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{
    "localId": "269703198",
    "label": "Memorandum from Major General Paul Mueller to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Attachment",
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{
    "id": "269703198",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Memorandum from Major General Paul Mueller to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Attachment",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/269703198",
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    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 23,
            "logicalDate": "1948-12-23",
            "month": 12,
            "year": 1948
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{
    "seq": 2,
    "pageIndex": 0,
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    "ocrText": "DECLASSIFIED\nE. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E)\nOSD letter, Ap il 12, 1974\nTOP SECRET\nBy NLT-CEL , NARS\nvitiate present assurance of permanent Japanese disarmament and\nadherence to the renunciation of war. Establishment of\nany\nJapanese armed forces for other than police purposes would not\nonly effectively prohibit the attainment of the psychological\nunity essential to combat Communism in the Orient but would\njeopardize the attainment of economic stability for Japan.\n6. The present neutral status of Japan under a multilateral\ntrusteeship has been a powerful moral factor fundamental to the\nestablishment of minimum acceptable levels of United States\nstrength \"under the most favorable conditions. Establishment\nof the inadequate armed forces visualized would, by forcing\nJapan into a quasi-military alliance with the United States and\ndestroying the character and purpose of the Occupation, precipi-\ntate a situation vis-a-vis Soviet Russia which would demand a\ngreater physical commitment of United States complementary\nforces than it has heretofore been found possible to maintain\nin the Far East. The proximity of Soviet bases, the immediate\navailability of Soviet military strength, and the remoteness of\nUnited States reserve strength leaves no alternative if Japan\nTRUMAN\nis forced to abandon her military neutrality.\n\"NATIONAL\nARCHIVES AND\nRECORDS\nSERVICE\"\n7. While Japan should not be considered a military ally of\nthe United States, her position vis-a-vis the United States\neconomically and psychologically should be such that she will\nnot fall into the orbit of Soviet domination.\n8. The Commander in Chief, Far East, therefore concurs in\nthe views expressed by the Secretary of the Army in paragraph 2\nof his memorandum dated 18 May 1948. Attached as an enclosure\nis a more detailed staff analysis of the Plans and Operations\nDivision study.\nFOR THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF:\n/s/ PAUL J. MUELLER,\nMajor General, General Staff Corps,\nChief of Staff\nTOP SECRET\n- 2 -\nEnclosure"
}