WASHINGTON, June 30, 1950 (UP) - President Truman today authorized "certain supporting ground units" to be thrown into the Korean war.
He also announced he has authorized American bombing of military targets in Communist North Korea and has ordered a naval blockade of the entire Korea coast.
Defense Secretary Louis Johnson said that Truman's orders already have been put into effect.
The President did not explain in a brief statement what ground units will be used, but they presumably will be fighting troops and American.
The President's authorization to Gen. Douglas MacArthur was a signal to the American commander to step up the fighting against the North Korean Communist invaders who have plunged into the heart of the tiny republic in the south.
The new instructions probably went out last night or early today. MacArthur already has ordered U.S. bombers to go after military objectives in North Korea.
The President originally authorized the use of only U.S. air and naval forces against the North Koreans, and he instructed them to confine themselves to action south of the border between North and South Korea.
Truman's new decisions were taken after a top-level conference at the White House late yesterday and after headquarters here received a top secret report from MacArthur on his visit to the fighting front in Korea yesterday.
The White House statement said that Truman's orders are in keeping with the United Nations Security Council directive to support the republic of Korea.
The President met with the U.S. chiefs of staff, his cabinet and key Democratic and Republican congressional leaders at the White House this morning. The White House statement was issued after the meeting in which Truman had brought all up to date on the situation in hard-pressed South Korea.
In authorizing the bombing of North Korea, Truman said it would be done against "specific military targets." These would include the airfields near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.
Fighter planes from these airfields have been harassing U.S. fighter and bomber operations. Now the American airmen will be able to hit home and destroy them on the ground.
The stringent naval blockade is designed to prevent the North Korean forces from making amphibious landings in the south and to choke off what supplies the Communists may be receiving by sea in the north.
The U.S. naval forces presumably soon will be aided by British naval forces and a Canadian squadron.
Reporters asked Defense Secretary Louis Johnson if it was now correct to say that we are using "ground troops" in Korea.
Johnson replied that "the previous order involved only specialist groups. This is broader."
Reporters asked if any decision had been taken on Nationalist China's reported offer to send 30,000 troops to Korea.
"There have been offers like that from everybody," Johnson said. "We are working on them all and don't want to announce any decision yet."
