Evening star., 1951-06-14
Johnson Says Korea
Decision Was Made
On Acheson Motion
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Continued From First Page.)
and more Importantly Rus
sian Intervention" came up at the
Blair House meetings and that
I'VE Of the military recognized
1t as q calculated risk.
7. The Blair House dicussions
did not cover whether I'VE stopped
ut the 38th (ParalleD. we stopped
ut the Yalu River or what"
johnson Tells of Conference.
MIR. johnson said the decision
"to send the Navy and the Air
Force into that situation" in Ko-
rea was reached at conference
attended by the Presidents top
military and diplomatic advisers,
He pointed out that it was made
the day following the action Of
the United Nations In declaring
North Korea was an aggressor.
Chairman Russell of the inves-
tigating committee wanted to
know If the decision was made in
connection with the use of Navy
and Air Forces to evacuate Ameri-
can nationals from Korea or was
pursuant to the resolution of the
United Nations" adopted on June
as.
Mr.. johnson replied that at
was taken for granted" at a Blair
House conference on June Is that
whatever was necessary to evac-
uate Americans would be done" !"
The decision to use the air and
naval forces was reached the fol-
lowing day.
The witness said that at the
June 26 conference, he announced
that unless the President objected
he would put Gen. Macarthur in
charge.
Situation Under Secrecy.
prior to that time" Mr.. John
son added, because of the secrecy
Of the situation, Gen. Macarthur
had not been communicated with
officially. nor. so far as I know.
personally, nor had his opinion
been asked"
Mr.. johnson said he asked
Army Secretary Pace, Gen. Brad
ley and Gen. Collins, Army Chief
of Staff, to notify Gen. Mac
Arthur of the decision and that
the responsibility was his and ito
give us his recommendations"
ST can still see the report of
that conversation" Mr.. johnson
added. Gen. Macarthur ac-
cepted the authority. had no
recommendations.
1.-TWO or three days later there
came the recommendation that
all would be abortive, that moth
ing would be accomplished unless
ground troops were used"
Decision Made Quickly.
Mr.. johnson said the recon-
mendation came from Gen. Mac
Arthur and within "a hours !. /.
the decision was made to use the
divisions in Japan" -
Mr.. johnson testified that at
the June 26 Blair House confer
ence. the decision also was reached
to employ the 7th Fleet between
China and Formosa. He added
that this, too, was on the motion
Of Mr.. Acheson.
Then Mr.. johnson recited long
standing differences between the
defense establishment and the
State Department over the i'm
portance OF Formosa and what
steps should be taken to keep ii
from falling into enemy hands,
At the June 26 conference, he
explained, the State Department
mo longer opposed doing the
things to keep Formosa from fall
ing into unfriendly hands"
Political Grounds" Involved.
Shortly after Chang Kai-shek
set up headquarters for the Ma
tionalist regime on Formosa in
December, 1949, Mr.. johnson re-
lated. the Joint Chiefs reviewed
the situation and suggested. after
some discussion, that a military
mission should be sent to Formoss
to "get the exact facts"
Mr.. Johnson said he discussed
the matter with Mr.. Truman and
while the President did not dis
agree with the military considera-
tions," he learned that Mr.. Tru-
man would decide with the State
Department ION political grounds. >
Senator Russell insisted that Mr.
johnson give the reasons why Sec
retary Acheson objected to a pro-
posal for a military mission tc
Fornosa.
"He felt that we would lose face
with other governments in Asia
whose friendship and support We
needed" Mr.. johnson testified
after some little delay. That Il
might be adversely construed ir
Japan itself; that he really wantec
to have nothing to do with the
Nationalist government
'Violent Discussion" Recalled.
Mr.. johnson said that the "olil!
really violent discussion" Secretar.
Acheson and he ever had tool
place at the June 25 meeting dis
cussing the Korean matter. H
added that the President indicated
The Wedtht