Office of the Historian

Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 71

Memorandum for the Files by the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Merchant)

top secret
[Washington,] September 22, 1951.

At 7:45 this morning Colonel Addleman, duty officer in Admiral Davis’ office, called me to say that there was a “hot” message in from General Ridgway and that he was sending a copy over for me by special messenger. Our watch officer called me about an hour later to say that the message had been received from the Pentagon. I asked him to inform both Mr. Nitze and Mr. Bohlen immediately by telephone its gist, and said that I would be right down to pick up the message. A few minutes later he called to inform me that General Bradley’s office had called to say that he would be in touch with me shortly. The message in question is C51347.1

I called Colonel Addleman to see if we were to meet with the JCS [Page 931] and he told me that it was hoped that the matter would be handled telegraphically and that he understood the draft reply concerning which General Bolte would call me shortly agreed to the re-insertion by General Ridgway of the two deleted paragraphs.

Meanwhile, I had consulted with Mr. Nitze and Mr. Wainhouse and we were agreed that Ridgway had a valid point in his desire to keep the record straight in light of the implications of the Communist note. Accordingly, we were agreed that it was not only acceptable but probably desirable to retain paragraphs 2 and 3 provided that the purple adjectives which gave it a necessarily truculent tone were deleted.

Soon after 10:00 General Bolte called and read me the text of the proposed reply which had been approved by the JCS. The message in substance accepted General Ridgway’s point of view and authorized him to retain in his message the substance of paragraphs 2 and 3 provided they were stated in dispassionate language for the reasons given in paragraph 3 of the JCS message sent out last night. General Bolte said that this was a reproof which General Ridgway would understand and that the Chiefs were satisfied that he would moderate the tone acceptably.

I approved the message for the Department. Mr. Nitze and Mr. Wainhouse concurred.

General Bolte said that accordingly this message would be submitted to Secretary Lovett2 for his approval.3

Livingston T. Merchant
  1. Supra; because of the time difference, this message had arrived in Washington early on September 22.↩
  2. Robert A. Lovett had succeeded, as Secretary of Defense, George C. Marshall who resigned on September 12.↩

  3. The message was sent to Tokyo in telegram JCS 82202, September 22, which read as follows:

    “From JCS, Secy sends.

    “Reur C 51347. This msg in two parts.

    “Part I. JCS concur that your answer to Communists should not imply agreement to the various points expressed and implied in Communist msg of 19 Sep. Accordingly, you are authorized to incorporate essence of second and third paras of your initial proposed answer (C 51315) dispassionately stated for the reason given in para 3 JCS 82147.

    “Part II. Your proposal to meet on 24 Sep or as soon thereafter as practicable is acceptable.” (Black Book, Tab 73)

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