KOREA HEARINGS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72-00337R000200020005-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 12, 2002
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: February 3, 1970
• Content Type: MEMO

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Copies: ADDP, CFE,
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February 3, 1970
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM :
SUBJECT:
SYMINGTON SUBCOMMITTEE INTER-
DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP
Attached re copies of the letters from Senator
Symington to the S cretaries of State and Defense setting
the date for the Ko ea hearings before the Symington
Subcommittee for Feb uary 23.
I would propo
meeting in the Operatio
:t 3:00 p.m., W- dnesday,
a preliminary organizational
Center Conference Room, room 7516,
~ ebruary 11. This would be
followed by a meeting at 3
with the State and Defense
of the witnesses should be c3
February 18. A further meetin
tnesses present. Statements
culrted for review by noon,
at 2:00 p.m. primarily with the
as necessary.
should be held Thursday
witnesses, and thereafter
All meetings will be held i' the Operations Center
Conference Room, room 7516.
Attu,
(1) Letter to Secretary of State
(2) Letter to Secretary of Defense
Distribution: EA - Ambassador Green White House - Mr. Lehman
DOS and OSD Reviews Completed Ambassador Bror;>n.
Mr. Peters
S/PC - Mr. Seligmann
Approved Foq Release 0~/O i{1t7tgFAAPP72-00
00 p.m. Monday, February 16,
Defense - Mr. French 25X1 A
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MEMORANDUM
January 29, 1970
SUBJECT: Highlights of Symington Subcommittee Session on
Japan and Okinawa (3), January 28, 1970
DISTRIBUTION:
U
J
S/S
EA
- Ambassador Green
- Ambassador Brown
- Mr. Moore
EA/J
- Mr. Finn
L
- Mr. Stevenso
n
L/EA
- Mr. Futterma
n
PM .
- Mr. Spiers
PM/JW
- Mr. Wolf
S/PC
- Mr. Cargo
- Mr. Seligman
n
H
- Ambassador Torbert
WH
- Mr. Ehrlichman
- Mr. Lehman
- Mr. French
- Mr. Knaur
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The day's hearings were devoted to Okinawa. Senators
Symington, Cooper, Sparkman, Fulbright and Mansfield were
present during the morning session.
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After General Lampert finished reading his prepared
statement, Senator Symington commented that it contained
much good information and he hoped as much as possible
would be declassified for publication.
Counsel asked whether the Nixon-Sato Communique
constituted a firm commitment for the reversion of Okinawa
in 1972. General Lampert and Mr. George said the turn-
over was subject to the completion of detailed arrangements,
but it was the intent of both sides that these be concluded
in time. They denied the press had created a misimpression
in suggesting there was a firm date.
Counsel attempted to show a contradiction between
General Lampert's statement that Okinawa would retain its
strategic importance after reversion and the-loss of un-
restricted nuclear storage rights. General Lampert replied
that if restrictions were placed on our right to store nuclear
weapons there would be some reduction in our overall freedom
of action, but it would not materially affect our ability to
carry out our mission.
Senator Symington asked whether reversion wasn't the
first step prior to a demand that we get out of Japan and
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'Okinawa. General Lambert said that the demand for re-
version had been emotional, but while left-wing
politicians regarded-all countries in the area as peaceful
and saw no threat to security, responsible leaders under-
stood the need for bases. Mr. George added that the
Government of Japan had decided the treaty made sense as
did our presence. What disturbed people some years ago was
seeing foreigners in privileged positions to'which they
could not aspire, but with Japan's growing economic pros-
perity this was no longer so. Senator Symington commented
that it did not matter that well-to-do people had access to
facilities similar to those of foreigners, if all the people
could not enjoy them.
Senator Symington asked a series of questions about
the role of unions in Okinawa, the relationship between the
Chief Executive and the High Commissioner, the role of
various political parties, and the characterization of
Chief Executive Yara as a "moderate." In reference to
General Lampert's statement that Okinawa was a key element
in the deterrence of aggression, Senator Symington asked a
number of questions intended to show that neither the
Chinese nor Soviets posed a serious threat to Okinawa.
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Senator Cooper commented in this connection that his
conversations with visiting Japanese led him to believe
that they wanted us to get out at the same time they
acknowledged the need for a continued military presence.
