Letter from President Syngman Rhee to President Harry S. Truman, with Related Material

0> A 10 1951 to DEPT. OF STATE REPUBLIC OF KOREA 91 DC/R OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT March 26,1951 My dear Mr. President: Upon receipt of the report that our forces had re-entered Seoul, we at once thanked God and prayed for/the continued suc- cess of your brilliant leadership and far-sighted statesmanship. Your bold declaration of the Truman Doctrine three years ago, followed by your momentous and historic decision of June 25, 1950, made clear the dangers of Communism and guided world sentiment into taking a firm anti-Communist stand. Had you not declared your anti-Communist policy three years ago, the Soviets might have conquered the entire world by now, and Korea, then under American Military Government, might well be subject to a Soviet trusteeship. Again, had you failed to make your decision last June, none of the United Nations forces now fighting here would have come, and we know what then would have been the fate of Korea. The record of world history will show throughout the centuries to come that all democracies now fighting against Soviet aggression owe their security and freedom to you. And I assure you, Mr. President, our people will never fail to enshrine your name in their grateful hearts. Now that the war has progressed to this successful stage, pro-Communist appeasers everywhere are feverishly seeking to se- D.S. cure a "cease-fire" order under a variety of excuses. To stop at the 38th parallel would be to frustrate your policy and to render in vain all the sacrifices of human lives and material sustained by the United States and other member nations. There- fore I desire to express to you, Mr. President, my deep convic- tion that the United States should stand firm in carrying out your principles, thereby encouraging all the anti-Communist ele- ments in every nation, including Russia herself, to fight for their freedom. This is the only way, I believe, to avoid the possibility of another world war. As we know, revolt against Com- munism is now arising in many nations; to encourage it is the best means of weakening the position of the totalitarian leaders in the Kremlin. Meanwhile we must not risk needlessly the lives of the American boys in Korea. The best way to reduce the burden upon them is by immediately arming and equipping the three hundred thousand Korean youths who have been selected and trained for the battlefront. Let these boys do the fighting at the front, while the United Nations forces support them with air fire and artillery and hold secure positions in the rear. DC/R Anal 20 012104 / The question Rev. Cat class Sherk made