§ 3.40 p.m.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD HENDERSON)My Lords, I am grateful to your Lordships for allowing me to intervene for a few moments to repeat a Statement which is at present being given in another 248 place by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The Statement is rather long, but I feel that your Lordships would like to have the text in full. It reads as follows:
"The House will have heard of the decisions taken by the President of the United States of America in regard to General MacArthur. In view, however, of the widespread interest and anxiety about the objectives and plans of the United Nations in Korea, I consider that it may be useful to deal with the various issues raised in the Questions on the Order Paper. Let me deal first with the question of aims in Korea. Consultations in which we are taking an active part are proceeding between Governments as to a possible statement of aims in Korea in the light of the general situation. If, as I hope, these consultations are shortly concluded, I shall then be able to give the House further information. All I wish to say now—so that there may be no possible doubt on the matter—is that our aims are unchanged. We stand for resistance to aggression, a free, independent and unified Korea, and no extension of the conflict.
"Great interest has been expressed in the machinery for consultation between the United Nations and their Commander in the field. The position is that the United States Government were invited by the Security Council of the United Nations to make pro-vision for a unified Command, and to designate a Commander for the United Nations forces in Korea. The President of the United States is the Chief Executive of the Unified Command, and he designated General MacArthur as Commander in Korea. The Unified Command is responsible for the implementation of United Nations Resolutions in regard to Korea and for issuing directives to the Commander of the United Nations forces.
"Apart from constant exchanges of views with Commonwealth and other friendly Governments through the diplomatic channels, there is continuous consultation in Washington between representatives of Governments contributing forces in Korea. The views of His Majesty's Government are and have been made known to the United States Government when-ever the need arises. Sometimes our 249 views prevail, sometimes they do not. That is only natural in discussions of this kind involving a number of nations, and I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the way in which the United States Government, on whom the main burden rests, has at all times displayed its readiness to consult and discuss in regard to these difficult problems.
"The question of crossing the 38th Parallel cannot be treated apart from other matters concerning Korea. We were ready a few months ago to negotiate a cease-fire, and we are ready now. But it takes two to agree on a cease-fire, and so far the other side have shown no desire to stop hostilities in Korea. Consultations on crossing the Parallel began in February. I do not propose to reveal the nature of the discussions since the question of the extent of the advance of the United Nations forces has military as well as political aspects. But I would not have the House think that the crossing of the 38th Parallel (despite all the attention it has received) is the main issue in Korea. The real issue is whether the North Koreans and Chinese are willing to negotiate a settlement. If they are, the question of the Parallel will soon cease to have any political importance, and I would hope that the aims to which so many nations, including the Soviet Union, have been pledged for so long—a free, unified and independent Korea—could be achieved by negotiation.
"Let me now turn to the nature of the directives issued to the Commander of the United Nations forces in Korea since the establishment of the Unified Command. In the interests of the security and safety of the United Nations forces in Korea the House will not expect me to give precise details of these directives. I can, however, give an indication of their general con-tent. And I shall try to summarise the instructions issued over a period of many months. The Commander of the United Nations forces in Korea was instructed that the political aims of the United Nations called for resistance to aggression in Korea and included the longstanding aim of a free and independent Korea. He was told that these aims did not necessarily require the conquest of North Korea by force, 250 though the disposition of troops and positions in the war of manoeuvre in the vicinity of the 38th Parallel should be appropriate to defence against possible impending offensives by the Chinese and North Koreans. He was told that operations should not be undertaken which extended the conflict beyond Korean territory, and that it was the intention of the United Nations to localise hostilities in Korea, and therefore that it was not their intention to become involved in general hostilities with China. And he was told that the powers of the Commander of the United Nations forces to conduct operations on behalf of the United Nations were limited to Korea, and were to be executed within the framework of declared United Nations policy.
