-WESTERN HEMISPHERE DEFENSE                       669

795B.5/11-250
  The Secretary of Defense (Marshall) to the Secretary of State

TOP SECRET                             WASHINGTON, 2 November 1950.
PERSONAL
  DEARACIRESON: I attach herewith my letter to y.ou,' forwarded
at the suggestion sof the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In connection-with
Paragraph P.,2 the exception -as concerns Colombia was inserted tat
the suggestion of the Secretary of the Army and is not a Joint Chiefs
of Staff recommendation.
  From   a purely military point of view, I concur in their recom-
mendations. There is no question but what early action on cancellation
of certain requirements will materially reduce expenses to all gov-
ernments concerned and will ease the logistical burden on our Far
East Command.3
   I am, however, deeply concerned about the possible political impli-
cations in the United Nations, attendant upon certain of these can-
cellations and want you to know that I am fully aware of the problem
conf ronting you in this regard.4
  Faithfully yours,                                    G. C. MARSHALL

  In this letter of November 2, 1950, General Marshall transmitted to the
Secretary for his agreement a number of recommendations by the JCS regarding
reduction of forces to be deplo.yed in Korea by other UN members. These recom-
mendations had been made in view of the improved military situation in Korea.
(795B.5/11-250)
  - This paragraph reads: "Discontinue efforts to obtain contingents
from Latin
America, with the exception of the Colombian offer. I have been informed
that
negotiations with Colombia have proceeded so far that a cancellation -of
the
Colombian offerl at this time would be mutually embarrassing to both Govern-
ments. I therefore suggest that they be continued with a view to stimulating
early Colombian participation in Korea." Mr. Miller, in a memorandum
of Oc-
tober 25, 1950, to Fletcher Warren, Director of the Office of South American
Affairs, said in part that negotiations regarding the possible Colombian
offer
of one Infantry battalion had already reached the technical level. (795B.5/
10-2550)
  I In a memorandum of a conversation held between Colombian and U.S. diplo-
matic and Army officers on October 24, 1950, Mr. Albert H. Gerberich of the
Office of South American Affairs stated that in regard to U.S. logistic support
of
a potential Colombian contribution, Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway, Deputy Army
Chief of Staff for Administration, "... remarked that the important
thing is
that the Colombians recognize a commitment to reimburse us for this support;
the Unified Command can only give an indication of the approximate costs,
and
the details can be worked out later to mutual satisfaction between the Colom-
bians and the Department of State." Mr. Gerberich added in part that
the
Colombians, whose senior representative was Dr. Jorge Mejia-Palacio, Minister
Counselor of Embassy, expressed satisfaction with this arrangement. (795B.5/
10-2450)
  SAccordingto a letter of December 9, 1950, from Mr. Merchant, writing for
the
Secretary, to Secretary Marshall, the Department had by that day notified
the
Colombian Government that the Unified Command had accepted the formal
Colombian offer of the battalion, made November 14. (795B.5/12-450)
  For other information regarding Colombian assistance to UN operations in
Korea, see vol. Ii, p. 835.