Memorandum of Telephone Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson and Secretary of the Air Force Thomas Finletter

166 Between 14387 to S- m Battle DEPARTMENT OF STATE TOP SECRET THE SECRETARY over copy October 12, 1950 275 NOTES OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN SECRETARY ACHESON AND SECRETARY FINLETTER, OCTOBER 12, 1950 After explaining the location of the recent bombings which had taken place on Russian territory and territory close to Russia's frontier, and the location of the shelling which was taking place from the Battleship Missouri, Mr. Acheson said that left the question of whether the shelling should be taking place. He pointed out a memorandum on the blockade had said that operations should not take place north of the 41st parallel. The present location was nearly to the 42nd. The Secretary said he thought the whole question of the usefulness of such shelling should be raised with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with the state- ment that we are deeply concerned about the possibilities of such action. The Secretary said he did not see the logic of preventing ground action above the 41st and then allowing operations from the sea. He mentioned that on September 11 he had taken over to the President a memorandum on the bombing of Rashin, and that previously General Bradely and the Secretary had had a talk, in which the Secretary thought General Bradley decided that it was not a sensible thing to do, since the oil tanks located at Rashin were not very many compared with those at Vladivostok, which could not, of course, be bombed, but which could not, course, be bombod, but which could be used to make up the damage that would be caused by the UN Air Force bombing those at Rashin. Mr. Finletter said that his recollection was that there would be nothing but visual bombing. The Secretary said that it was not only a question of the danger of violating the frontier, but was the main point that we were getting into a very sensitive area, and the Russian reaction might be very serious. Mr. Finletter said he had thought the general philosophy was that we should not get into the narrow neck of Korea near the Chinese and Russian frontiers. He said MacArthur had agreed on a line, north of which he would have nothing but South Korean DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D.) DE Dept. 7.3.78 of State letter, PRATECT wur 78.49 By NLT. He NARS Date 7-28-2 E9P SEGRES