CAB129-53 — Page 252

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Printed for the Cabinet. July 1952

CONFIDENTIAL

C. (52) 250

CABINET OFFICE

21st July, 1952

RECORD COPY

CABINET

Copy No.66

KOREA: APPOINTMENT OF A DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE UNITED NATIONS COMMANDER

NOTE BY THE PRIME MINISTER

The following draft has been prepared by the Ministry of Defence on the proposed appointment of a Deputy Chief of Staff to the United Nations Commander in Korea.

10 Downing Street, SW. 1,

21st July, 1952.

W. S. C.

On 1st July I informed the House that, at the request of the United Nations Commander, General Clark--a request which was subsequently agreed to by the United States Government-an officer from the Commonwealth is to be appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff at General Clark's Headquarters with duties in connection with operations in Korea. The request was for an officer drawn from one of the Commonwealth countries providing combatant forces in Korea, and it has been agreed with the Governments of those countries that the post should be filled by a senior United Kingdom officer. The officer selected after consultation with the Commonwealth Governments is Major-General S. N. Shoosmith, now com- manding the East Anglian District in the United Kingdom.

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Page?and fi253o make it quite clear to the House heraf 336 will be in all respects an ordinary member of General Clark's Staff with responsi- bility solely to him. Neither consultation nor information are involved in the appointment except in so far as the United Nations Commander desires. By making this officer available Her Majesty's Government accept no more respon- sibility for the conduct of operations than they have at present as a member of the United Nations who have entrusted the United States Government with the conduct on their behalf of the Korean operations. In order that there may be no mis- understanding on this point I will read to the House the text of the instructions which are being issued to General Shoosmith.

"You have been appointed to the staff of the United Nations Commander in Korea in the capacity of Deputy Chief of Staff. You will carry out all the duties associated with such an appointment and you will be responsible to the United Nations Commander and his Chief of Staff.

CC

You are not the channel for passing the views of the United Kingdom Chiefs of Staff to the United Nations Commander. This will continue to be done through the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington.

CC

You will not pass on any information which you may receive from the United Nations Commander or his staff, without the authority of the United Nations Commander.

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These instructions have been agreed with the Chiefs of Staff of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa."

There can be only one channel for consultation about Korea and that is between our representatives in Washington and the United States Government and Military Authorities there. There will no doubt be many occasions on which informal consultation between General Clark and his Deputy Chief of Staff will be fruitful. I want to make it clear that we do not seek, in making this appoint- ment, to trench in any way upon the undivided responsibility of General Clark for the task with which he has been entrusted by the United States Government, nor do we seek to set up a channel of communication on important matters of policy by-passing Washington. The position as I have explained it to the House represents the considered views of Her Majesty's Governments in the other Commonwealth countries concerned, and is fully understood by the United States Authorities.

It is, of course, necessary for us to be kept informed of the progress of operations and of the many technical military questions which arise in the course of the daily work of Her Majesty's forces in Korea. All this liaison work will continue to be carried out by the Chiefs of Staff's representative accredited to General Clark's Headquarters. All other Governments whose forces are engaged in Korea have liaison sections at Headquarters in Tokyo and these arrangements will not be disturbed in any way by the new appointment which is being made to General Clark's Staff.

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