Senator Fulbright inquired about when B-52's were
deployed to Okinawa, whether they had missions in Laos,
and where they would be moved after reversion. Generals
McGehee and Lampert replied that their mission was to run
the base for the Strategic Air Command and they did not-know
the answers in regard to targeting and future plans.
Senator Fulbright asked a good many questions about.
the role of the Special Forces detachment, including the
activities of Special Forces in joint exercises with the
Republic of China, suggesting that the involvement of a
GRC airborne battalion suggested the exercise was not purely
defensive. He also inquired about project Phoenix, but
General Lampert and Colonel Simp son (Commander, Special
Forces Group Okinawa) said that they did not know about it.
Colonel Simpson explained why his operations were not
properly characterized as clandestine, inasmuch as the men
remained in uniform and carried identification. Moreover,
their mission was to work with indigenous forces largely in
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training missions rather than to conduct their own opera-
tions. Senator Fulbright said he was glad to have this
explanation, which cleared up some misconceptions he had
had, and Senator Symington commented tha.4 he had visited
many Special Forces installations and regarded the Special
Forces as among the finest soldiers we had.
Pursuing the role of nuclear weapons, Senator Fulbright
asked about the theory on the use of tactical weapons and
said that apart from questions about their location, which
did not bother him so much,-there was a need to know how we
planned to use them. Pressed for his personal view, General
McGehee said he was unable to comment in regard to questions
of control and decision, which would be made elsewhere, but
that as far as the possibility of escalation was concerned,
he thought this could be controlled. Senator Fulbright
speculated whether, if the US used tactical nuclear weapons,
the Russians would standby and accept it. He said doctrine
on use should be a matter of policy and not left vague.
Senator Cooper added that there had been NATO discussions
on the subject, but he did not know their content.
General Lampert, asked by Senator Fulbright about the
removal-of gas from Okinawa, said that plans were completed
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locally for the removal by five ships, but arrangements
had not yet been made in regard to the destination of
the'weapons, and therefore they had not yet been trans-
ferred. He provided additional details in regard to the
type of weapons on Okinawa.
Counsel asked a hypothetical question, whether, if the
US participated in efforts to influence the Okinawan
elections, this would be consistent with General Lampert's
mandate to encourage the development of democratic institu-
tions. General Lampert replied that he was not in Okinawa
at the time of the chief executive election, but he tried
to be, guided by the principles of the executive order
setting out his charter.
Returning to the question of B-52's, Counsel inferred
that the deployment to Okinawa after the Pueblo incident
was part of a ploy to move the planes there to be used in
Vietnam. General Page (former Commarriing General 313th Air
Division) said he was unaware of any such intention at the
time. ~ -
AFTERNOON SESSION
Senators Symington, Aiken, and Cooper attended the
afternoon session. Most of a truncated session was devoted
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to Counsel's detailed questions, including such topics
as the relative cost of B-52 sorties from Kadena, Clark,
etc; plans for redeployment of air squadrons to Okinawa
after Vietnam; why the Marine air wing could not be
relocated at Futema instead of Iwakuni; the timing of the
withdrawal of Mace missiles in relation to the Sato visit;
rumors about Naval ammunition storage construction; why
Marine battalion landing teams had to remain afloat; why
the Fuji maneuver ground in Japan was required in addition
to maneuver grounds in Okinawa; plans for relocating nuclear
weapons; rules for the use of firearms by installation
guards; and additional questions about the missions of the
Special Forces Group.
After Senator Aiken commented that he was concerned
lest the hearings disturb our relations with Japan,
Senator'Symington said that he was surrounded by the Japanese
press after each session. He had told them. that the hearings
were pleasant, that all the Senators, wanted was information,
and that he hoped the hearings would in no way affect the
mutual friendship we valued with Japan.- Senator Symington
said that the hearings would be of great assistance when
the Okinawa agreement came up on the floor of the Senate,
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inasmuch as the Subcommittee members would be armed with
the facts, which made it much easier to get things done.
