"General MacArthur's place in history as one of our greatest commanders is fully established. The Nation owes him a debt of gratitude for this distinguished and exceptional service which he has rendered his country in posts of great responsibility. For that reason I repeat my regret at the necessity for the action I feel compelled to take in his case.'

In order that the United Nations be officially informed of this development, on April 11, 1951, Ambassador Austin addressed a letter to Secretary-General Trygve Lie, in which he stated:

"Acting under instructions from my Government, I have the honor to inform the Security Council that the President of the United States has today relieved Gen. Douglas MacArthur as the commanding general of the military forces which the members of the United Nations have made available to the unified command under the United States, pursuant to the Security Council resolution of July 7, 1950, and has designated Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway as his succesOn the same evening the President defended his course of action in a rádio address to the American people.

sor.

99 4

That this abrupt action on the part of the President shocked the American people was evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of letters, telegrams, and phone calls which poured into the offices of the Congressmen and Senators in Washington. The reaction of the American people was swiftly transmitted to the floor of the United States Senate, where in rapid succession the following legislative action occurred:

1. Wherry resolution

The dismissal of General MacArthur resulted on Wednesday, April 11, in a series of protests on the floor of the United States Senate. Minority Leader Kenneth Wherry, of Nebraska, introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 24, stating that the dismissal of General MacArthur had "precipitated a situation fraught with danger to the national defense," and indicating that the dismissal had "struck a blow to the national unity." Senator Wherry's resolution highly praised General MacArthur and expressed the will of the Senate that the general "be hereby invited to present his views and recommendations for policies and courses in Korea and Asia generally to a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives."

2. Armed Services Committee

On Friday, April 13, acting on a prior request of Senator Styles Bridges (Republican, New Hampshire), the Senate Armed Services Committee in executive session, voted unanimously to conduct an inquiry into the facts surrounding the relief of General MacArthur.

3. Ferguson resolution

997

During succeeding days, additional addresses of protest against the President's action were made on the floor of the Senate. On April 17, Senator Homer Ferguson (Republican, Michigan) introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 25 the purpose of which was to set up a joint bipartisan committee of 24 Members of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States "to gather such data, to conduct such interviews, to take such testimony and to hold such hearings as it may determine necessary for a complete evaluation of the United States policies in the Far East and their relation to the foreign and military policies of the United States as a whole." The joint committee was to consist of 12 Members of the Senate, including two members of each party from the Foreign Relations, Appropriations, and Armed Services Committees, with similar representation from the counterpart committees of the House of Representatives. Immediately after the introduction of Senator Ferguson's resolution, Senator Richard Russell (Democrat, Georgia) stated that "the Senate Committee on Armed Services which I should think, under section 134 (a) of the legislative reorganization law, has primary jurisdiction in this field, has already held a meeting on the subject."

998

He stated that "the committee unanimously agreed-which means that all the members of the committee who were present agreed--and we had a very

full attendance of members from both parties, that the Senate Committee on Armed Services should conduct an inquiry into all the facts and circumstances surrounding the recent events in the Far East that have stirred the American people so deeply.""

Senator Russell added that pursuant to that unanimous agreement he had "communicated with General MacArthur and requested his appearance before the committee. The general has accepted the invitation, although the time and place of the meetings have not yet been designated." "

4. Foreign Relations Committee

Senator Russell indicated that the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Tom Connally (Democrat, Texas), had called him that morning and suggested there be a joint meeting of the two committees on that issue. Senator Connally had indicated, said Senator Russell, that "inasmuch as the Committee on Armed Services had already inaugurated this inquiry, he thought it would be appropriate for (Senator Russell) to preside over the joint meeting of the committee." Senator Russell indicated that he would take up that request with the Armed Services Committee.

Senator Russell indicated further that his committee had already requested the presence of the Secretary of Defense before the Armed Services Committee on the following day, Wednesday, April 18, but in view of the fact that General MacArthur was to appear on Thursday (April 19) before the Congress and also in view of the fact that "complications have arisen through the submission of the concurrent resolution of the Senator from Michigan" Senator Russell was going to postpone until a later date Secretary of Defense Marshall's testimony.

9

Senator Ferguson stated that the purpose of his concurrent resolution was to "broaden the base of the investigation so that the people back home would know that the subject had been gone into thoroughly by a fully representative committee of the legislative branch, specifically created for the purpose of enlightening the public on this single but highly important question." 10

Late that day, the Senate agreed by unanimous consent that after convening on Thursday the Senate would stand in recess to attend a joint meeting with the House, to hear an address by General MacArthur. Thereupon, by unanimous consent, Senator Wherry's Senate Concurrent Resolution 24 was tabled.

5. MacArthur address

On Thursday, April 19, the Senate and House met in joint session to hear the address by General MacArthur."

