Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, China and Japan, Volume XIV, Part 2

794C.0221/1–1154

No. 730
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)

confidential

[Washington,] January 11, 1954.

Dear Mr. Secretary: I have been concerned that the United States should adequately and responsibly perform the difficult task of conducting civil administration for the 700,000 alien people in the Japanese Treaty Islands still under our control. Not only do we owe it to the people themselves that we do a good job of administration, but we owe it to our position in the United Nations and before world opinion generally that we avoid any just criticisms of our performance. With these thoughts in mind I have had the draft Civil Affairs Directive thoroughly examined both inside and outside the Department of State. As a result of this examination, I am sending you under cover of this letter a proposed revision of the Directive.

I believe that you will find that the suggested changes are compatible with military requirements, and that you will be able to agree that the National Security Council should approve the Directive in the revised form, as enclosed.¹

In addition, I plan to suggest to the National Security Council that it should direct the Bureau of the Budget to prepare promptly an Executive Order which would formalize the delegation to the Department of Defense of administrative responsibility and serve as the public document providing a “bill of rights” for the Ryukyuan people and giving public evidence of the responsible manner in which the United States proposes to exercise its stewardship. Some of the language of the present Directive can no doubt be utilized in the Executive Order creating the United States Civil Administration. I hope that you will also be able to agree to the suggestion for the prompt preparation of such an Executive Order.²

Sincerely,

John Foster Dulles

1. Not found attached, the revision is printed infra.

2. The question of U.S. civil administration in the Ryukyu Islands was discussed at the NSC meeting held on Jan. 14. The Council’s consideration of this topic is summarized in the memorandum of discussion as follows:

   “Mr. Cutler informed the Council that while the State Department had finally sent to the Defense Department its views with regard to the administration of the Ryukyus, the State proposals were of such a character that the Defense Department had not yet recovered from the shock. Accordingly, they would want another month before this subject received final consideration by the National Security Council. After the laughter had subsided, the President said ‘Don’t tell me that the State Department wants to take over the civil administration of the Ryukyus.’

   “Secretary Kyes, still in a humorous vein, said that this appeared to be the essence of their proposal, but Secretary Dulles denied this, and said that State was merely proposing that the Governor of the Ryukyus be appointed by the President rather than by the Secretary of Defense.” (Memorandum drafted by Gleason on Jan. 15, Eisenhower Library, Eisenhower papers, Whitman file) For record of further action, see the extract from the memorandum of discussion at the NSC meeting held Feb. 17, Document 737.