1072. (DOUGLAS MACARTHUR) JOHN FOSTER DULLES (1888-1959) Secretary of State under Eisenhower who promoted "brinksmanship" and active intervention against communism. Important T.L.S. as Secretary of State on official letterhead, 1p. 4to., Washington, May 18, 1951 to Gen. Douglas MacArthur. In part: "I enclose herewith a draft...which we are making to the Soviet note on the Japanese Peace Treaty. This follows the lines of the draft which I left with you a week ago, but I think I have improved it and strengthened it very substantially...". Attached is a carbon copy of Dulles' response to Soviet complaints about the proposed final Allied peace treaty with Japan, 21pp. legal folio, [n.p., n.d.], marked "CONFIDENTIAL" at bottom. The document answers Soviet issues and complaints, yet concludes that the U.S. and Russia seem to be essentially on the "same page" with only a few details to be worked out before a final peace is signed. The Soviet Union did not declare war on Japan until two days after the bombing of Hiroshima, when it was clear that the war was over for Japan. As agreed at Yalta, the Soviet Union had intervened in the war with Japan within three months of the German surrender, and they were therefore entitled to the territories of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands and also to preeminent interests over Port Arthur and Dairen. Incredibly, Russia and Japan still have not signed a peace treaty ending the conflict. In September 1951, the Soviet Union declined to sign the San Francisco Peace Treaty, which the other Allies signed with Japan. Under that treaty, Japan agreed to renounce its claims to what it considered the Kurile Islands. However, the four disputed islands were not mentioned in the document because, as noted above, Japan believes they belong to the Hokkaido Island group. So, for now, the southern Kuriles remain in Russian hands and the two countries remain technically "at war". Overall very good. From the files of MacArthur's secretary, with a copy of his letter to her accepting her resignation. $700 - 900