Chapter 4 2. The intention of the United States

Zhou Enlai's warning to the United States immediately attracted the attention of the United States.U.S. Acting Secretary of State Webb sent an urgent message to Ambassador Henderson in India, asking him to ask India to tell the Chinese government that Zhou Enlai's speech "lacked legal and moral grounds."Johnson, deputy director of the Northeast Asian Affairs Office of the State Council, analyzed in a memorandum to Assistant Secretary of State Rusk that Zhou Enlai's speech should not be regarded as "blackmail" completely, and advocated that Syngman Rhee's troops should first cross the 38th parallel to try it out.

In fact, the U.S. authorities have been deliberating for a long time on the issue of whether the U.S. military has crossed the 38th parallel.As president, Truman was involved in the process. On July 14, 1950, Dulles, the State Council’s special adviser on the peace treaty with Japan, sent a letter to Nietzsche, director of the Policy Design Committee, saying that the 38th Parallel is by no means a political dividing line. The goal of the United States is to unify Korea. If there is an opportunity to remove this dividing line , of course the U.S. military should do this.If the U.S. military has the power to destroy it, it must destroy North Korean troops, even if doing so requires crossing the 38th parallel.This is the only way to eliminate the threat.

The U.S. military strongly advocates that the U.S. military cross the 38th parallel.The Ministry of National Defense put forward the "Memorandum of Action Policy on North Korea" on July 31, saying that in terms of military operations against North Korea's existing military power, the 38th parallel has no meaning, and the US military can cross the 38th parallel at any time.The memorandum stated that the U.S. military should try to occupy North Korea and defeat the North Korean army, regardless of whether the North Korean army was north or south of the 38th parallel.To achieve this goal, MacArthur did not have to consider the 38th Parallel issue when taking necessary military actions in North Korea.But all this assumes that the Soviet troops did not interfere.

MacArthur was even more active in advocating that the U.S. military cross the 38th parallel. When Army Chief of Staff Collins and Air Force Chief of Staff Vandenberg visited Tokyo in mid-July, MacArthur said to them: "I intend to destroy, not just drive back the North Korean army.  … ...I might have to take all of North Korea." The Joint Chiefs of Staff also believed that the North Korean army should be completely destroyed to prevent it from attacking South Korea again.They hoped to eliminate the North Korean army in South Korea, but they believed that MacArthur should not be limited to the 38th parallel.They demanded that the U.S. military occupy the entire North Korea to ensure free elections in North Korea.

At the same time, the United States began to disclose to the United Nations its intention to cross the 38th parallel and occupy all of North Korea, in order to obtain the consent of other allies. On August 17, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Austin made a tentative speech at the Security Council according to Acheson's instructions, emphasizing that after the North Korean attack was repelled and the "United Nations Army" successfully completed the operation, general elections should be held throughout North Korea to establish a unified government. The U.S. State Department discussed the "U.S. Policy Issues Concerning the Crossing of the 38th Parallel by the U.S. Army" many times, and after several revisions, it was sent to the National Security Council on August 23. On August 25, the National Security Council met to discuss the report.

The meeting focused on the question of whether the U.S. military would cross the 38th parallel in case China and the Soviet Union intervened.The meeting agreed that MacArthur had the right to carry out amphibious landing operations in northern North Korea, but the "United Nations Army" should keep a clear distance from the Soviet border.The Ministry of Defense has stated that the U.S. Navy and Air Force are not allowed to bomb areas 17 miles away from the Soviet border.U.S. ground forces are not allowed to cross the 39th parallel.The meeting suggested that the commander-in-chief of the "United Nations Army" be authorized to command ground troops to cross the 38th parallel, but keep a certain distance from the Sino-Soviet border. "The Commander-in-Chief must not give orders to proceed until he has reported to Washington.