"I have given a summary of the instructions issued to the Commander of the United Nations forces in Korea, and I take this opportunity to associate His Majesty's Government fully with them. They represent the policy of our country and of the other countries with forces in Korea. A number of questions on the Order Paper relate to the way in which General MacArthur has carried out his instructions. In view of the change of command, this episode is now closed, and I do not desire to say more than to draw the attention of the House to the traditional British interpretation of the relationship between a military com-mander in the field and the Government to whom he is responsible. On this matter successive British Governments have always consistently stood for the subordination of the military to the political. It is clear from the statement issued this morning by the President of the United States that under the American Constitution and practice the same interpretation is placed on this relationship, as indeed it must in any democratic country where the views of the people, expressed by their freely elected Governments, must be paramount.
"I should like, if I may, to turn for a moment from the issues raised in the Questions on the Order Paper. These issues which relate to Korea are of the highest importance, and I have tried to deal with them at some length in 251 order to remove any doubt and misunderstanding. The record of General MacArthur is, however, not to be judged solely by some of his recent public utterances. He was a great servant of the Allies during the war in the Pacific, and he has proved himself a brilliant soldier. He has displayed qualities of the highest order in his conduct of the occupation in Japan. These are achievements which will be remembered long after the immediate controversy has been forgotten.
"I hope that the House will bear with me if, in view of the announcement this morning in Washington, I do not deal with all the detailed points raised in the Questions. This is not the time to look back but to look forward, and I take this opportunity of expressing the confidence of His Majesty's Government in General Ridgway, the new United Nations Commander in Korea, who has already shown such brilliant qualities in the field.
"I, like my right honourable friend my predecessor, am anxious to see whether we can bring about a negotiated settlement and, as I said at the beginning of this Statement, consultations have been and still are proceeding between the Governments. I hope shortly to be able to say something further on where we stand in Korea, and on what should be our policy for the future."
That is the full Statement, my Lords, and I am grateful for the opportunity of being able to repeat it to your Lordships.
§ 3.50 p.m.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords. I should like to thank the noble Lord, Lord Henderson, for the full Statement which he has made on behalf of the Foreign Secretary, giving the aims of His Majesty's Government and the other Allied Governments in the Korean war. I believe that this should prove very valuable in clarifying the position. I am sure that noble Lords in all parts of the House will wish to study and consider what he has said. I hope that an early opportunity may afford itself for debating recent developments in the Far East, though I do not wish to ask the Government for a day immediately.
252 With regard to General MacArthur, the news of whose retirement we have heard to-day, I will say only this. It is not for me, nor is it, I think, for any of us, to go into the controversies in which the General has been involved during recent months. I do not think any good at all can come from that. I should like, however, with Lord Henderson, to pay a most sincere tribute to him for the debt that we all owe him for his many out-standing services in the World War. He was a brave and resolute man, and a great military commander. He has never flinched or failed, however dark the situation may have been, and with others I think that the free world will be eternally his debtor. I would also agree with the noble Lord that we are extremely fortunate in having as his successor General Ridgway, who has made already so glowing a reputation as a fighting soldier in the Korean war. I am sure that we shall all wish him every success in his arduous and vitally important task.
§ 3.52 p.m.
THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, I too, should like to express gratitude for the full Statement which has been made. Clearly it requires careful study, and it is more than likely that your Lordships' House will wish to debate it later in full. I should also like to associate myself with the tribute paid in the Statement, and also by the noble Marquess, the Leader of the Opposition, to the brilliant strategic qualities of General MacArthur. As has been said, we owe him a deep debt of gratitude. Meanwhile, may I make one observation? I sincerely hope that His Majesty's Government will do their utmost to establish some form of contact with the Chinese Government, because the war is going on and men and women are losing their lives every day. I can-not believe that it is not the wish of the Chinese Government, as it is certainly the wish of the vast majority of the United Nations, to bring this conflict to an honourable conclusion—honourable on all sides. I feel sure that that is the aim of His Majesty's Government. I feel equally certain that they will agree with me that no question of prestige should be allowed to stand in the way of a settlement.