312. Editorial Note

On July 29, 1963, between 5:50 and 6 p.m. local time, an undetermined number of North Koreans ambushed three U.S. soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division, killing two and wounding one. At 9:09 a.m. local time, July 30, 50 ROK National Police and a detail of U.S. troops skirmished with an estimated 5 North Korean soldiers, 7 miles south of where the July 29 incident took place. One U.S. soldier, one ROK policeman, and two North Korean soldiers were killed. (Telegrams KA 31348 GI-I and KA 920170 GI, July 29 and 30; Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, Cables, 6/63-7/63) Public statements on the incidents read by the Director of the Office of News, Department of State, are in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1963, pages 788-789.

President Kennedy called a meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on July 30 at 11:30 a.m. Washington time to discuss the skirmishes between the North Koreans and U.S.-ROK forces in the Demilitarized Zone. The President decided at this meeting to hold a National Security Council meeting the following day to assess the meaning of the incidents in the Demilitarized Zone and apparently related movements by the People’s Republic of China on its borders with India and Laos and in Manchuria. (Memorandum of conference with the President, July 31; Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Chester V. Clifton Series, JCS Conferences with the President, 2/28/63-9/9/63)

The 516th National Security Council meeting was held at 4:30 p.m. on July 31 to discuss Chinese Communist intentions. A summary record of that meeting is printed as Document 181. According to that record, the President asked “whether the recent military crisis in Korea should be viewed as a isolated incident or as part of a broader military pattern.” Ray Cline of the Central Intelligence Agency stated that “no one could say with certainty,” but General Earle G. Wheeler, Chief of Staff of the [Page 657] Army, noted that similar incidents usually took place during summer. There had been evidence of North Korean violations of the Demilitarized Zone at this time of the year for the past several years. Still, Wheeler could not state that the recent attacks were not part of a larger pattern. (Memorandum of discussion by Bromley Smith, July 31; ibid., Meetings and Memoranda Series,NSC Meetings, No. 516)

At his press conference on August 1 President Kennedy answered a question about the seriousness of China’s apparent hard line, the violence along the Demilitarized Zone in Korea, and reported troop movements on the Indian-Tibetan border. The President stated that there was always potential for trouble, but there had been danger for years. The United States would carry out its commitments if need be, but the President hoped and believed there would be no need. (Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1963, page 614)