Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Korea and China, Volume VII, Part 1

795.00/3–2151: Telegram

The Commander in Chief, United Nations Command (MacArthur) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff

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Tokyo, March 21, 1951—2:53 p. m.

C–58203. Reurmsg JCS 86276.¹ Recommend that no further military restrictions be imposed upon the United Nations Command in Korea.

The inhibitions which already exist should not be increased. The military disadvantages arising from restrictions upon the scope of our Air and Naval operations coupled with the disparity between the size of our command and the enemy ground potential renders it completely impracticable to attempt to clear North Korea or to make any appreciable effort to that end. My present directives, establishing the security of the command as the paramount consideration, are adequate to cover the 2 points raised by the State Department.

1. Dated March 20, p. 251.