Ask the Scholar
Page 2 of 16
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
OCR
(Synopsis B, page 2)
same situation that existed in Korea existed in a number of other
places, where the possibility of attack existed, but it was not
believed that the attack would take place at that time.
"There has been considerable mention of two reports which are
TRUMAN
examples of intelligence information concerning the intentions of
ARCHIVES and 'NATIONAL AND John
the North Korean Forces, which were available prior to June 25. The
joint weekly intelligence cable from Commander in Chief, Far East,
RECORDS
SERVICE"
on March 10, 1950, noted: 'Report received that People's Army will
a
cop
invade South Korea in June 1950. 1 To that was attached this comment:
III Comment: The People's Army will be prepared to invade South Korea
by fall and possibly by spring of this year indicated in the current
report of armed-force expansion and major troop movements at critical
38th parallel areas. Even if future reports bear out the present
indication, it is believed civil war will not necessarily be
precipitated; so that intentions in Korea are believed closely
related to Communist program in Southeast Asia. Seems likely that
Communist overt military measures in Korea will be held in abeyance,
at least until further observations made by Soviets of results of
their program in such places as Indochina, Burma, and Thailand. If
the Soviets are satisfied they are winning the struggle for these
places they probably will be content to wait a while longer and let
South Korea ripen for future harvest. If checked or defeated in
their operations in these countries in Asia they may divert large
share of their effort to South Korea, which would result in a
People's Army invasion of South Korea. That was on the 10th of
March. On the 25th of March, that is 15 days after this report was
sent in, G-2 of the Far East Command, stated his conclusion that:
"IIt is believed that there will be no civil war in Korea this
spring or summer. The most probable course of North Korean action
this spring or summer is furtherance of its attempt to overthrow
the South Korean Government by the creation of chaotic conditions
in the Republic through guerrilla activities and psychological
warfare.
"Now it is interesting to note in this connection that on October
12, 1949, the intelligence summary from Commander in Chief, Far
East, passed on a report that an attack was to be started on the 15th
of October 1949, but stated that it was probably fabricated.
"November 5, 1949, the intelligence summary had expressed the view
that previous rumors of an invasion during August, September, and
October of 1949 had been started by the North Koreans for the purpose
of causing unrest in South Korea. Also, in his report of December
30, 1949, he advocated that a report that an invasion was to occur
in March or April 1950 was not necessarily correct.
"The report of January 1, 1950, and Februaru 19, 1950, also contain
reports of invasions in March and April 1950, and were discounted.
"Therefore, you would have had reports that this attack was going
to occur almost every month, and the intelligence of the Far East
believed that was not the case.'
North Korean
North Korean troops launched surprise attacks against the ROK along
Invasion
the 38th parallel early on the morning of June 25th (4 a.m., Korean
Page data
- Page
- 2
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 48d5221f8c4579bb
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 75848921
- Core
- doc
- Type
- document
DTO data
{
"id": "75848921",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75848921",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Synopsis B, Korea - The Outbreak of War, June-July 1950",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75848921",
"collections": [
"Dean Acheson Papers",
"Princeton Seminars Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/653115/1722151-03-01.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/653115/1722151-03-01.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/653115/1722151-03-01.jpg",
"imageCount": 16,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "75848921",
"label": "Synopsis B, Korea - The Outbreak of War, June-July 1950",
"core": "doc",
"dtoType": "document",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75848921"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "75848921",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75848921",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Synopsis B, Korea - The Outbreak of War, June-July 1950",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75848921",
"collections": [
"Dean Acheson Papers",
"Princeton Seminars Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/653115/1722151-03-01.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/653115/1722151-03-01.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/653115/1722151-03-01.jpg",
"imageCount": 16,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
"url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75848921",
"naId": 75848921,
"levelOfDescription": "item",
"productionDates": [
{
"logicalDate": "1953-01-01",
"year": 1953
}
],
"recordType": "description",
"ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
"seq": 2,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/653115/1722151-03-02.jpg",
"mediaId": "48d5221f8c4579bb",
"ocrText": "(Synopsis B, page 2)\nsame situation that existed in Korea existed in a number of other\nplaces, where the possibility of attack existed, but it was not\nbelieved that the attack would take place at that time.\n\"There has been considerable mention of two reports which are\nTRUMAN\nexamples of intelligence information concerning the intentions of\nARCHIVES and 'NATIONAL AND John\nthe North Korean Forces, which were available prior to June 25. The\njoint weekly intelligence cable from Commander in Chief, Far East,\nRECORDS\nSERVICE\"\non March 10, 1950, noted: 'Report received that People's Army will\na\ncop\ninvade South Korea in June 1950. 1 To that was attached this comment:\nIII Comment: The People's Army will be prepared to invade South Korea\nby fall and possibly by spring of this year indicated in the current\nreport of armed-force expansion and major troop movements at critical\n38th parallel areas. Even if future reports bear out the present\nindication, it is believed civil war will not necessarily be\nprecipitated; so that intentions in Korea are believed closely\nrelated to Communist program in Southeast Asia. Seems likely that\nCommunist overt military measures in Korea will be held in abeyance,\nat least until further observations made by Soviets of results of\ntheir program in such places as Indochina, Burma, and Thailand. If\nthe Soviets are satisfied they are winning the struggle for these\nplaces they probably will be content to wait a while longer and let\nSouth Korea ripen for future harvest. If checked or defeated in\ntheir operations in these countries in Asia they may divert large\nshare of their effort to South Korea, which would result in a\nPeople's Army invasion of South Korea. That was on the 10th of\nMarch. On the 25th of March, that is 15 days after this report was\nsent in, G-2 of the Far East Command, stated his conclusion that:\n\"IIt is believed that there will be no civil war in Korea this\nspring or summer. The most probable course of North Korean action\nthis spring or summer is furtherance of its attempt to overthrow\nthe South Korean Government by the creation of chaotic conditions\nin the Republic through guerrilla activities and psychological\nwarfare.\n\"Now it is interesting to note in this connection that on October\n12, 1949, the intelligence summary from Commander in Chief, Far\nEast, passed on a report that an attack was to be started on the 15th\nof October 1949, but stated that it was probably fabricated.\n\"November 5, 1949, the intelligence summary had expressed the view\nthat previous rumors of an invasion during August, September, and\nOctober of 1949 had been started by the North Koreans for the purpose\nof causing unrest in South Korea. Also, in his report of December\n30, 1949, he advocated that a report that an invasion was to occur\nin March or April 1950 was not necessarily correct.\n\"The report of January 1, 1950, and Februaru 19, 1950, also contain\nreports of invasions in March and April 1950, and were discounted.\n\"Therefore, you would have had reports that this attack was going\nto occur almost every month, and the intelligence of the Far East\nbelieved that was not the case.'\nNorth Korean\nNorth Korean troops launched surprise attacks against the ROK along\nInvasion\nthe 38th parallel early on the morning of June 25th (4 a.m., Korean"
}