War: Roadblock (Cont’d)

The third week of truce talks at Kaesong started in deadlock. The Communists had demanded, and the U.N. flatly refused, to add the withdrawal of foreign troops from Korea to the agenda of the cease-fire talks. After a three-day recess, the Communists backed down again (their first backdown: when they agreed to neutralize Kaesong), settled for a face-saving formula allowing them to reopen the foreign troops issue later on.

At this point, chief U.N. Negotiator Vice Admiral Joy said: “I propose the agenda be adopted.” North Korean General Nam II chimed in, “We agree.” The agreed agenda: 1) establishing a military demarcation line between the two armies, 2) setting up an authority to supervise the truce, 3) exchange of prisoners.

At the next session, the negotiation got down to Item No. 1. Vice Admiral Joy produced two maps showing the demarcation line the U.N. wanted. He and Nam II bent over the table, their heads almost touching as they studied the maps. The two sides clashed almost immediately. The Communists wanted to draw the demarcation line along the old North-South Korean boundary, the 38th parallel. If they could swing this, they would be able to trumpet to the world that the war had ended where it began; it would also win for the Reds much valuable real estate, for U.N. units in spots are now as much as 35 miles north of the parallel.

Joy insisted on stopping the war roughly at the present battle line, which is well fortified and more easily defensible than the parallel.

The argument went on & on. To reporters outside the conference room, it seemed that the tones of the Communist interpreters had grown strident, almost angry. The Reds began raising new issues, demanded an end to U.N. air and naval bombardment of North Korean positions. At week’s end, Brigadier General William Nuckols, U.N. press officer, reported: “Little if any progress is being made.”

This week, General James A. Van Fleet told his troops: “Everyone is hopeful that the conferences will come to a successful and honorable end so that peace may be restored. No one is more conscious of peace than the soldier. However, every man must be alert at all times. We must not and will not permit this great United Nations army to become a victim of a Communist ambush.”