Letter from John M. Chang to President Harry S. Truman

KOREAN EMBASSY WASHINGTON, D.G. July 17, 1950 ARCHIVES -NATIONAL AND CORDS Es SERVICE" Your Excellency, I have the honor to convey to you, by means of this letter, the text of a cable which has been received from His Excellency, the President of Korea, and which is addressed to you. The text of my President's cable is as follows: "The people, and the Government of the Republic of Korea welcome with tears, joy and deepest appreciation the moral and physical support of the United Nations at this time of trial and bloodshed, when the right of free men to live is being challenged by violent Communist armed aggression. For many years the Communists, through satellites, have been preparing to overthrow and to conquer for Red imperialism democratic states through subversion and internal violence. In Korea they have been checked completely by our patriotic Korean people and the alertness of our security agencies. So, suddenly, on a quiet Sunday morning, expecting that the outer free world would only piously express indignation at his naked aggression so reminiscent of Poland and Pearl Harbor, and knowing that the forces of the Republic of Korea were purely defensive, without planes, tanks, or heavy guns - all of which were possessed by the aggressive Communist forces -- they attacked. With this Soviet military material and leadership, they counted on easy vic- tory, not from superior morale but from superior weapons. The Soviets have had easy victories so long they have deceived even themselves. Al- most all the civilized world has rallied to support the Republic of Korea, knowing if the Communists should conquer here there was no place where they would not try to conquer. All free governments with military forces within /reaching distance