DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: July 19, 1950
SUBJECT: Ground Forces for Korea
PARTICIPANTS: Sir Carl Berendsen, New Zealand Ambassador The Secretary Livingston Satterthwaite, BNA
COPIES TO: American Embassy, Wellington American Embassy, Canberra American Embassy, London
The New Zealand Ambassador called at his request to say that he had been instructed by his Government to find out from the Secretary what best New Zealand could do to help the United Nations effort in Korea, specifically whether New Zealand ground forces would be needed. Sir Carl pointed out that New Zealand had practically no ground forces at the moment and that the use of non-American or American equipped troops would complicate the supply problems greatly.
The Secretary expressed his appreciation for the naval help New Zealand had so far rendered and said that ground troops from New Zealand would be most welcome both because the UN aspects of the action would be emphasized by additional countries having ground forces actually in operation in Korea and because we badly and urgently needed ground forces to help with the fighting. The Secretary said that the Joint Chiefs of Staff had just come to the conclusion that regardless of supply problems, which could be overcome, they were most anxious to have New Zealand ground forces participating. It was true that non-English speaking troops would present difficulties, but this, of course, did not apply to New Zealand.
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