Evening star., 1951-06-12

"The cohesive element that en-.
abled them to win at that tim,
was Christianity, in my judgment
and we have got to have faith ant
we have got to have conviction II
what we are doing or we arr
going to lose this struggle witt
communism"
China was completed to 90 tt
Korea. How much time did yol
spend in Korea?
Gen. Wedemeyer. Just about II
days. sir.
, Senator johnson. When wa.
that?
Gen. Wedemeyer. That wa!
Immediately after my survey ir
China: and from Korea, you viii
note, Sir. that I was instructed tx
consult with representatives o.
the Government including Gen
Macarthur, so I went to Tokyo
first in August and had a confer.
Ience with Gen. Macarthur con.
cerning his views about Korea. :.
Senator Johnson. Wher
were you last in Korea?
Gen. Wedemeyer. The sprins
of '49 I went out there with thu
Secretary of the Army. just as {
member of his group, Secretary
Royal. was in Korea twice
before this mission. Senator. :.
Senator Johnson So yol
made four visits to Korea?
Gen. Wedemeyer-That is cor.
rect. sir.
Senator JohnSon-...G -. General
did you agree with our decision
to withdraw our troops from
Korea?
Gen. Wedemeyer-I did sir.
1t was done for economic reasons
Senator. At that time economy
was paramount in the Army anc
we were reduced as I recall it tt
$4,000 in the Army and it was
question Of not having the bodies
to go around.
We left four divisions, fou,
greatly decreased in strength
divisions in Japan, and we hao
one plus in Europe, and we five
very small divisions in this coun.
Try.
Senator Morse. General
do you share the point of view OF
the Joint Chiefs Of Staff, as they
have testified, that on the basis
of the representations made to
them and their knowledge of the
relationships between Gen. Mac
Arthur and, the President of the
United States, that they concurred
in his recall? Do you share thei,
concurrence?
Gen. Wedemeyer-I just can't
give you a categorical yes or nc
to that, because, Senator Morse
there were a lot of data or there
is a lot of background in connec-
ton with his relief that I think
possibly hasn't even been pre-
sented to this committee.
In my judgment, when the
Commander in Chief loses conf
dence in or feels that he has a
commander in a remote area who
is not carrying out his orders, it
is incumbent upon that Com
mander in Chief to relieve him.
Now. the manner in which it Is
done. sir, is something else, and
I think most Americans feel un-
happy about the way it was done.
I certainly do.
But there is no doubt in my
mind If President Truman had
lost confidence in Gen. MacAr-
thurs capacity to carry out orders
faithfully to the best of his ability,
then he should have been relieved.
Now, it is a moot question, sir,
reading the testimony, as to
whether or not he did fail to carry
out the military orders. In my
mind, after reading carefully all
OF the testimony of the prior wit
nesses-of course, Senator, Gen,
Macarthur states categorically
that he never in all his service
failed to carry out an order. So
that Is why am not able to an
swer you categorically yes O,
no. -.
Also Had Difficulties.
I would like to say this, Sena.
tor. I was in command of tn,
Chinese theater, as you know, tn,
last two years of the war. Now
it is this want to say-that
had a very difficult time to ge
directions from appropriate au.
thorities in this country. Situa.
tions were developing involvin.
political, economic and psyche,
logical matters-and I would sene
radiogram after radiogram re.
questing guidance, because, as
said this morning, 1 think 9
civilian should formulate ane
enunciate policy.
Now, a commander is compelled
to take action in his theater thai
actually generates foreign policy
in the absence of direction from
home. And that is what happened
to me when I was in command
there. I mean, I had brigands O,
Chinese Communists that were
killing my boys, and I Just tool
the bull by the horns because j
could not get appropriate guild.
ance and instructions from home
and I ordered my men to shoot
back.
Senator Morse. Let lis pe
to one of the incidents on which
I understand the. President LAYS
great stress, and my understands
ing is based only on testimony in
the record. that when Gen. Mae
Arthur issued what has been re-