PRESIDENT TRUMAN’SOFFICE FILES

Part 4: Korean War Files

 

 

Reel 1

Korean War File

0001 Korean Data—General. 1946–1950. 201pp.

Major Topics: Defense Department memos on UN role in Korean War; divergent proposals on returning Korean and Chinese prisoners of war forcibly to Communist control; U.S. policies on Korea, including economic and military aid; Ralph Watkins’s report on conditions in Japan and Korea, including morale and activities of U.S. forces and armistice negotiations; notes for Truman’s Wake Island meeting with MacArthur; South Korean views on U.S. aid and various war issues.

Principal Correspondents: Louis Johnson; Robert A. Lovett; Omar N. Bradley; Ralph J. Watkins; Syngman Rhee; Dean Acheson.

0202 Air Force Briefings. 1950–1951. 6pp.

Major Topic: Chinese Communist air strength in Korean theater.

0208 Armistice Negotiations. 1952. 19pp.

Major Topic: Divergent proposals on returning Korean and Chinese prisoners of war forcibly to Communist control.

Principal Correspondents: W. M. Fechteler; Robert L. Dennison.

0227 Central Intelligence Agency. 1951. 10pp.

Major Topic: Study on “Probable Consequences...of Action[s] with Respect to Communist China and Korea,” including possible naval blockade of Communist China, use of Chinese Nationalist forces in Korea, and implications of U.S. bombing of Manchuria.

0237 Civil Affairs. 1950. 20pp.

Major Topics: Directive to MacArthur on civil affairs in North Korea; South Korean protest of alleged UN plans to establish interim authority in North Korea. Principal Correspondents: Robert A. Lovett; Douglas MacArthur.

0257 Marshall, George C. 1950–1951. 65pp.

Major Topics: Leading defense and state officials’ views on Korean armistice talks; Truman’s statements on Korea, including possible use of nuclear weapons; State Department paper “Fight against Aggression in Korea”; Truman’s directive to MacArthur as UN commander in Korea, issued prior to Chinese intervention.

Principal Correspondents: Omar N. Bradley; George C. Marshall; Matthew B. Ridgway; Carl A. Spaatz.

0322 Messages—Air Force and Army. 1950. 22pp.

Major Topic: Transcripts of teletype conferences held between U.S. officials in Washington and Tokyo following outbreak of Korean War in June 1950.

0344 Releases. [Folder empty.] 2pp.

0346 Releases—Drafts. 1950. 21pp.

Major Topic: “The Truth About Korea,” pamphlet from Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, attacking voting record of congressional Republicans on aid to Korea.

0367 Releases—Mimeographed. 1950. 7pp.

Major Topic: Truman’s statements on Korea.

0374 Radio Broadcast by E. D. Canhan—July 25, 1950. 9pp.

Major Topic: E. D. Canhan’s analysis of prospects for Soviet action in Korea, including Soviet threats to Yugoslavia and in other areas.

Principal Correspondent: E. D. Canhan.

0383 Report of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Senate Committees—April 30, 1951. 125pp.

Major Topic: “Record of Actions Taken…Relative to UN Operations in Korea from 25 June 1950 to 11 April 1951,” Report prepared for Senate Armed Forces and Foreign Relations Committees following MacArthur’s dismissal, including MacArthur’s reports on military developments in Korea and requests for reinforcement after Chinese Communists’ intervention.

0508 Survey of North Korea. 1951. 25pp.

Major Topic: “North Korea: Case Study of a Soviet Satellite,” report of State Department research team (working temporarily in North Korea before June hostilities) on Soviet control over regime of Kim Il Sung, 1945–1950.

0533 State Department—Foreign Telegrams. 1950. 36pp.

Major Topics: British and French reaction to Chinese intervention in Korea; reactions of foreign governments to outbreak of Korean War.

0569 State Department—Summary of Telegrams. 1950. 11pp.

Major Topic: Reactions of foreign governments to outbreak of Korean War.

0580 United Nations Data. 1950. 21pp.

Major Topics: Military assistance from UN member states to Korean military effort; UN Security Council resolution establishing Korean unified command under U.S. commander; Truman’s designation of MacArthur as UN commander in Korea.

