Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Korea, Volume VII

795B.5/8–850

Memorandum by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Merchant) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Rusk)¹

secret

[Washington,] August 8, 1950.

I am putting down in outline form below a qualitative estimate of progress and prospects for UN military aid offers.

I. The following countries have provided military combat units already integrated into the Korean operation:

UK (naval and carrier)

Australia (naval and air force)

New Zealand (naval)

Netherlands (naval)

France (naval)

Canada (naval, military air transport)

II. The following countries have offered military aid in one form or another; the offer has been officially welcomed by the US and discussions have started or been arranged for between their representatives and The Pentagon:

Union of South Africa (fighter squadron)

Australia (combat troops)

New Zealand (combat troops)

India (army hospital unit)

Thailand (4,000 combat troops)

Turkey (4,500 combat troops)

(The Joint Chiefs of Staff have not yet decided whether or not they will be able or wish to utilize the Thai and Turk offers)²

UK (Combat troops)

Greece (air transport)

China (combat troops—refused by Unified Command for military reasons)

Belgium (air transport—accepted)

III. With some hope of success, we are actively encouraging ground troop offers from the following countries:

France

Philippines

Pakistan

IV. There appears no prospect of any troop offers from the Arab League.

V. There appears no prospect of troop offers from the Scandinavian countries, with the possible exception of Norway. Norway, however, has offered merchant tonnage and Sweden a self-contained hospital unit, both of which offers have been accepted and are in process of being integrated into the needs of the Unified Command. Denmark is considering offering a hospital ship.

VI. There appears no immediate prospect of troop offers from any of the Latin American Republics. We are encouraging offers from Brazil, Mexico and Argentina which ARA considers the only countries in this group which conceivably could offer national units which would meet the minimum requirements of the Unified Command. An alternative would be to organize, equip and train mixed divisions or larger units from individual volunteers from Latin American countries. ARA has prepared a NSC paper at my suggestion on this general subject, which paper is now in the process of Departmental consideration.³

VII. There appears no prospect for the present of additional troop offers from any Asian countries.

VIII. The following countries may offer troops or other military aid which would be welcomed but would have to be considered for actual employment.

Italy (small naval vessel)

Belgium (token troop unit)

Netherlands (token troop unit)

Norway (token troop unit)

IX. Volunteers have been offered by certain governments, such as the Philippines, Costa Rica and Panama, and on an individual basis in many countries. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, however, have decided that they do not wish to incorporate alien volunteers, including Filipinos, in US forces at this time. The Secretary General of the United Nations and UNA in the Department are urgently studying the possibility of recruiting, arming and training a United Nations Legion. This proposal is expected to come up for discussion at the General Assembly next month.

1. A manuscript note in the source text indicated that Mr. Acheson saw this memorandum.
2. On August 10, Secretary of Defense Johnson informed Mr. Acheson of the views of the JCS, with which he concurred, that the Thai and Turkish offers be accepted (795B.5/8–1050).
3. Related documentation is scheduled for publication in volume i.