6. Consent for joint hearing

On April 25, Senator Russell asked unanimous consent for the purpose of holding Joint Foreign Relation-Armed Services Committee hearings to hear General MacArthur and consent was granted.12

7. The fight for open hearings

On April 30 the joint committee of the Armed Services and Foreign Relations met and after considerable debate decided by a vote of 16 to 6 to hold the proposed hearings in executive session.13

On May 3, Senator Arthur V. Watkins (Republican, Utah) introduced Senate Resolution 137 whose purpose was to authorize any Member of the Senate to attend as an observer any hearing or other meeting whether executive or open, held by the Committees on Armed Services and Foreign Relations, in accordance with the order of the Senate of April 25, 1951.14

That same day the Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees voted to permit Members of the Senate who were not members of the committees to attend the hearings.

12 Compilation, p. 3.

13 The roll-call vote on the question of closed versus open hearings was as follows: For closed: Connally, Byrd, Johnson of Texas, Kefauver, Hunt, Stennis, Long, Russell, Green, McMahon, Fulbright, Sparkman, Gillette. Wiley, Smith of New Jersey, Tobey.

For open Bridges, Saltonstall, Knowland, Hickenlooper, Cain, Flanders. In voting to commerce the hearing in executive session, Senator Smith, Republican, New Jersey, specifically stated that if General MacArthur desired open hearings he should have them. Chairman Russell agreed.

14 Congressional Record, May 3, 1951, p. 4891.

Senator Ferguson cited the fact that his concurrent resolution had been ordered to "lie on the table," and that it could not be brought up for action until there was an adjournment of the Senate.

Senator Wherry moved that the Senate adjourn until 5 p. m., that day, and his motion was agreed to by a vote of 43 yeas to 41 nays.

Senator Wherry contended, however, that the issue was worthy of a clear-cut decision by the full Senate.

The Senate on May 4, defeated by 37 yeas to 40 nays Senator Wherry's motion to take up Senate Resolution 137.

The defeat of Senate Resolution 137 by the margin of three votes culminated an unsuccessful floor fight to force open public hearings. Proponents of the open hearings argued that public interest in the issues transcended in importance the remote possibility that vital information might be furnished the enemy through errors in judgment or a slip of the tongue.

Opponents of open hearings, led by Senator Russell, contended that security considerations demanded closed hearings.

After defeating Senate Resolution 137, the majority devised a unique system of supplying transcripts to the press.

Before the press received the transcript it was submitted to Vice Adm. Arthur C. Davis, United States Navy, and Adrian Fisher, Legal Adviser to the State Department. They deleted all information which in their opinion would adversely effect the security of our Nation. The joint committee maintained the right to supervise and to question and reinsert, if desired, any material which was deleted in this fashion.

The system made the approved transcript available to the public approximately 2 hours after the appearance of each witness.

PART II. CHRONOLOGY OF IMPORTANT EVENTS

With the commencement of the actual hearings, there began a review of the events which had preceded the dismissal. The following are some of the most important dates in that connection.

August 14, 1945: Japanese surrender announced by President.

September 9, 1945: United States troops formally accepted the surrender of Japanese forces south of the thirty-eighth parallel, and the United States Army military government in Korea was established.

November 14, 1947: The UN General Assembly resolved that there should be a free election by secret ballot in Korea and that subsequently all foreign troops should be withdrawn.

August 15, 1948: Following the May 10 election held in South Korea under the auspices of the U. N. Temporary Commission, the Government of the Republic of Korea was established with Syngman Rhee as President and Army military government in Korea was terminated.

September 9, 1948: The Supreme People's Council in North Korea formally declared the establishment of a Democratic People's Republic of Korea, claiming jurisdiction over the entire country. This government was subsequently recognized by the Soviet Union and her satellite states.

April 8, 1949: Russia vetoed the admission of the Korean Republic to the United Nations.

July 1, 1949: The United States Army withdrew American occupation forces in accordance with the UN resolution. Only a small contingent numbering 500 officers and men remained to train Korean forces.

August 1, 1949: China white paper issued by State Department.

January 5, 1950: President Truman announces no further arms aid to the Republic of China or Formosa.

June 25, 1950: North Korean Communist forces attacked South Korean defense positions south of the thirty-eighth parallel. The UN Security Council at 5: 45 p. m. that day adopted a resolution by a vote of 9 to 0 (Yugoslavia abstaining and the U. S. S. R. absent) calling for an immediate cease-fire and withdrawal of North Korean forces to the thirty-eighth parallel. All members were 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 authorities."

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15 See appendix for text of Yalta agreement. 16 Compilation, p. 11.

* *

June 27, 1950: At 12 noon, President Truman revealed that pursuant to the Security Council's call to UN Members, he had ordered United States air and sea units "* to give the Korean Government troops cover and support" " and that he had asked Moscow to act to terminate the fighting in Korea. At 10: 45 p. m., that night, the Security Council adopted a resolution sponsored by the United States, requesting the member states to furnish assistance to the Republic of Korea "* to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and security in the area." 18

* *

June 30, 1950: President Truman stated he had authorized General MacArthur to use supporting ground units, and for the air forces "to conduct missions on specific military targets in Northern Korea wherever militarily necessary and had ordered a naval blockade of the entire Korean coast." Within hours, a battalion of United States Infantry was ashore in Korea.

99 19

June 30, 1950: Republic of China offered 33,000 of its troops from Formosa to support UN action; offer refused.

July 8, 1950: President Truman named General MacArthur as United Nations commander.