On September 9, the National Security Council of the United States based on the report of the State Department on "U.S. Policy Issues Concerning the Crossing of the 38th Parallel by the US Army" and the recommendations of the National Security Council meeting.Drafted the National Security Council Document No. 81/1, namely the "Report on the Policy of Action toward North Korea."The main contents of this document are: 1. There is a legal basis for the UN forces to cross the 38th parallel to attack the North Korean army. MacArthur should be authorized to carry out military operations, including amphibious, airborne or ground operations north of the 38th parallel to destroy the North Korean armed forces.The premise of these operations is that when they are carried out, the Soviet Union or the Chinese Communist Party did not send a large number of troops to enter, did not declare their intention to enter North Korea, and did not issue a threat to defeat our military operation in North Korea.As a matter of policy no non-Korean troops were to be used in the northeastern provinces bordering the Soviet Union or near the Manchurian border, and MacArthur's troops were not allowed to cross the Soviet or Manchurian borders.

2. While the Joint Chiefs of Staff authorized MacArthur to occupy North Korea, his combat plan must be approved by the President and consulted with the allies. 3. Once China and the Soviet Union occupy North Korea at the same time, MacArthur should not conduct ground combat in North Korea, but should stand on the 38th parallel and continue to bomb North Korea. 4. Once the Soviet Union openly or quietly invests a large number of troops south of the 38th parallel, MacArthur should hold the line of defense as much as possible, but must not take actions that will make the situation more serious, and report to Washington quickly.If the United Nations Army is fighting north of the 38th parallel and a large number of Soviet troops are openly participating in the war, then MacArthur will take the same action as above.

5. The United States should not plunge itself into an all-out war with Communist China once the main force of China enters the war openly or covertly south of the 38th parallel.As long as there is a chance of resistance, the United States should continue to fight, and may consider authorizing MacArthur to conduct appropriate naval and air military operations against Communist China outside of North Korea. resolution.If the Soviet Union or China attempted to use a small force south of the 38th parallel, MacArthur should continue the current operation. 6. If there is no sign that there is a danger of conflict with China and the Soviet Union, and North Korea refuses to accept the "surrender terms" proposed by the United Nations Army, MacArthur should destroy the North Korean army and occupy northern North Korea.

Seventh, the south Korean government should be reorganized, and strong measures should be taken to deal with the communist elements, and at the same time help the south Korean government carry out social and economic reforms. On September 11, Truman officially approved the National Security Council Document No. 81/1.On September 27, the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued Directive No. 91801 to MacArthur to cross the 38th Parallel in accordance with Document No. 81/1. After the U.S. authorities made the decision to invade and occupy all of North Korea, they actively manipulated the United Nations to pass a corresponding resolution authorizing the U.S. military to cross the 38th parallel in an attempt to formally "legalize" the expansion of U.S. aggression.