Counsel inquired in depth about a"speech General Page
had reportedly delivered before the American Chamber of
in Okinawa
Commerce/, which left the impression with Counsel that the
General was opposed to reversion. General Page explained
/that his informal remarks before Americaft businessmen had
been badly distorted by the press, which in one instance
attributed to him the remarks made by a businessman. He'
said it made no sense for him to oppose reversion and that
he thought it was a natural development. Counsel pursued
with the military witnesses their views as to whether they
felt muzzled in the expression of their opinions. Generals
Lampert and McGehee replied to the effect that they had
ample opportunity to speak out and express themselves, that
there were adequate mechanisms for them to receive foreign
policy guidance, and that they felt no conflict in this regard.
Pursuing the matter, Senator Cooper said that President
Nixon had set out some broad outlines of Asian policy and
he assumed it was the function of military leaders to
advise on the facilities, that should be maintained consistent
with the US position of retaining a military presence in the
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Pacific. General Lampert said he had no inhibitions in
expressing his views through established channels and he
felt his views were always welcomed.
When Counsel turned his questioning to the role of the
Seventh Psyops Detachment, Mr. Knaur of Defense said that
he understood this would be addressed at a special session
with only one transcript kept and the room cleared.
I Senator Symington asked what the basis was for this under-
standing, and Mr. Knaur replied that he was instructed by
the Secretary of Defense that an agreement had been reached
to this effect. Senator Symington then suggested that the
Subcommittee proceed to take testimony from the staff after
others'had left the room, in the understanding the Subcommittee
would retain the transcript. Mr. Knaur, agreed. The following
account is from the notes of Mr. Futterman, L, who attended
this portion of the proceedings.
Walter Pincus, the Staff Consultant, recounted the
activities of the 7th Psy Ops as he understood them from his
trip last year to Okinawa and-.Japan. In regard to the Voice
I,
of the UN Command, which has four transmitters beamed at
North Korea and one transmitter directed at the Seoul area,
Mr. Pincus said that the USIA people he had talked with felt
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that VUNC was too "hard line." Mr. Pincus defined "hard
line" to mean taking the position that there could be no
improvement of relations until there was a change in the
North Korean Government. Senator Symington asked whether
this was not inconsistent with our whole policy as announced
by the President.
Mr. Pincus referred to a Tad Szulc article in the
New York Times, which reported that an NSC committee chaired
by Under Secretary Richardson was studying the whole question
of psychological warfare operations, especially in Asia, and
that the Richardson report pointed out that these activities
are assuming a disproportionately large role in our total
information program.
On Taiwan, he said a 3-man detachment was maintained
to provide input for joint exercises conducted by US and ROC
Special Forces. Mr. Pincus said he was told by the Air Force
people who carried the paratroopers that these exercises
were understood by the ROC paratroopers as being geared
around a return to the mainland.
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were attributed to VUNC, except for
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Another detachment stationed in Thailand in con-
junction with USIA supported psychological warfare
activities by the Thais. Beginning in 1969 these activi-
ties were carried over into Laos at the specific request of
Ambassador Sullivan.
Mr. Pincus testified that all the activities in Korea
Similarly, in Thailand attribu-
tion was to the Government of Thailand and in Laos to the
Senator Symington indicated that he. saw nothing
particularly wrong with this sort of activity. Mr. Pincus
replied that the primary issue was the question of how these.
efforts were coordinated within USIA and the country.team.
Senator Symington asked why these activities-were so
sensitive that the Subcommittee could not learn of them from
executive branch witnesses in a regular executive session.
Mr. Pincus said he understood from Messrs. Stevenson and
French that the sensitivity of the subject derived from the
fact that it was undergoing NSC review. Senator Symington'
expressed amazement that this could justify withholding the
basic facts about what had been going on. Mr. Pincus
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responded that in reply to this point Mr. Stevenson had
claimed he had no control over the matter because it was
a DOD activity, while Mr. French had claimed that the
question of testimony was out of DOD's control.
About mid-way in the hearing Mr. Knaur offered to
make Colonel Bentz available to comment on Mr. Pincus's
testimony and correct any errors. Senator Symington
declined the opportunity, stating that this staff hearing
had been undertaken in the face of the administration's
intransigence and that they would just go ahead and complete
their record before deciding the next step to take with the
administration.
S/PC:ALSeligmann:lm 1/29/70
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