Evening star., 1950-12-31

tack upon the Republic OF Korea
by forces from North Korea"
The Security Council decision
was subject to veto. The Russian
delegation had been conspicuous
by its absence during the boy
cott it laid down in January. The
Security Council had never con-
strued absence as veto. The reso-
luton eventually was approved by
SO other member nations.
The President informed the
American people on June 27 that
United States air and sea forces
had been ordered to Korea, and
why. He did not indicate that use
of ground troops was possible or
in prospect.
Occupation of Formosa by Com
munist forces, he said, would be
"a direct threat to the security of
the Pacific area and to the United
States forces performing their law
full and necessary functions in that
area"
Accordingly, the 7th Fleet was
ordered to prevent any attack on
Formosa.
Pravda broke out the next day
in a rash of invective. It branded
the United States "imperialistic
warmongers."
It described President Truman's
order as "a direct act of aggres-
sion" against the Korean Peoples
Government" and the Peoples
Republic of China"
Red China also protested, par
ticularly against the Formosa
naturalization" Soon there was
word of Chinese Communist troop
concentrations in Manchuria.
Police Action-Not War
The Presidents announcement
had generally favorable recep-
ton in Congress and throughout
the country. Republicans quickly
reminded him what they had sug-
gested in January. Senator Taft
supported the policy but said the
President should have consulted
Congress before intervening. There
was general satisfaction at Lake
Success that the Security Council
had not fumbled the ball, much
less handed 1t over to totalitarian
aggression.
"We are not at war;" the Presi-
dent said, adding that the Korean
move was police action.
The next day, Friday, June 80,
he authorized use of ground troops
in Korea. That set off blasts and
counterblasts as well as a barrage
of rumors that Gen. Macarthur
had insisted on combat teams to
back up talk.
And so Korea-"the geographic
pinpoint" and the dagger pointing
at the heart of Japan"-became red
hot. Other nations strove fran
tically to keep the fire from spread
ing into a world conflagration.
Pyongyang broadcasts often had
threatened invasion from North
Korea after the last United States
soldiers left South Korea exactly a
year previously. Never had the un-
happy country been free from ten
sion since Japan surrendered and
the Soviets and the United States
occupied halves. The North Korea
Communists, backed by Russia, re-
fused to bulge or cooperate with a
U. N. commission that went to
Korea in January, 1948, to set up
the machinery for an ,ntrammeied
election for a unified country.
Last July saw the North Koreans
in possession of the South Korean
capital, Seoul. The more than 150,-
600 we'll trained invaders quickly
crossed the Han and Kun Rivers.
They pushed the demoralized South
Koreans and the first elements of
the U. N. forces back to the Taejon
area.
Gen. Macarthur on July had
been designated commander of
the U. N. forces in Korea. Great
Britain, Australia, Canada, New
Zealand and the Netherlands
started supplying help. Others,
including Turkey, sent contingents
later.
BY July 20 the North Koreans had
taken Taejon, Kunsan, Sunchon
and Makpo on the west side of the
peninsula. They pinned the. U. N.
forces In the Taegu and Pusan