Evening star., 1951-05-06
Continued from Page A-27.)

o@oCA fdClOLl IIldC tQe crop
ping OF an Iron Curtain along tn
noroers OF a satellite country
part OF the Russian pattern?
Gen. MacArthur.-Com
Senator Morse.-Is it not tru,
as you have already indicated, il
your testimony, that following tn
dropping of that Iron Curtai
along the 38th parallel, there wa
trained, in North Korea. or pos
Slbly on the other side of tn
Yalu, Communist forces, maxim
use of North Koreans that ha,
previously served in the Manchur
ian Army, and that when tn
Russians subsequently made thei
great worldwide propaganda ges
ture OF removing their forces from
North Korea, this RuSsian-traine,
communist force of North Korean
moved into North Korea?
Gen. MacArthur.-Shortly after.
wards, yes, sir.
Senator MorSe.-IS it not trut
that during the entire time tha
this Communist army was alons
the 38th parallel, the United State.
was carrying on a military pro-
gram in South Korea which con.
sisted, for the most part of train
ing what might be characterized as
a police force for the handling OF
internal disturbances within South
Korea?
Gen. Macarthur. - Largly so,
yes
Reds in Better Position.
Senator Morse.-As a result of
the great differences between Rus
sian policy in North Korea. and
American policy in South Korea,
is it not true that when the break
through that started the Korean
war, occurred, the North Koreans
were in a much more powerful
military position than were the
South Koreans?
Gen. MacArthur.-Very much
more so.
Senator Morse.-Is it true, Cen
eral, as far as supplying military
equipment to the South Koreans
during the period of so-called
American occupation of South
Korea, that the decisions as to the
supplying of military equipment
did not rest with your command,
but rested with Washington?
Gen. MacArthur.-Correct.
Senator Morse.-Now, General,
do you recall whether or not
prior to the Korean outbreak, a
request was made of you, for the
release of military supplies and
equipment from Japan, for imme-
dlate shipment to South Korea
by General Lemnitzer?
Gen. MacArthur.-I have no
recollection of it.
Senator MorSe-At the time of
the North Korean aggression. it
was necessary for us to shortly
thereafter send American troops
into Korea.
Am correct in my understand
Ing that after your personal re-
connalssance, based upon a mes
sage or directive from Washington
you came to the conclusion that
the South Koreans couldn't pos
slbly hold along the line of the
nreak-through, and that it was
subsequent to your personal recon-
nalssance that the Presidents
previous directive was changed to
include the sending of ground
troops into Korea?
Gen. MacArthur-That is nv
recollection.
Presidents First Order.
Senator MorSe-It is true. is it,
not, that the Presidents order in
the first instance was to make use
of Air Force and Navy force in
support of the South Koreans and
the first order did not include
ground troops.
Gen. Macarthur - The first
order, as I recall, Senator, directed
that we should use the Air and
Navy and also had the directive
that we should hold the beachhead
at Pusan.
AS recall, reported back after
my reconnaissance that it would
be Impossible to hold that beach
head without the use of ground
troops.
Senator Morse-After your per-
sonal reconnaissance you saw the
situation there and recognized
that you couldn't hold the Pusan
beachhead, which order to YOU
was contained in the first direc-
tive. unless you used ground forces
to do it, and you SO recommended
to Washington. and that recon- /
mendatlon included authorization
to use those ground forces, if YOU
were going to use them, wherever
you thought it was best to use
them in order to protect a beach,
head at PuSan.
Gen. MacArthur-That is cor
rect. sir. The estimate that must
have been made in Washington.
that the South Korean troops,
ground troops, with the assistance
OF our Navy and air, would be
sufficient to accomplish our mis-
sion of establishing a beachhead. |
was erroneous. The South Korean
troops did not have the power to
do it. The air and the navy. as
auXilliarieS to them. did not bring
up sufficient power to hold that
beachhead.
10 carry out that mission we
had to use.our troops. AS a matter
Of fact, we had to use them in
great profuSion, as you know,
later.