The Department of State and the United Nations
The department of state plays a significant role in matters relating to United States operations in the United Nations. In this regard, the Department of State has been largely involved in the positions taken by the United States in annual general assemblies of the UN. This department was vital, especially during the cold war era, as it grew in prominence in the 1950s as a fast-acting agency for suppressing armed conflict with soviet communists[1]. The department of state is regularly involved in communications with foreign missions in matters concerning international relations. This correspondence involves providing instructions to foreign diplomatic missions on different issues and getting feedback. The feedback received guides the formulation of policies for international relations. The main goal of the department of state is to ensure that the US government speaks with one voice on issues discussed in international forums[2]. The document under review is in the context of communication to various foreign diplomatic missions on the positions taken by the United States in some of the issues to be debated in the UN 11th session of the general assembly. The document is of high significance as it guided officials in foreign missions to seek feedback and support for some of the positions taken by the government.
The document is authored by the then secretary of state, John Foster Dulles, and relays information related to the upcoming 11th regular session of the UN general assembly. The document contains the positions taken by the department of state in several topics likely to be discussed in the upcoming conference[3]. The intended audience for this communication is officials in several diplomatic missions around the world. The document instructs the diplomats to communicate the positions taken by the United States to the respective allies and report back on their reactions. As stipulated in the document, the diplomatic officials are to communicate to friendly governments in their respective locations that the US wishes to take into account the views of her allies before coming up with its final position[4]. The document follows a tradition of the department of state of consulting with allied governments on their views before formulating policies on international relations. The result of the Department of State’s cooperation with other nations is the achievement of the goals of peace, freedom, security, and a better life for all men and women[5]. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
The first element of the document includes the position taken by the department of state regarding Chinese representation in the United Nations. It states that the United States shall “continue actively to oppose any efforts designed to change the representation of China in the General Assembly”[6]. In relation to this stand, the representatives in the diplomatic missions are instructed to gain feedback on the views of friendly governments. The position is largely aimed at ensuring that China is not allowed to replace representatives of the government of the republic of china with Chinese communists. The department viewed this position as a significant step in preventing an increase in communist representatives in the UN Security Council. The secretary states that they have already received information that the UK will support the moratorium formula for the entire session[7]. Voting records from the 1956 UN GA show that the position on Chinese representation by the US was supported by 46 other nations against 24 who supported the Chinese bid[8]. Therefore, we can assume that some of the countries who were against a change in Chinese representation took the position in support of reasons presented by the United States.
The second element in the letter by Secretary Dulles relates to the admission of new members to the UN general assembly. The department of state is particularly interested in the exclusion of Japan, Vietnam, and the Republic of Korea despite their qualifications. According to the letter, the United States hopes that japan will be admitted at the upcoming session as it has been excluded for a long time. In another memorandum by the department of state, the renewal of the United States sponsorship of the application for UN membership made by Japan is discussed[9]. The Memorandum is dated October 26, 1956, and is approved by Secretary Dulles. The United States also aims to continue its support for Vietnam and the Republic of Korea as possible candidates for admission. However, the US is strongly opposed to the admission of Soviet satellite states such as Outer Mongolia. The department of state anticipates that the USSR may try to tie the application for admission of Outer Mongolia with that of Japan[10]. This anticipation stems from the recent agreement by the USSR to support Japan for admission in the upcoming conference. However, the secretary notes that the final position of the United States on the matter will be guided by feedback from the diplomatic missions on views of other members.
Being in a cold war era, the issue of Korea is quite significant and is therefore included in the communication by the secretary of state. Secretary Dulles notes that the issue of the Korean conflict will automatically be on the agenda for the upcoming UN session[11]. The question of the reunification of Korea is expected to be a key subject in the session. The goal of the reunification of Korea had led to increasing conflict between the united states and USSR and Chinese communists. The United Nations, led by the United States, was strongly pushing for the reunification of Korea by repelling North Korean communist soldiers. On the other hand, the Chinese had intervened to support the North Koreans against the United Nations peacekeeping armies. The United States and United Nations aimed to reunite Korea into a democratic republic while the Chinese supported the North Koreans aiming to create a Korean communist state[12]. Failure by both sides to achieve their objectives through armed conflict resulted in a truce. This truce was the subject to be discussed in the 11th UN general assembly. Therefore, the secretary urges the diplomatic missions to communicate to their allies that although the US is still pushing for Korean reunification, they do not anticipate an extended debate on the subject owing to the communists’ unwillingness to cooperate.
The document shows the critical role played by the department of state in international relations and especially in policies related to the US membership in the UN. Moreover, the letter by Secretary Dulles outlines the interest of the United States in the cold war era. Most of the positions outlined in the document point to the ongoing conflict between the US and the Soviet and Chinese communists. The Instructions sent to certain diplomatic missions are aimed at getting support for US positions from allied countries such as the United Kingdom. The department of state anticipates a continued tussle in the upcoming assembly between itself and the USSR, China, and their communist allies on matters relating to change in Chinese representation, the Korean conflict, and the admission of new members. Therefore, the department of state plays a vital role in influencing the membership of the United States in the United Nations general assembly and Security Council.
Bibliography
Barnes, Robert. “Branding an aggressor: the Commonwealth, the United Nations, and Chinese
intervention in the Korean war, November 1950–January 1951. “The Journal of Strategic Studies 33, no. 2 (2010): 231-253. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402391003590333
Bloomfield, Lincoln Palmer. “The Department of State and the United nations.” International
Organization 4, no. 3 (1950): 400-411. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818300021032
Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, Volume XI: United Nations and General
International Matters https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1955-57v11/d35
Kim, Samuel S. “The People’s Republic of China in the United Nations: A Preliminary
Analysis.” World Politics 26, no. 3 (1974): 299-330. https://doi.org/10.2307/2009932
Memorandum from the Assistant Secretary of State For International Organization Affairs
(Wilcox) to the Secretary of State. “Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, Volume XI:” https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1955-57v11/d237
[1] Lincoln Palmer Bloomfield. “The Department of State and the united nations.” International Organization 4, no. 3 (1950): 400. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818300021032
[2], Bloomfield. 401
[3] Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, Volume XI: United Nations and General International Matters https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1955-57v11/d35.
[4] Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, Volume XI
[5] Bloomfield. “The Department of State and the United nations.” 401
[6] Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, Volume XI
[7] Ibid.
[8] Samuel S, Kim. “The People’s Republic of China in the United Nations: A Preliminary Analysis.” World Politics 26, no. 3 (1974): 302. https://doi.org/10.2307/2009932
[9] Memorandum from the Assistant Secretary of State For International Organization Affairs (Wilcox) to the Secretary of State. “Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, Volume XI:” https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1955-57v11/d237
[10]Ibid.
[11] Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955-1957, Volume XI
[12] Robert Barnes. “Branding an aggressor: the Commonwealth, the United Nations, and Chinese intervention in the Korean war, November 1950–January 1951.” The Journal of Strategic Studies 33, no. 2 (2010): 240. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402391003590333