Telegram from John Muccio to Secretary of State Dean Acheson

INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State RE TELEGRAPH BRANCH 17-H-X SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION Action Control: 6748 FE Rec'd: June 14, 1952 FROM: Pusan 10:30 a.m. Info SS TO: Secretary of State G UNA NO: 1371, June 14, 8 p.m. OLI CIA ARMY NIACT AIR NAVY RPTD INFO CINCUNC (PERSONAL FOR ED CLARK), EUSAK ADVANCE P (PERSONAL FOR GEN VAN FLEET), MAJOR GEN HERREN AS DIP-333 DCR BY OTHER MEANS. DCRM During the past week we have succeeded in influencing Rhee only to the extent of preventing him from taking any irre- vocable act. He has not taken a single step towards conciliation or com- promise and his full apparatus for cowing the Natl Assembly is running in full gear. I feel basic reason for his failure to be more impressed by serious concern of US and UN in ROK internal situation is his idea that the mil are not interested (unless open civil war occurs). If this critical situation here is to be brought in hand it is indispensable that we find means of convincing him that mil are as disturbed as civilians at course being pursued. While mil operations may not be directly affected as the prob- lem is bigger than that, as whole mil effort in the near future and mil plans for more distant future can be very seriously undermined by continuing deterioration of situation here. Rhee shows no disposition to lift martial law or to permit Assembly to meet freely and without intimidation; he talks of more arrests and necessity to make big clean-up of Assembly before even considering compromise amendment; his goon squads remain active; demonstrations, started again this week, show- ing reaching crescendo of fervor with possibility serious inci- dents occurring any day. Despite Pres Truman's appeal, selected groups from provinces ("reps" of councils and so forth) have continued be brought to Pusan through Rhee's nationwide appa- ratus for demonstrations. In short, despite ceaseless pressure from foreign govts and foreign press Rhee seems determined to go ahead with his plans very much on lines mapped out several weeks ago. In view foregoing I believe it is urgent to have: 1) Meeting between UNCURK and CINCUNC; 2) Discussion re steps to be taken if public ? SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION REPRODUCTION FROM THIS COPY, IF CLASSIFIED, IS PROHIBI TED