Date

Dec 5, 1956

Description

State Department official William Sebald reported that the Defense Department wanted to introduce nuclear-capable Honest John missiles and 280 mm artillery to U.S. forces in South Korea, arguing that it would be permissible under a "liberal interpretation of paragraph 13(d) of the Korean Armistice Agreement," which constrained either side from introducing "new weapons into Korea, other than piece-for-piece replacement of equipment." For others at State, the deployments would not be permissible under the armistice agreement; moreover, world tensions made it problematic to introduce weapons systems associated with nuclear missions. In addition, Communist and neutral countries would almost certainly censure the United States as would the "Swiss and Swedes and many of our Allies in Korea."

The proposed introduction of 280 mm nuclear artillery was an important element of the controversy; according to a State Department official "this little beauty must not only be towed by one heavy tractor, but pushed by another: total weight 86 tons; length about a city block; range about 20 miles."

Source

National Archives, Record Group 59, Department of State Records [RG 59], Central Decimal Files 1955-1959, box 2877, 711.5611/12-556

Document published in following posting(s):

The First Nukes on the Korean Peninsula

Nov 20, 2019

[Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs William] Sebald to [Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Robert] Murphy, "Disagreement with Defense on Action with Respect to Paragraph 13(d) of the Korean Armistice Agreement," 5 December 1956, Secret