795.00/4–1851
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Officer in Charge of Korean Affairs (Emmons)
Subject: Strengthening of the Korean Armed Forces
| Participants: | Colonel Ben C. Limb, Former Foreign Minister and Korean Observer at the United Nations |
| Mr. Sae Sun Kim, Counselor, Korean Embassy | |
| Mr. Pyo Wook Han, First Secretary, Korean Embassy General Omar Bradley, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff | |
| Mr. Arthur B. Emmons, 3rd, Officer in Charge, Korean Affairs |
The former Korean Foreign Minister, Colonel Ben C. Limb, called on General Bradley at noon today by prior appointment. After thanking General Bradley for the tremendous assistance which the U.S. is rendering to the Korean people at great sacrifice in the present conflict, Colonel Limb stated that his principal concern in talking with the General at this time related to the desire of President Rhee to make the maximum utilization of the resources of trained Korean manpower which is now available for employment in combat.
Colonel Limb explained that President Rhee had in mind the immediate formation of an additional ten divisions of ROK troops provided that sufficient arms could be acquired with which to equip them. He explained that there are now in training in Korea some 300,000 men of military age and that another 200,000 had recently been released from the training camps to return to civilian life, but remain subject to recall. All of these men have received basic military training in some degree, although insufficient weapons had been available for them to have experience with the use of small arms. Colonel Limb stressed the determination of the Korean people and the anxiety of Korean youth to throw their weight into the conflict and pointed out that through the increased use of Korean manpower, the heavy responsibilities now resting with non-Korean UN forces in Korea could be lessened. He also stressed the importance of building up Korean armed strength for future defense.
General Bradley referred to the reports we have received of the fine [Page 363] performance which the ROK forces and the Korean people have shown in the campaign in Korea. He asked Colonel Limb at what date the last ROK division had been activated. Colonel Limb replied that it had been in October of 1950, adding that there were now ten ROK divisions in the field. General Bradley then asked whether the training program to which Colonel Limb had alluded was sufficient only to provide replacements for the maintenance of the full strength of the present ROK divisions or whether that program could also provide an excess for the formation of the additional divisions. Colonel Limb answered that there was a very considerable excess of manpower available which was not immediately required in the normal replacement program.
General Bradley explained that the question of utilizing additional Korean manpower in the present conflict had been taken up some time ago by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and that, in fact, a memorandum [message] on this subject to General MacArthur had recently been published.1 He stated that the requirements for equipment to maintain the level of military action in Korea have been very heavy and that, shortly after the JCS memorandum [message] under reference had been written, a general retreat from north Korea had taken place, during the course of which the UN forces had lost a very considerable proportion of their weapons; the urgency of replacing these had overridden any other considerations at that time. The General added that inasmuch as several months had now passed, it would be necessary to make a new check of the various factors which would be involved in any program such as that suggested by Colonel Limb. He explained that it would be necessary, for instance, to obtain full details and information from the ROK as to the various aspects of their program; it would also be essential to have the opinion of Generals Ridgway and Van Fleet on the question, as well as to carry out a survey in this country of the availability of matériel which might be required.
The General pointed out that the formation of a new division requires not only the necessary small arms for the combat troops but also supporting weapons and other equipment sufficient to fill out the divisional organization. He suggested that Colonel Limb suggest to his Government that it consult with Generals Ridgway and Van Fleet as to what information might be required of it and that when such information could be made available, the ROK might wish to forward it through General Coulter, as Deputy Commander,2 or through its diplomatic mission in Washington via the State Department. General Bradley stated that the Department of Defense would [Page 364] be willing to review the whole question when the necessary information had been compiled, which might require some time, but that he could give no assurance as to a final decision at this stage. He stressed that such a decision would ultimately have to be made at the top governmental level, taking all factors into consideration; and repeated that he could make no commitment at the present time.
Colonel Limb then raised the question of training sufficient officers to provide cadres for the newly formed divisions if they were brought into being. He stated that of course the standards of officer training in Korea were, of necessity, much below those in the U.S. but that considerable progress had been already made in the more basic type of officer training. He wondered whether, in view of the inadequacy of such training for full command responsibilities, the Department of Defense could not assign officers from the retired list to take command positions in the new ROK divisions.
General Bradley replied that it might not be possible to assign such officers except as volunteers, but referred to the fact that the Korean Military Advisory Group was already carrying out training functions with the regular ROK army units. He said that the Department of Defense would be glad to consider any suggestions which might be put forward on this question, pointing out, however, that here again a policy decision would be required and that he could make no commitment at this stage.
In closing the conversation Colonel Limb stated that he would appreciate an opportunity to keep in touch with General Bradley on these two proposals. General Bradley agreed that this might be generally desirable but suggested that it might be well to handle such matters through the Department of State.