695A.0024/9—1752
Memorandum by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
Subject:
- Meeting with Mr. Lovett
An additional point for your discussion with Mr. Lovett this morning1 which I failed to mention yesterday: Last week when we were discussing with the JCS the plan for proposing to the Communists the exchange of 83,000 for 12,000, leaving non-repatriates for further negotiations,2 the JCS pointed out that it would be wise to immediately reclassify the 11,000 remaining South Korean POWs opposed to repatriation in order that we would not be under obligation to hold these persons indefinitely in escrow if the Communists should accept our proposal. This is clearly stated in paragraph 2 of JCS 918515 (a copy of which is attached)3 which was concurred in by the JCS, ourselves and the President.
In obtaining the understanding of the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to this proposal for reclassifying 11,000 South Korean [Page 522] POWs, we pointed out that we were taking action at this time on them in order to “clear the decks” if we decided to make the proposal to leave the non-repatriates for further negotiations. Therefore, these countries have every expectation that we will make such a proposal and much desire that we do so, although I have been very careful to make clear to them that no final decision thereon has yet been reached. Nevertheless, I would find it most difficult to justify and explain to them the reasons for a change of our views in this regard.