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

795.00/7–251: Telegram

The Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Far East (Ridgway)

top secret
operational immediate

Washington, July 2, 1951—6:04 p. m.

JCS 95438. From JCS for CINCUNC eyes only. Personal for Ridgway. Foll msg in 3 parts reur CX 66160,¹ C 66126,² C 66128,³ CX 66183 and CX 66188,⁴ and JCS 95354.⁵

Part I. Reur CX 66183, the version transmitted in Mandarin from Peiping, as translated in Washington before Peiping broadcast in English, is in agreement with version later transmitted in English from Peiping, and is accepted as official by State and Defense. It reads as follows: “Your statement of June 30 this year concerning peace talks has been received. We are authorized to inform you that we agree to meet your representative for conducting talks concerning cessation of military action and establishment of peace. We propose that the place of meeting be in the area of Kaesong on the 38th Parallel; if you agree, our representatives are prepared to meet your representatives between July 10 and 15, 1951.”

Part II. Your reply to Kim Il Sung and Peng Teh-Huai should be along the following lines:

“I have received your reply to my message of 30 June.

“I am prepared for my representatives to meet yours at Kaesong on July 10 or at an earlier date if your representatives complete their preparations before that date.

“Since agreement on Armistice terms has to precede cessation of hostilities, delay in initiating the meetings and in reaching agreement will prolong the fighting and increase the losses.”

You are at liberty to make such minor changes in above quoted dispatch as you desire, except that last para thereof should not be materially altered.

Foll is for your guidance:

a. We must not appear eager to advance date of mtg and therefore you should not urge an earlier mtg.

b. Mention of 38th Parallel must be avoided in the mil discussions or in msgs referring to the place of the proposed mtg.

c. Your proposed agenda for the mtg is considered to be satisfactory.

d. Your idea that a preliminary mtg should be held is concurred in. You are authorized to make any arrangements for such preliminary meeting as you desire.

e. If titles other than “General” are used to address your msg to Kim Il Sung and Peng Teh-Huai, refer to the latter as the “Commanding General, Chinese Communist Forces in Korea” and not as “Commander of the Chinese Volunteers.”

f. Delegation proposed by you is satisfactory, but should be reviewed by you when composition of the Communist Delegation is known.

g. There must be no relaxation in mil effort on our part until proper arrangements for cessation of hostilities have been agreed upon as contained in the Armistice terms.

h. Provisions of JCS 95354 continue to apply. Note particularly Para 4 A, with respect to phrase in enemy msg which reads “and establishment of peace.”

Part III. Reur C 66128, your proposed reply to Min Pyun is satisfactory except that the last sentence should be modified to read: “You realize, of course, that such questions as your Govt has raised in this letter are beyond my purview as Mil Cdr and should be, as I assume that they have been discussed on the Governmental levels.”

1. Dated July 1, p. 607.
2. Not printed.
3. Not printed. In this message, dated July .1, General Ridgway informed the Joint Chiefs of Staff of his intention to tell the Korean Foreign Minister, who had forwarded to Ridgway the five basic conditions for a cease-fire (see footnote 1, p. 607), that such matters were beyond his purview as military commander and should be addressed to the U.N. Secretary-General (795.00/7–151).
4. Both dated July 2, pp. 609 and 610.
5. Dated June 30, p. 598.