DISCUSSES RELATIONSHIP OF KOREAN WAR TO A THIRD WORLD WAR

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05708824
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: June 21, 2021
• Case Number: F-2017-00334
• Publication Date: September 6, 1950

Approved for Release: 2021/06/16 C05708824
CLASSIFICATION CONETIAL uild
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
REPORT NO
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
COUNTRY International
SUBJECT Political (Editorial)
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily newspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED Hong Kong
DATE
PUBLISHED 29 - 31 Jul 1950
LANGUAGE Chinese
THIS DOCUMINT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFICTIND THE NATIONAL DIMS!
OF THE UNIITO STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF 111PIONAOT ACT SO
U. S. C.. 3I'AND 31. AS ANEROID. ITS TRANSMISSION OR TNT ADULATION
OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MASHES TO AN UNALITIIONIZED PERSON IS PRO.
MISITID IT LAW. REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PRONIIIITID.
SOURCE Hsing-tao Jih-pao.
DATE OF
INFORMATION
DATE DIST. 6 Se l 1950
NC, OF PAGES 5
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
1950
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
DISCUSSES RELATIONSHIP OF KOREAN WAR TO A THIRD WORLD WAR
The following editorial represents the definitel. pro-Soviet p01-
icy now adopted by the Hong Kong Heing-tao Jih-pao. There is no
masthead to ascertain whether or not thare have been personnel changes
on the staff. However, the paper does not, as yet, carry a registra-
tion number from the Canton Military Control Commission. The only two
Hong Kong papers carrying such registration numbers at present are the
Wen-hi Pao and the Ta Kung Pao.
The present stage of the conflict between North and South Korea has not
arisen from an epsentially internal conflict, but from the expansion of the
confligt between the US and the Soviet Union. The conflict resulted from the
fact that the SoutL Koreans were compelled to take a passive defensive atti-
tude in answer to which the North chose an active offensive across the whole
border at once into the territory of South Korea. This consideration would
lead to the conclusion that the camp of people's democracy and socialism had
decided to wage a pitched struggle against imperialisA in Korea. However,
this is not actually the tese.
Wars are carried on by political governments, and they are based on cer-
tain socioecwiomic systgies. The Soviet economic system is built On socialiam.
The Soviet Union is not in danger of privation within its own territories. It
does not require colonies dr foreign markets. The socialist system does not
need, as does the capitaliit system, to resort frequently to foreign war in
order to relax its internal conflicts.
One viewpoint is that socialism and capitalism must inevitably be in
conflict. Howev^r, the Soviet Union does not wish to use her military strength
or the power of world revolution to overcome capitalism. She firmly believes
tiiat time is on her side and that as time passes she will become stronger and,
the capitalist Areas weaker. -Therefore, her basic .policy is to preserve her
political power and carry on a peaceful economic race with the capitalist coun-
tries and thug win over or overcome- the whole world. However, a militarily de-
fensive policy must be aided by an aggressive political policy. A.really peace-
ful policy is not one that merely waits in fear, for the lightnineof war to -
-1 -
CLASSIFICATION COIF IAL
DISTRIBUTION
coNFnwigAi
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
Approved for Release: 2021/06/16 C05708824
etift"1','
CONFIDENTIAL
strike, but it encroaches on the defense lines of.the imperialists and strength-
ens' niad expands itErtnni war potential. Applying thisprinciplt.: to the present ,
instance, the aggreaSion of North Korea is merely an item in the defensive pol-
icy of the socialistic people's democratic camp.
To carry out this sort of policy it is necessary to make a sudden con-
certed attack in strength at a weak point of the enemy andrwithout provoking
a general conflict, exploit it before he can. gather his strength. South Korea
was admittedly-a weak point in the anti-Soviet orbit. The arbitrary division
of the country at the 38th Parallel was opposed by both North and South Koreans
of democratic tendencies. Syngman Rhee and his landlord party was opposed by
all the workers and had no chance for survival. There was practically no dis-
tinction between his government and that of the Chinese KMT in its inefficiency
and corruption.
The Forum, British Labor Party weekly, pointed out that the Rhee govern-
ment was not worthy of any support from the West. General Hodge, the former
American military governor, expressed himself as certain that South Korea was
an indefensible spot. While some US officials now declare that the withdrawal
of US occupation troops from South Korea was an egregious error, it was appar-
ent that the Korean people were opposed to a continuation of the military gov-
ernment. The fact that the US only supplied the Rhee government with military
equipment suitable for internal security purposes is evidence that the US be-
lieved that to furnish Rhee with high-quality military equipment would be the
same as handing it over tO the North Korean Communists.
The Soviet Union, aware of this attitude, grasped this golden opportunity
to have the People's Republic overthrow the Rhee government, knowing that
should the US directly intervene she would find it very difficult to secure
the loyalty of the Koreans either to the Rhee government or to any US-sponsored
regime, and should she not intervene, her prestige in all Asia would suffer a
body blow. The US's strength would at the same time be dissipated.
