Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Norway Wilhelm Munthe de Morgenstierne, and Casper D. Green

SIS 000055 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 326 169 Memorandum of Conversation DATE: DECLASSIFIED June 30, 1950 E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and >(D) - SUBJECT: Korean Crisis Dept. of State letter, August 3.31.25 ANL HC NARS Data E4.It WLT 76.1 Cort PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary Wilhelm Munthe de Morgenstierne, Ambassador of Norway Caspar D. Green, BNA COPIES TO: s/s EUR BNA - Mr. Labouisse EUR/RA FE UNA America Embassy, Osio -1493 Ambassador Morgenstierne eame in this afternoon at his own request. He began by saying that he brought greetings from Mr. Lange, the Norwegian Foreign Minister. He said he wished to offer congratulations on the great stand taken by President Truman and the American Govern- ment. He added that the US action had met with universal approval in Norway in all official groups and among the people. He said he remembered no event which had stirred such unanimous acclaim. The dangers involved in the present course were fully recognized in Norway, but it was believed that the danger of failure to act would have been imneasurably greater. The smaller nations of Eurone were much heartened, he said, feeling that if the US is capable of meeting a situation in Korea so firmly, "NATIONAL it will certainly not falter in its commitments in the ARCHIVES AND RECOROS NAT area. The Ambassador said he personally, of pourse, SERVICE" had never doubted this, but that there have been skeptics in Europe. This action will sweep away the skepticism. I said it had seemed to us that the dangers of inaction were much greater than the dangers of facing the problem in Korea and that this had, of course, weighed heavily in our decision. I said we faced a difficult situation in Korea and it was hard to foresee how it would develop. He remarked that he was sure we would carry through successfully and that he did not believe the US would accept failure at the hands of the North