Letter from Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson to Secretary of State Dean Acheson

SECURITY INFORMATION P Y 6 July 1950 My dear Mr. Secretary: I refer to Assistant Secretary Hickerson's memorandum of 4 July to General Burns, and the attached draft resolutions by the United Nations Security Council with regard to anned forces in Korea. The Joint Chiefs of Staff and I have considered these draft resolutions. The following views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have my concurrence: "The Joint Chiefs of Staff are in general agreement with the Department of State that it would be preferable for Ambassador Austin to propose the first six numbered paragraphs of the resolution only, provided paragraphs 5 and 6 are changed as follows: "Paragraph 5 AUTHORIZES the headquarters of the unified command to use the United Nations flag in addition to its own: (It is assumed that the term 'unified command' is used in its generic sense rather than in its specific United States military sense.) REASON: In order to avoid the possibility of confusion in the field. "Paragraph 6 -- REQUESTS the United States to provide the Security Council with reports as appropriate on the course of action taken under the unified command. REASON: To make this provisions realistic and practicable. "It is appreciated that the context of paragraph 7 is governed by political considerations. The Joint Chiefs of Staff are concerned, however, lest the Security Council Committee, to be established by this paragraph, should seek to exercise operational control of the forces under the unified command. They would, therefore, recommend that the first part of paragraph 7 be changed as follows: TRUMAR DECLASSIFIED ARCHIVES NATIONAL AND E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or 50 4,27.77 RECORDS OSD letter, es SERVICE PROJECT NLT 77-39 By NLT- He NARS Date 6-20-77 COPY so SEGURITY INFORMATION