Office of the Historian

795B.5/6–2950

The Secretary of State to the Chinese Ambassador (Koo)1

Aide-Mémoire

In response to the request contained in the Chinese Embassy’s Aide-Mémoire of June 29, 1950,2 the appropriate authorities of the Government [Page 277] of the United States have given consideration to the expression of willingness on the part of the Government of the Republic of China to furnish ground forces for service in Korea in support of the United Nations.

The Secretary of State desires to inform His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of China of the deep appreciation of the United States Government for this prompt and substantial demonstration of support for the United Nations on the part of the Government of the Republic of China. In light, however, of the threat of invasion of Taiwan by Communist forces from the mainland, a threat repeated in the last day or so by spokesmen for the Chinese Communist regime in Peiping, it is the view of the Government of the United States of America that it would be desirable for representatives of General MacArthur’s Headquarters to hold discussions with the Chinese military authorities on Taiwan concerning the plans for the defense of the island against invasion prior to any final decision on the wisdom of reducing the defense forces on Taiwan by transfer of troops to Korea. It is understood that General MacArthur’s Headquarters will be in communication with the appropriate Chinese military authorities on Taiwan with a view to the dispatch from Toyko of representatives of General MacArthur’s Headquarters for this purpose.3

Washington, July 1, 1950.
  1. A manuscript note in the source text by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Merchant) indicated that this note was approved in substance by Secretary of Defense Johnson and directly by General Bradley for the JCS, incorporating changes Bradley suggested, after which it was initialed by Mr. Acheson at 5:50 p. m.↩
  2. See the memorandum by Mr. Merchant, June 29, p. 239, and also the memorandum of conversation by Mr. Freeman, June 30, with the annexed aide-mémoire from the Chinese Embassy, p. 262.↩
  3. For related documentation, see vol. vi, pp. 256 ff.↩