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229036672
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Newsweek Magazine Article, Why Stay in Korea? By General Carl A. Spaatz
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229036672
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document
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Newsweek Magazine Article, Why Stay in Korea? By General Carl A. Spaatz
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President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)
Korean War Files
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229036672
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12
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1951-03-12
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1951
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Savefor the President, Please
Bill
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
dead and Browning was lying on his side
next to him. Just before he died, he
squeezed Knippol's hand.
"Good-by, Bill," he said. Outside in the
Why Stay in Korea?
s TRATIONAL of
parked car, the baby slept still, unharmed
the
by the bullets which had whistled over
by Gen. CARL A. SPAATZ, U.S.A.F., Ret.
its head. Texas honor was satisfied.
S
EVERAL years ago, when the United
Korea can be held with limited ground
States was demobilized and mili-
troops, aided by air and naval supe-
TENNESSEE:
tarily bankrupt, Southern Korea was
riority. If this course is taken, the
written off as a strategic area that
Chinese Nationalist army now on For-
Relief From Relief
could not be held. But when the Com-
mosa, supplied and built up, will be a
munist coalition made a grab for it and
serious threat to the Chinese mainland.
The Stanfills were doing well. Joe Lee
Stanfill was drawing $50 a month from
the United Nations decided to fight
It will force Mao Tse-tung to keep a
the state relief fund for the blind. His
aggression there, the previous U.S.
substantial part of his army at home
wife was getting $114 from the fund for
policy with respect to Korea
and unavailable for service
dependent children. His mother had an
was suddenly reversed.
in Korea or elsewhere.
This reversal was fortu-
Suchalimited warmightg
old-age pension. Her take brought the
nate for the future of Amer-
Stanfill income to $214.
on for a long time. But our
ica and the world. It
losses are so small compared
Two of the Stanfill children were able-
aroused the United States
with the casualties of the
bodied men, but they wouldn't work, for,
to the necessity of rearming
Communists that it is a good
as they explained to everyone in Maury
itself and its Allies and it
bargain in military terms.
County who offered them jobs, they
kept a highly important
Moreover, this uneven trade
didn't want to endanger their mother's
relief status. Stanfill wouldn't work
strategic base out of the
might eventually persuade
hands of the Reds, at least
the Chinese Communists to
either. He thought hunting was a lot
more fun. Somehow his blindness had
for the time being.
sue for a reasonable peace.
In our hands, Southern Korea is an
It goes without saying that an ag-
never affected his marksmanship.
Last week the Stanfills and thousands
air base from which fighter-supported
gressive effort to end the Korean war
bombing operations could be con-
by attacking Chinese territory could
like them were causing an uproar
throughout Tennessee. A committee of
ducted against Soviet industries in
not be made without the sanction of
the state legislature, headed by State
Manchuria and against the Trans-
the United Nations. Such sanction
Sen. Carl Hardin, had discovered that it
Siberian Railroad, the East-West
would involve a calculated risk that
Soviet lifeline. In Soviet hands, South-
the Kremlin would decide to support
was so easy to get on the relief rolls,
almost anyone who wanted to could. In
ern Korea would be the potential base
the Chinese with military personnel
of fighter-supported bombing opera-
as well as military equipment.
some counties, more than 60 per cent of
tions against Japan and adjacent sea
If such a risk were taken, the U.N.
the men and women over 65 were draw-
lanes and thus a menace to us.
would have to make full use of all the
ing pensions. Many had wealthy relatives
resources at its command, including
-but the checks kept rolling in.
Baby Business? One woman was
O
UR possession of Southern Korea
guerrilla forces willing and able to
now constitutes a cofferdam
fight the Red Chinese inside China
getting money for her nine illegitimate
against the flow of Red power through
and the Nationalist army. Even then,
children; another, for six. Gov. Gordon
all of the Far East. We must hold this
this army should be held on Formosa
Browning, in fact, suspected that all too
many Tennesseans were having babies
dam for military as well as political
for thrusts into China proper.
reasons. We must also decide what to
just to qualify them for relief.
do next about the Far East. A reassess-
COORDINATED offensive of this kind
There were men and women on the
ment of the whole Korea-Pacific area
A
could, I believe, put an end to
rolls who had died months before. The
state relief investigators, it developed,
policy is now indicated. The question
chances for the Soviet Union to dom-
made only perfunctory attempts to find
is whether we should proceed with an
inate all of Asia. But it might involve a
effort to win a decisive victory in Ko-
greater risk than the U.N. was will-
out whether relief recipients were alive.
To the committee and to Governor
rea or continue to fight the present
ing to run before the power vacuum
war of attrition against the Chinese
in Europe is filled or it might require
Browning, the situation obviously called
Communists for an indefinite period.
more in manpower and equipment
for a tightening of the state relief re-
To win a decision, our ground
than the U.S. could afford at this
quirements. And to set the stage for
army would have to cross the 38th
stage of its rearmament.
action by the legislature, Senator Hardin
parallel, along which it is now de-
In any case, the Western Allies
took an unprecedented action: He started
ployed, and strike again toward the
now have latitude of choice in Korea
publishing the names of relief recipients.
Yalu River, as it did last fall. Such an
and the Far East if they do not permit
This was a direct violation of Federal law
operation would again fail, however,
themselves to be lulled into com-
and endangered the Federal contribution
which Tennessee receives for its welfare
unless (1) our ground forces were
placency by recent tactical victories.
fund. "We have no intention to embarrass
greatly reinforced or (2) the air and
Almost any course holds promise ex-
sea forces were permitted to operate
cept negotiations with the Reds on
these people or their relations," Hardin
against Chinese territory north of the
the basis of conditions existing before
explained, "but we do want to show the
Yalu. Course No. 1 is impractical if
June 1950, when Korea was con-
public the necessity for revising the law."
American troops are sent to Europe,
sidered dispensable. It no longer is
as they should be. Course No. 2 might
dispensable unless we are to abandon
ERNEST K. LINDLEY, whose Wash-
very well succeed but it also might
Asia, with its millions and its re-
ington Tides usually appears in
touch off a third world war.
sources, to Soviet domination. And
this department, is vacationing. It
There is a third choice, which is
this could be preliminary to forced
will be resumed upon his return.
simply to hang onto whatever part of
abandonment of the entire free world.
March 12, 1951
Preservation Copy
25