Memorandum of Conversation

NLT(KOREA/SD)460 S/S 64 fruit s/s-r 7485 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 3.9 Memorandum of Conversation TOP GEORET DATE: May 16, 1951 SUBJECT: Australian Views on Retaliatory Bombing of Manchurian Air Bases PARTICIPANTS: Mr. Colin Moodie, Charge d'Affaires, Australian Embassy Mr. David McNichol, First Secretary, Australian Embassy FE - Mr. Rusk BNA - Mr. Shullaw COPIES TO: s/s(2) EUR - Mr. Allen G BNA S/P UNA FE American Embassy, Canberra EUR (2) GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 61120-1 Mr. Moodie, Australian Charge d'Affaires, called on me today to deliver an aide-memoire, copy attached, setting forth the Australian views on the subject of retaliatory bombing of Manchurian air bases. Mr. Moodie said this matter had been considered by the new Australian Cabinet in its first meeting on May 11. The Australian Government accepts in principle the view that if massive air attacks from Manchurian bases occur, counter attacks upon such bases may have to be made. Furthermore, Australia recognizes that it might be impracticable for the U.S. to consult all fourteen countries concerned before taking counter action, but it neverthe- less assumes that the U.S. will do its utmost to consult Australia in advance. Mr. Moodie in elaborating on the aide-memoire said that his Government believed any massive air attack, in order to warrant retaliatory action, should be of such a character as to seriously endanger U.N. forces. Mr. Moodie agreed, in response to a question which I raised concerning the meaning of the phrase "seriously endanger", that an enemy attack which jeopardized the effective operation of U.N. forces would warrant retaliatory bombing. The Australian Government, Mr. Moodie said, believes that counter attacks should be limited to the bases from which the enemy aircraft came and to the aircraft themselves whe rever they might be found. He added that Australian acceptance in principle DECLASSIFIED of STATE DEPT. LTR. 12.1-f3 FOR SHORED Project NLT 7f-7 NARS, Date 12-12-13 137 By NLT- He