Memorandum from Secretary of the Army Kenneth Royall to President Harry S. Truman, with Attachments
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OCR Page 1 of 24DECLASSIFIED
E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E)
TOR SECRET
OSD letter, April 12, 1974
By NLT- Hei NARS Date 7:3.75
18 May 1948
MEMORANDUM FOR: THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
SUBJECT: Limited Military Armament for Japan
1. Reference is made to your memorandum to me, dated 24
February 1948, requesting that a study of limited military arm-
ament for Germany and Japan be prepared for consideration by the
various War Council members in advance of a War Council meeting.
A study for Japan is inclosed, and a study for Germany will be
forwarded in the near future.
2. While it appears desirable that the Japanese police estab-
lishment be strengthened now by reenforcing and reequipping the
present National Rural Police and Maritime Safety Board (Coastal
Patrol), it is doubtful that it will be advisable for a long time
to come to permit the establishment of limited Japanese armed
forces. However, there may be a present need for planning for
utilization of Japanese manpower to assist reduced United States
forces in the defense of Japan in event of a war in the near
future.
3. It is suggested that copies of the enclosed study* be
circulated to the Navy and Air Force members of the War Council
for consideration at a future meeting of the Council.
4. The views of General MacArthur, covering certain aspects of
the problem, are attached as Inclosure 2**. It is believed that
the views of General MacArthur on the complete study should be
obtained by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in their consideration of
the paper as recommended therein.
/s/ Kenneth C. Royall
Secretary of the Army
TRU
MAN
Annex "A" and Tabs
% Annex "B"
ARCHIVES "NATIOMAL SERVICE" RECORDS AND
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