0601 Wake Island—General. 1950. 20pp.

Major Topics: Vernice Anderson’s shorthand notes from main Wake session; Truman’s briefing papers for Wake Conference; foreign government and press reaction to Wake Conference.

0621 Wake Island Conference Statements, October 15, 1950. 25pp.

Major Topic: Minutes of Wake Conference. Principal Correspondent: Omar N. Bradley.

0646 Wake Island Talks (Folder 1). 1950. 59pp.

Major Topics: Truman’s briefing papers for Wake Conference, including UN role in fighting and rehabilitation, Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on Korea, and possible unification of Korea; U.S. views on management of civil affairs in Korea after hostilities.

0705 Wake Island Talks (Folder 2). 1950. 132pp

Major Topics: Military assistance from UN member states to Korean military effort; studies on possibility of Chinese Communist and Soviet intervention in Korea and views of foreign governments on issue; Japanese peace treaty: memo for Truman, draft text and economic situation; internal conditions, economic problems and recommendations for U.S. aid to Philippines; Communist Chinese threat to Taiwan and

Indochina.

Principal Correspondents: Dean Acheson; Louis Johnson.

0837 Wake Island Talks (Folder 3). [Folder empty.] 2pp.

0839 Wake Island Trip. 1950. 13pp.

0852 Wake Island Trip—Communique between President Truman and General MacArthur. 1950. 8pp.

Major Topic: Truman’s statement following Wake Conference.

0860 Wake Island Trip—Itinerary. 1950. 23pp.

Major Topic: Flight times and administrative arrangements for trip to Wake Conference.

0883 Wake Island Trip—Speeches-Hawaii and San Francisco. 1950. 24pp.

Major Topic: Truman’s San Francisco speech on Wake Conference.

Frank E. Lowe File

0907 Correspondence, 1947–1952 (Folder 1) [Major General Frank Lowe’s Reports from Korea]. 1950–1952. 97pp.

Major Topics: Summary of Lowe’s reports to Truman from Korea; Lowe’s interview alleging that unnamed Pentagon officials sought to alienate Truman and MacArthur; interrogation of North Korean colonel on morale of North Korean troops; Lowe’s reports to Truman on morale and other activities of U.S. forces in Korea.

Principal Correspondents: Robert L. Dennison; Frank E. Lowe; Edward L. Bowles.

Reel 2

Frank E. Lowe File cont.

0001 Correspondence, 1947–1952 (Folder 1 cont.) [Major General Frank Lowe’s Reports from Korea]. 1949–1951. 114pp.

Major Topic: Lowe’s reports to Truman on morale and other activities of U.S. forces in Korea.

0115 Correspondence, 1947–1952 (Folder 2) [Major General Frank Lowe’s Reports from Korea]. 1950–1951. 213pp.

Major Topic: Lowe’s reports to Truman on morale and other activities of U.S. forces in Korea.

0328 Correspondence, 1947–1952 (Folder 3) [Major General Frank Lowe’s Reports from Korea and Other Correspondence with Truman]. 1947–1950. 86pp.

Major Topics: MacArthur’s trip to Formosa; British concern over possible conflict between Chinese Nationalists and Communists; MacArthur’s health; Lowe’s reports to Truman on morale and other activities of U.S. forces in Korea; Lowe urges Truman to court veterans’ vote in 1948.

0414 Miscellaneous Documents. 1950. 83pp.

Major Topics: Daily intelligence summary and operations report of Korean War activity (samples sent to Truman); U.S. propaganda leaflets dropped over North and South Korea.

0497 Report of Mission. 1951. 72pp.

Major Topic: Lowe’s final report to Truman as special presidential observer of Korean War.

0569 Report of Mission—Appendix to Personnel Report (Tab 1). 1951. 23pp.

Major Topic: Personnel strength of the six infantry divisions in Korea, July 1950 to March 1951.

0592 Report of Mission—Appendix to G-3 Operations Report (Tab 4). n.d. 10pp.

0602 Report of Mission—General. 1951. 51pp.

Major Topic: Recommendations to reduce abandonment of equipment by U.S. troops.

0653 Report of Mission—Appendix to Ordnance Report (Tab 6), Part I. 1950–1951.106pp.

0759 Report of Mission—Appendix to Ordnance Report (Tab 6), Part II. 1950–