Korea
201. Letter From Secretary of State Rusk to Secretary of Defense McNamara
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 66 A 3542, Korea 013. Confidential.
202. Report by Hugh D. Farley of the International Cooperation Administration to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow)
Source: Kennedy Library, President’s Office Files, Countries Series, Korea, Security 1961-1963. No classification marking. In a covering letter to Rostow, Farley explained that he was submitting this report at the request of Arthur Schlesinger after a discussion with McGeorge Bundy. No other record of that discussion has been found. Farley told Rostow that the following read, contributed to, and supported his conclusions: Donald MacDonald, Department of State Officer in Charge of Korean Affairs; Major General Charles E. Bonesteel, Secretary of the General Staff; Robert Kinney, Korean Civilian Intelligence Officer, Department of Defense; Robert M. Macy, Chief of the International Division, Bureau of the Budget; William J. Sheppard, Regional Director for Far Eastern Operations, International Cooperation Administration; and James Cooley, Special Assistant to the Director of ICA. Farley stated that JCS Chairman General Lemnitzer would strongly support his conclusions, and that the CIA was concerned about Korea. According to Farley, the new ICA Director, Henry R. Labouisse, had heard an oral briefing, but was not prepared to support the report until further study.
203. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, General, 1/61-3/61. Secret. In a March 9 memorandum to Rostow, Komer suggested that the Kennedy administration not confine itself “to the political-economic aspects Hugh Farley dusts off so nicely, but hit the military angle too. For too many years a disportionate share of MAP dollars has been going to maintain huge ROK forces far beyond the likely need.” (Ibid.)
204. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow) to President Kennedy
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Affairs, Countries Series, Korea, General, 1/61-3/61. Confidential. Rostow had asked Robert Johnson of the NSC Staff for advice on Korea in light of Farley’s report. Johnson responded in a March 15 memorandum to Rostow supporting Farley’s proposals. Johnson wondered if Farley’s “procedural device of sending a special emissary” was as important as it was for the United States to identify itself dramatically with reform and progress in Korea. If the President agreed, Johnson recommended that the Department of State be asked to make recommendations on how to approach the ROK on reform. (Ibid.)
205. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Ball) to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.5-MSP/3-2061. No classification marking. Drafted by J. Robert Schaetzel of Ball’s office.
206. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, General, 1/61-3/61. Secret. According to a note on the cover sheet, the Central Intelligence Agency and intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, Defense, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Joint Staff participated in the preparation of this estimate. All members of the USIB concurred with this estimate on March 21 except the representatives of the AEC and the FBI, who abstained on the grounds that the subject was outside their jurisdiction.
207. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/4-161. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Peterson, Jenkins, and MacDonald; cleared in substance with Vettel and Bane of NA, and in draft by Bacon; cleared by Steeves; and approved by Peterson.
208. Memorandum From Robert H. Johnson of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, General, 4/1/61-5/25/61. Confidential.
209. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.95B7/2-2861. Confidential. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD. Drafted by Manhard and William Lang of DOD/ISA; cleared by Bane, Steeves, Salans of L/FE, Huang of L/SFP, and Gilpatric of Defense; and approved by Ball.
210. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/4-1161. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Tokyo and to CINCPAC for POLAD.
213. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, U.S. Forces Korea (Magruder) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, Cables, 1/20/61-5/17/61. Confidential. Repeated to the White House, which is the source text, and passed to Ottawa, where President Kennedy was making a State visit to Canada May 16-18. Also repeated to CINCPAC, the Embassy, USIS, and USOM in Seoul, and 16 U.S. military commanders in East Asia.
214. Telegram From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Lemnitzer) to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Forces Korea (Magruder)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, Cables, 1/20/61-5/17/61. Secret. Repeated to CINCPAC.
215. Telegram From the Department of State to Secretary of State Rusk at Geneva
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/5-1661. Confidential; Niact. Drafted by Manhard; cleared by Bacon and William B. Coolidge, Chief of the East Asia Division of INR; and approved by McConaughy. Repeated to Ottawa, Bangkok for Vice President Johnson, Athens, Taipei, Tokyo, and Paris TOPOL. Rusk was in Geneva for the opening sessions of the Geneva Conference on Laos.
216. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/5-1661. Secret; Niact. Drafted by McConaughy, cleared with Bacon and Jenkins, and approved by McConaughy. Repeated to Tokyo, Geneva for Rusk, and Ottawa for the Presidential visit.
217. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Dulles to President Kennedy
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI/ER Files, Job 80-B0176R, White House, Jan.-June 1961. Secret. Drafted by [text not declassified] Directorate of Plans, Far East Division, [text not declassified], on May 15. Sent to the White House under cover of a May 16 memorandum from J.S. Earman to Clifton.
218. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, United Nations Command (Magruder) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Lemnitzer)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, Cables, 1/20/61-5/17/61. Secret. Repeated to CINCPAC and to the Department of State as UK 70316CC. (Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/5-1761)
219. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/5-1761. Secret; Niact. Repeated to Ottawa for the Presidential visit and Geneva for Rusk.
220. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Bowles to President Kennedy
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/5-1861. Secret. Drafted by James A. Klemstine of NA and cleared by Bacon, McConaughy, William Bundy, and Lemnitzer.
221. Memorandum From Robert H. Johnson of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Rostow)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, General, 4/1/61-5/25/61. Secret. A note by Johnson on the source text indicates that he discussed the action described here with McConaughy in a telephone conversation on May 23.
222. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/5-2361. Secret; Niact. Drafted and approved by McConaughy.
223. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, United Nations Command (Magruder) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Lemnitzer), in Paris
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, Cables, 5/25/61-5/31/61. Secret; Exclusive. Also sent to General Bonesteel in Washington. Lemnitzer was in Paris for discussions at SHAPE Headquarters May 22-26. (National Defense University, Lemnitzer Papers, Journal, L-419-71)
224. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Department of State, INR/EAP Files: Lot 90 D 110. Secret. According to a note on the cover sheet, the Central Intelligence Agency and intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, Defense, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Joint Staff participated in the preparation of this estimate. All members of the USIB concurred with this estimate except the representatives of the AEC and the FBI, who abstained on the grounds that the subject was outside their jurisdiction.
225. Memorandum by Robert H. Johnson of the National Security Council Staff
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, General, 6/61. Secret. The 85-page long Task Force Report is ibid., 6/5/61, Task Force Report. For a summary and revision of the recommendations of the report as approved by the President and the National Security Council, see Document 230.
226. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, Staff Memoranda, Komer. Secret. Also sent to Rostow.
227. Memorandum by Robert H. Johnson of the National Security Council Staff
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, General, 6/61. Secret.
229. Notes of the 485th Meeting of the National Security Council
Source: Johnson Library, Vice Presidential Security File, National Security Council (III). Although no drafter is indicated on the source text, these notes were prepared by Howard L. Burris, Vice President Johnson’s military aide.
230. Record of National Security Council Action No. 2430
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, NSC Meeting No. 485. Secret. This NSC action was taken at the 485th meeting of the Council on June 13 and approved by the President that same day. NSC Action No. 2429 was taken at the same meeting.