While the US may be able to stabilize Europe by following the capitalistic
line, in the ,Far East conditions are much different. Here imperialism and na-
tional liberation aspirations are in serious conflict. The Soviet is exploit-
ing the idea of liberation to the fullest extent by supporting the CCP's claim
to a seat in the UN, by declaring that she would not interfere in the Korean
conflict, and by supporting the Viet Minh against Viet Nam. She realizes that
the support of revolutionary programs is essential to her existence. But to
say that the USSR supT)orts liberation movements in the Far East is not equiva-
lent to saying that she is ready to throw down the gauntlet to the US there in
a military sense. She only wants the North Korea-s to eliminate one of the
US's Far Eastern bases. She is not ready to retreat entirely from the UN. She
wants 5 place7 to employ criticism as a weapon. She will support the anti-
imperialist antiwar struggle among workers outside her borders, but this strug-
gle is really intended to promote peace. She does not yet desire war; in fact, .
she still wants to avoid it.
Although the US had long since decided that ahe and the Soviet Union could
not exist together in the same world and was vigorously pmparing for war, the
Korean invasion took her entirely by surprise. While her military strategy was
offensive, her 501itic81J policy was defensive, in exact contrast to thp policy
of the Soviet Union. She desired to avoid all small diversionary conflicts un-
til her strength was wholly mobilized. For this very reason it is the policy of
the Soviet Union to wear the US out with small conflicts from Iceland to the
Philippines and from Alaska to the Bosporus.
During the first 2 weeks of the Korean conflict, representative US spokes-
men, both military and political, all played down the likelihood of the Korean
affair developing into a large-scale conflict. It is hardly likely that these
sentiments were expressed merely for window dressing, but more likely represent'
�
- 2 -
CONFIDENTIAL
(b)(3)
'roved for Release: 2021/06/16 C0570882,
Approved for Release: 2021/06/16 C05708824
CONFIDENTIAL
their true sentiments. At the same time,, the great clamor outside and inside
the Congress indicates that the US is distressed. This distress seems to
arise from the fact that the'US's military preparations are not completed and
the time for an all-out struggle has not arrived. The Korean squabble throws
he p2.ans off balance.
There is not sufficient determination to fight, and yet not to fight
would bring about an intolerably floundering sort of situation. So the US
took the action through-the Security Council, condemuing North Korea and or-
dering the Navy and Air Force to aid South Korea. Senator McCarron demands
breaking off relations with the USSR and her satellites in order to recover
the US's world leadership while at the same time avoiding a general war.
This idea reveels the fact that the US is not ready for an all-out effort.
The clamor from other Western nations for the use of a fey A-bombs to settle
the Korean affair indicates that these countries hope the affair can be set-
tled between the US and the USSR without dragging them into it.
Utterances like Hoover's call for the expulsion of the Soviet Union from
the UN, and Senator Tyding's pronunciamento that while the US should make a
strong campaign in Korea but should not get bogged down there, are simply an-
other way of saying that the US should not allow pin pricks to divert her
from her main military objectives.- The US weekly, United States News and
World Report, after setting forth the comparative strength of the US and the
Soviet Union concludes by saying that should the war be staved off, military
and economic strength' should be increased. Should the war come soon, one
side might win militarily, yet both sides would be completely exhausted eco-
nomically.
The US authorities, while severely taking the Soviet Union to task for
aiding North Korea, felt confident that the USSR would not take overt action,
and so used theue charges to arouse the people of the US and the Woi!ld.
While Committing only naval and air forces to the action, they loudly pro-
claimed the great danger of the incident to world peace. Only thus could
they arouse their people to commit all the material resources and manpower to
preparation for war and lead-the capitalistic countries to prepare quickly.
The action of the E.Jcurity Council and Lie's appeal to the Member nations had
the same purpose.
The US underestimated too greatly the strength of North Korea. (The
strength of the laboring masses is often immeasurable on -a material basis.)
The naval and air forces were 'insufficient to save Rhees govelAment. The
land forces committed later Were also constantly defeated. Heavy bombings
and coastal blockades were also unavailing. US defense chief Johnson wryly
admitted that the North Koreans fought like devils. MicArthur constantly
called for greater powers and more men and materiel, and stated that if the
Korean battle were lost, the US would be finished in Asia. But, the passing
days only more fully revealed the real gravity of the situation. Truman ac-
knowledged that the U�, with insufficient men and supplies, Was meeting a
force, well supplied and excellently led, that would require a heavy commit-
ment of men and means to overcome. He called on the country and all the Allied
nations to commit themselves rapidly to building up their economic and military
strength in order to maintain their position as free nations.
Stock prices immediately responded to the Korean incident and stocks of
companies making munitions and chemicals went up, as well as prices of rubber
and other critical war goods. However, the US government recognized that
though an all-out war could not be avoided and though the Korean incident
might hasten it, plans for meeting 'she situation must be carried out in an or-
derly manner. The Congress took speedy action on extending periods of military
service and on extension of the selective service. In steel manufacture,
- 3 -
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIBENTilt
(b)(3)
Approved for Release: 2021/06/16 C05708824
CONFIDFITITAL
voluntary controls are still considered sufficient. Civilian defense measures
are being speeded up under Symington's leadership, but will still take time to
develop.
