArthur as the UN Commander and orders him to use the UN flag concurrently with those of the participating nations. |