The Korean War, 70 Years Ago, The Daily Notes, Canonsburg PA

Korean War Weekly Front Pages

27 January 1952 – 2 February 1952

The Daily Notes, Canonsburg PA 

Surprising developments.

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The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee predicted that Congress would approve Universal Military Training (UMT) in 1952. He said there was no conflict between the present draft law and an immediate start on UMT. He proposed that youths be called up at age 18 for six months of UMT training, and then recalled at about 20 to complete the full two-year service required of draftees. The Selective Service director urged later in the week that a UMT program be started immediately “on a modest scale.” He said the draft and UMT “can and must” operate at the same time.

The Chinese communists indicated at the Panmunjom peace talks that they would bow out of the armistice administration of Korea. The surprise development came as staff officers began discussion of the United Nations blueprint for a peaceful Korean armistice. The Communists indicated that the Chinese would turn North Korea back to the North Koreans when they suggested a change in Paragraph 10 of the proposal armistice agreement. Paragraph 10 proposed that a civil administration of the demilitarized zone be “the joint responsibility” of the Chinese and North Korean commanders and the UN commander. The Reds suggested that the paragraph be altered to delete the phrase “joint responsibility” and also to eliminate a reference to the commander of the Chinese People’s Volunteers.

On Wednesday the Communist truce negotiators proposed that 25,000 troops a month be set as the maximum for rotation under armistice. The Reds agreed in principle also to give priority to the exchange of sick and wounded prisoners and to exchange information on the burial places of prisoners who had died in internment camps. The UN command had set the minimum rotation figure at 75,000 a month in its proposed draft of an armistice. The next day the UN proposed that Korean truce delegates start immediate discussion of the fifth and last agenda item in a new and definite attempt to end the war soon. Agenda Item 5, called the “catchall” item, called for “recommendations to the government of the countries concerned on both sides." It was placed on the agenda primarily to give the Reds an “out” when the allies refused to consider the question of withdrawing foreign troops from Korea. The Reds could at least mention their demand, with withdrawal under the item as a proposed recommendation to the governments who had troops in Korea.

Late in the week the Communists demanded a sharp reduction in the proposed post-armistice inspection of Korea in a move that could shield long stretches of the Yalu river from neutral observation. The Reds proposed that the number of ports of entry for each side – which would be open to inspection by neutral teams supervising armistice terms – be cut from 12 to three. They also demanded that the number of inspection teams be trimmed. Both reductions would mean a sharp curtailment of the inspection program proposed by the UN. The Allies wanted 40 inspection teams to enforce the armistice, with 15 working behind the lines of each side and 10 held in reserve ready to rush to any point where armistice violations might be reported.

(Photo courtesy newspapers.com, Canonsburg Daily Notes)