August 28, 1950: General MacArthur in a message intended for the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Encampment opposed appeasement and defeatism which would lead to abandonment of Formosa." This speech was withdrawn at White House request.

20

September 12, 1950: Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson resigned effective September 19.

September 12, 1950: Allies made successful amphibious landing.

October 15, 1950: A conference was held on Wake Island between President Truman and General MacArthur. President Truman issued a statement stating that a "very complete unanimity of view" " prevailed in the discussions covering Korea, Japan, and United States policy in the Pacific.

21

October 20, 1950: United States troops captured Pyongyang, the North Korean capital.

October 21, 1950: United States parachute troops landed deep inside North Korea.

October 28, 1950: Red Chinese Army elements identified in North Korea. November 24, 1950: General MacArthur launched an end-of-the-war offensive. November 27, 1950: An attack by four Chinese Red armies stalled and threw back General MacArthur's drive.

November 28, 1950: General MacArthur announced that United Nations forces in Korea faced an entirely new war because of the intervention of Red Chinese troops.

December 1, 1950: General MacArthur stated that the orders forbidding him to attack Chinese Communists north of the Korean border were putting the United Nations forces under "an enormous handicap without precedent in military history."

99 22

66

December 6, 1950: Joint Chiefs of Staff advised General MacArthur of a Presidential general order requiring the clearance of speeches, press releases, and other statements concerning military policy with the Department of Defense and of similar materials concerning foreign policy with the Secretary of State. The Joint Chiefs reported that the President had directed the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense to order officials overseas * * * including military commanders and diplomatic representatives * exercise extreme caution in public statements, to clear all but routine statements with their Departments and to refrain from direct communication on military or foreign policy with newspapers, magazines, or other publicity media in the United States."

23

*

*

January 23, 1951: United States Senate unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the United Nations "to immediately declare Communist China an aggressor in Korea." 24

March 7, 1951: United Nations forces recaptured Seoul. General MacArthur reported that the battle line would remain in a theoretical military stalemate as long as there was "a continuation of the existing limitation upon our free

dom of counteroffensive action" and no major additions to UN strength in Korea.'

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March 18, 1951: Former Speaker of the House Joseph W. Martin, Jr., sent a letter, inviting General MacArthur's views with regard to America's position in Asia.

*** *

March 20, 1951: General MacArthur, in reply, praised Martin's views and stated that the latter's position * with respect to the utilization of the Chinese forces on Formosa is in conflict with neither logic" nor with United States tradition of mobilizing maximum counterforce to meet force. General MacArthur stressed that "here in Asia is where the Communist conspirators have elected to make their play for global conquest.'

March 20, 1951: Joint Chiefs of Staff advised MacArthur that the United Nations were 66* * * now prepared to discuss conditions of settlement in Korea." The Joint Chiefs stated that the thirty-eighth parallel "has no military significance." MacArthur's recommendations on military procedure were invited.27

March 24, 1951: Joint Chiefs of Staff in a message to General MacArthur stated that the President had directed that his attention be called to the latter's order of December 6, 1950. The Joint Chiefs stated that "any further statements must be coordinated" as provided in that order.

* * *

"The President has also directed that in the event Communist military leaders request an armistice in the field, you immediately report that fact to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for instructions.'

*

*

March 24, 1951: General MacArthur stated that "within the area of my authority as military commander * I stand ready at any time to confer in the field with the commander in chief of the enemy forces in an earnest effort to find any military means whereby the realization of the political objectives of the United Nations in Korea might be accomplished without further bloodshed." 29

* * *

The State Department subsequently issued a statement that "the political issues which General MacArthur has stated are beyond his responsibility as a field commander, are being dealt with in the UN and by intergovernmental consultations."

PART III. A BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE WITNESSES APPEARING

BEFORE THE COMMITTEE

The work of the Joint Armed Services Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee, which has been in the nature of an investigation or inquiry, has been carried forth with a unity of purpose unique in the recent annals of the United States Senate.

Under the able and eminently fair chairmanship of the Senator from Georgia, Mr. Russell, members of the committee have pursued the common purpose of seeking the facts.

The Chairman received outstanding cooperation from the members of both committees who diligently pursued the inquiry, often working far into the night to discharge their other duties. The record time in which the committee received the tremendous volume of testimony and the careful preparation of questions by committee members bespeaks the seriousness with which the Senators approached their task.

The committee has come very close to objectivity. There have been differences; there have been contentions. In some cases, there have been bitter discussions. However, the issues have been confined to procedural matters and, for the most part, involved differences on how best to find the facts.

It is significant that divisions which have occurred within the committee have reflected unpartisan attitudes.

It has proved a stimulating experience to each of us to sit as one of 26 Senators engaged in a task of such importance as to outweight the considerations of partisan political advantage.

We have heard the testimony as United States Senators. We offer our conclusions as Americans. They are the result of our considered judgment after serious reflection and judicial examination of all the facts presented.

25 Op. cit., p. 182.

26 Ibid., p. 186.

27 Ibid., p. 183.

28 Ibid., p. 184.

29 Ibid., p. 184. 30 Ibid., p. 7.