On September 19, the U.S. authorities called the U.S. representative to the United Nations, stating that the purpose of the United States is to help North Korea achieve "freedom, independence and reunification" under the leadership of the United Nations; policy, the issue should be decided by the United Nations; the United Nations should continue to insist on a "unified" North Korea.The instructions require that the representative of the United States should emphasize to the UN General Assembly the necessity of implementing previous UN resolutions on the establishment of an "independent" and "unified" North Korea; and propose to the UN that the current government of South Korea is the only legal government of North Korea.The instruction also drew up a draft on the above content, requiring the representative of the United States to persuade representatives of other member states of the United Nations to agree to the draft. On September 21, Truman held a press conference in Washington.A reporter asked Truman: "Mr. President, when the U.S. military reaches the 38th parallel, have you decided on the next move of the U.S. military?" "No! I didn't make any decisions, because that should be decided by the United Nations. The US military is a part of the United Nations forces, military operations are decided by the United Nations, and I obey the decisions of the United Nations." Truman replied very simply. On September 22, the Far East Department of the US State Department wrote in a memorandum "Plan to End North Korea's Hostility": The political purpose of the United Nations in North Korea is to establish a completely independent and unified country in North Korea. …In order to be consistent with NSC Document 81/1, it is necessary for the UN Commander-in-Chief to obtain the consent of the UN Member States before authorizing the occupation of North Korea. At this time, Britain and France began to worry that the US military's crossing of the 38th parallel would "provoke" China and cause China to intervene in the Korean War.Once China intervenes in the Korean War, it may lead to an escalation of the war, leading to the outbreak of World War III. India also believes that the resolution of the UN Security Council requires the North Korean army to withdraw to the 38th parallel. Since the North Korean army has already withdrawn to the 38th parallel, the military operations of the UN troops should end and it is time for a negotiation. In addition, the Soviet Union returned to the Security Council on August 1 to actively seek a political solution to the North Korean issue.Under such circumstances, the United States is moving around inside and outside the United Nations to persuade other countries to support the US military in crossing the 38th parallel.Under the instigation of the United States, Britain, Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Cuba, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines and other countries formulated a proposal to be submitted to the United Nations in accordance with the intention of the US government.The proposal proposes the establishment of a committee for the reunification and revival of North Korea to support the US military in crossing the 38th parallel. Truman later wrote in his memoirs: On October 3, the State Department received many telegrams reporting the same thing: The Chinese Communist Party threatened to participate in the Korean War.Zhou Enlai, the current foreign minister of the Chinese Communist government, summoned the Indian ambassador to Peiping, Panikha, and told him that if the United Nations troops crossed the 38th parallel, China would send troops to aid the North Koreans.However, if only South Koreans cross the 38th parallel, China will not take action. . . . the same reports came from Moscow, Stockholm and New Delhi.However, there is a problem here: Mr. Pannica, who is related to this report, was a guy who often sympathized with the Chinese Communist Party in the past, so his words cannot be regarded as the words of an impartial observer.At best, it is nothing more than a megaphone for the Communist Party's propaganda.A proposal to take all appropriate steps to stabilize the situation across North Korea is pending in the UN General Assembly's Political Security Committee.If this bill is passed, then the UN commander must have the authority to fight in North Korea.The bill will be voted on the next day. It seems that Zhou Enlai's statement is just a threat to the United Nations, threatening to interfere in North Korea. Under Truman's instruction, Acting Secretary of State Webb sent a telegram on October 4 to US Ambassador to India Henderson, hoping to directly contact the Chinese Ambassador to India through the Indian government to convey the US government's intention that the US has no intention of conflicting with China. The United Nations occupation of North Korea will not endanger China's security.At the same time, it threatened China and said: "Don't underestimate the determination of the American people to fully support international peace in the Pacific region." Under the manipulation of the United States, the United Nations General Assembly passed the "Eight-Nation Proposal" proposed by the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Cuba, Norway, Pakistan, and the Philippines on October 7. Under occupation and under the supervision of UN agencies, so-called elections were held to "unify" North Korea.Proposal suggestions: (a) to take all appropriate steps to ensure the stability of the situation throughout Korea; (b) to take all acts of government organization, including the holding of elections under the auspices of the United Nations, in order to establish a unified, independent and democratic government within the sovereign state of Korea ; (c) Invite all strata and representative groups of the North and South Korean people to cooperate with United Nations agencies in the work of restoring peace, holding elections and establishing a unified government; Except as necessary for the objectives stipulated in the two paragraphs, United Nations troops shall not be stationed anywhere in Korea; (e) take all necessary measures to complete the economic revival of Korea.Proposal Resolution: Create a committee composed of Australia, Chile, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand and Turkey.Named as the United Nations Commission for Korean Reunification and Reconstruction: (1) to organize and perform duties to the United Nations Commission on North Korea; (2) to represent the United Nations in order to realize the establishment of a unified, independent and democratic government in Korea; (3) to use the General Assembly to obtain economic and social Various responsibilities related to North Korea's economy and recovery determined after the Council's recommendations.The United Nations Commission for the Restoration of Korean Unification should go to North Korea as soon as possible to start performing its duties, etc.