Evening star., 1950-07-20

AT noon today, I sent a message to
the Congress about the situation in
] Korea. I want to talk to you TO-
night about that situation, and
about what it means to the security
of the United States, and to our
hopes for world peace.
Korea is q small country, thou
sands Of miles away, but what Is
happening there is important to
every American.
| On Sunday. June 25th, Commu-
mist forces attacked the Republic
Of Korea.
This attack has made It clear,
beyond all doubt, that the inter-
national Communist movement is
willing to use armed invasion to
conquer independent nations. An
act of aggression such as this cre-
ates very real danger to the Sc
curity of all free nations.
The attack upon Korea was an
outright breach Of the peace and q
violation Of the Charter Of the
United Nations. BY their actions in
Korea, Communist leaders have
demonstrated their contempt for
the basic moral principles on which
the United Nations is founded. This
is a direct challenge to the efforts
of the free nations to build the
kind Of world in which men can
live in freedom and peace.
Must Meet 1t SquareIy.
This challenge has been presented
squarely. We must meet Is squarely
It is important for all of us to
understand the essential facts as to
how the situation in Korea came
about.
Before and during World War II,
Korea was subject to Japanese rule.
When the fighting stopped, it was
agreed that troops of the Soviet
Union would accept the surrender
Of the Japanese soldiers In the
northern part of Korea, and that
American forces would accept the
surrender of the Japanese in the
southern part. For this purpose,
the 38th Parallel was used as the
dividing line.
Later, the United Nations sought
to establish Korea as q free and
independent nation. A commission
was sent out to supervise a free
election in the whole Of Korea.
However, this election was held only
in the southern part of the country,
because the Soviet Union refused
to permit an election for this pur-
pose to be held in the northern part.
Indeed, Soviet authorities even re-
fusd to permit the United Nations
Commission to visit northern Ko-
rea.
Nevertheless, the United Nations
decided to 60 ahead where it could.
In August, 1913, the Republic Of
Korea was established as free and
independent nation in that part Of
Korea south Of the 38th Parallel.
Behind Iron Curtain.
In December, 194S, the Soviet
Union stated that it had withdrawn
its troops from Northern Korea
and that a local government had
been established there. However,
the Communist authorities never
have permitted United Nations OBJ
servers to visit Northern Korea to
see what was going on behind that
part Of the Iron Curtain.
| It was from that area, where the
Communist authorities have been
unwilling to let the outside world see
what was going on, that the attack
was launched against the Republic
of Korea on June 25th. That at
tack came without provocation and
without warning. It was an act Of
raw aggression, without shadow. of
justification.
I repeat-it was an act of raw
aggression.
The Communist invasion was
launched in great force, with planes,
tanks, and artillery. The size of the
attack, and the speed with which
it was followed up, make it per-
fectly plain that it had been plotted
long in advance.
As soon as word of the attack was
received, Secretary of State AcheSon
called me at independence, Mo-.
and informed me that, with my
approval he would ask for an i'm
mediate meeting of the United Ma
tions Security Council. The Sc
curity Council met just "a hours
after the Communist invasion be-
gan.
Ignored By Invaders.
One of the main reasons the Sc
curity Council was set up was to
act in such cases as this-to stop
outbreaks of aggression in a hurry
before they develop into general
conflicts. In this case, the Council
passed resolution which called
for the invaders of Korea to stop
fighting, and to withdraw. The
Council called on all members to
help carry out this resolution. The
Communist invaders ignored the
action of the Security Council and
kept right on with their attack.
The Security Council then met
again. It recommended that mem
bers of the United Nations help the
Republic of Korea repel the attack,
and help restore peace and security
in the area.
Fifty-two of the SO countries
which are members of the United
Nations have given their support to
the action taken by the Security
Council to restore peace in Korea.
These actions by the United Ma
tions and its members are of great
importance. The free nations have
now made it clear that lawless ag-
gression will be met with force. The
free nations have learned the fate
full lesson of the 1930s. That les
son is that aggression must be met
firmly. Appeasement leads only to
further aggression and ultimately
to war.
Know What Is at Stake.
The principal effort to help the
Koreans preserve their independ-
ence, and to help the United Nations
restore peace, has been made by the |
United States. We have sent land,
naval, and air forces to assist in
these operations. We have done this
because we know that what is at
stake here is nothing less than our
own national security and the peace
of the world.