The question of manpower and resources controls is still left unsettled.
A conflict is on over the matter of total or partial mobilization. One thing
that holds the authorities back from rapid mobilization is the laboring
classes. The poor masses have not yet been entirely anesthetized by the anti-
Soviet and anci-Communiat doctrine and completely bound to the Wall Street war
party's chariot. Consequently, the White House authorities have to go slow,
and while the war situation is 'still not too tense, prepare the minds of the
workers to be 7oldiers and the operators of industry to be officiers, and to
place military controls on production.
On 2 July the iron range area in Minnesota and the steel-producing areas
in the Midwest and East were declared military restricted areas. On 8
Truman ordered the Fifth Army to take over the strike-bound Rock Island Rail-
road. The commander of that army requested the Department of Justice to pre-
pare the necessary laws to control labor. -McGrath and Tobin are now in proc-
ess of preparing such legal procedures.
In the meantime Wall Street is working to strengthen its hand with labor.
Last year at a meeting of the Steel Inotitute, Secretary Sawyer of the De-
partment of Commerce openly advised the capitalists to employ funds to buy
labor leaders and make their financial path easy so that they wad be willing
to take risks in carrying on the anti-Communist struggle.
This policy has already shown-fruit. One week after the beginnihg of the
Korean conflict, the head of the CIO Seaman's Union petitioned the Eenate for
an appropriation of over 700 million dollars for a big ship-building program
in preparation for an all-out war. On 10 July Green of the AFL stated that
:the Korean struggle must be won, and the chief of the CIO announced that the
CIO vould.cooperate with the AFL. What reaction will these declarations bring
froithe laborers? This will depend on the efficacy of the anti-Communist
propaganda. To promote its wax campaign Wall Street seeks not only to crush
Communism and the Communist Party, bUt seeks to silence all voices of liberty
and democracy and all agencies that are opposed to certain laws.
The FBI, the Un-American Activities Committee, and the Taft-Hartley law
have already exercised a great effect. As the mar hysteria arises, even
Henry Wallace, the so-called "blind follower of Russia" and "Communist fellow
traveler," has anncunced that, while he holds no britf for the actions of
either the US or the Soviet Union in the past, now that his country is en-
gaged in a war which is also supported by the UN, he must stand on the side of
his country. Many are of the opinion that this turnover on his part is evi-
dence of the intention of the US to start a war.
The US is making use of the Korean ctisis to test out the attitudes,
viewpoints, and determination of the Soviet orbit countries and to frighten
them. The response of the UN members to Lie's appeal to them to support the
US-sponsored Sw:urity Council resolution must have been disappointing. While
most of them expressed agreement and support in principle, they were not will-
ing to go further than that. They are all standing aside to Watch the Soviet-
US struggle. This has revealed to the White House that it must exert much
greater pressure to strengthen the anti-Soviet front.
Senator &lowland raised the question of what these powers meant by tak-
ing a diffident attitude toward the struggle. He said that the US does not
need any other country's militatv aid; she only wants them to take a stand on
her aide. Democratic Senator Benton said that while the US does not need mil-
itary aid, the offer of even small forces from other powers will make it clear
that this is not an imperialist undertaking. H2 referred particularly to such
countries as the Philippines and Pakistan.
it
CONFIDENTIAL
,41;,;ripa:11
ij I#.41
(b)(3)
roved for
Release: 2021/06/16 C0570882
Approved for Release: 2021/06/16 C05708824
CONMEN11111.
CONFIDENTIAL
Here the writer lists the responses of the various nations to th:
call to aid in the Korean campaign with tbq inference that all that
acted favorably did so under US pressure. He concludes that their
r-o.uctance to, act favorably arose from the likelihood that they would
gain nothing, on the -one hand, and the opposition of the masses in
the-iraricns countries which made their rulers 'Cautious, on the other.
Re eMphasizes that the Colonial countries and weak countries were es-
peciallyreluctant. He cites a statement of the Eire foreign minis-
ter to the effect that the South Korean forces were resisting the
will of the people, and a .statement of the New Zealand prime minister
that the .conflict was only an extension of the Soviet-US conflict
in which New Zealand did not care to become involved. The writer
cites the debate in the British Parliament as very significant in re-
vealing the conflict of ideas in the British government in this mat-
ter.
Truman has shown his concern over the apparent apathy of the nations to-
ward the US's actions in Korea in letters to leaders of Congress in which he
has indicated that he believes a great campaign of propaganda must be con-
ducted tb change the attitudes of other peoples if there. is to be any prospect
of.. lasting peace at all. What Senator Benton has called the "ideological
Marshall plan" is only another weapon of Wall Street to bring all peoples un-
der its demoniacal control and lead them into the terrible throes of a third
world war.
-END
- 5 -
CONFIVENTIAL
CONFIDENTifil,
(b)(3)
A..
roved for Release: 2021/06/16 C0570882