FOREWORD UNITED STATES SENATE, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, Washington, D. C., April 30, 1951. Contained herein are certain published materials which have been assembled and compiled by the staff of the Armed Services Committee, with the assistance of the Legislative Reference Service of the Library of Congress, for the use of the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations in connection with their inquiry into the military situation in the Far East. Attention is invited to House Report No. 2495, Eighty-first Congress, second session, entitled "Background Information on Korea," prepared by the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, pursuant to House Resolution 206, and to "United States Policy in the Korean Crisis," Publication 3922, Far Eastern Series 34, Department of State, for information relative to the situation in Korea to the dates of their publication in July 1950. This compilation does not duplicate the material contained in those publications, but supplements them by presenting (1) the text of communications providing the basis for the present inquiry, (2) a chronology of significant events pertinent to such inquiry prepared by the Legislative Reference Service, and (3) the text of certain statements and communications pertaining to the subject of this inquiry. This compilation represents an initial effort to assemble reference materials which may be of assistance to the committees in the conduct of their study. Undoubtedly it is incomplete in many respects, but no source material (other than that contained in the publications referred to above) available to the staff at the date of printing has been omitted. Fragmentary material, and items for which a complete and authentic text was not available at the time of this printing, have been excluded. In the preparation of this compilation the staff has not undertaken to supply any analysis or evaluation of the materials contained herein. RICHARD B. RUSSELL, Chairman. 3357 COMPILATION OF CERTAIN PUBLISHED INFORMATION ON THE MILITARY SITUATION IN THE FAR EAST I. 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 [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, RICHARD B. RUSSELL, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services. 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? |