Re: The Big Bunglers

[<SDonell73@aol.com>]

In a message dated 9/2/02 11:35:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time, donskil@msn.com writes:


> It is generally believed that the U.S. made a serious mistake in early 1950 by
> making public announcements about a U.S. defensive line in the western Pacific,
> which did not include Korea.  These announcements by Acheson and Truman
> were believed in Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow, resulting in Pyongyang getting
> the green light to launch its invasion of South Korea.


Don,

Nope, wrong again. That was a line in a speech made by Acheson in 1949 when describing American's areas of vital interest. Truman had nothing to do with it. But you are correct that it was a mistake. And if you will look into the background of General Nam Il invading S. Korea, you will find that had been planning the attack before Acheson's statement. There was some hesitancy from both China and the Soviet Union about the attack. Stalin was afraid of starting a war with the United States. I'm not sure of the extent to which that speech by Acheson had an effect on Stalin, but he finally agreed to allowing the N. Koreans to invade S. Korea. What I've read was that he was astounded by the furiousity of the attack, not thinking that Nam Il would attack so hard. But the die was cast.

>>Then Truman, against the advice of a chorus of "doves" in his administration, decided to defend Korea, after all.<<

What doves? There were none there at the time of the N. Korean attack. Further he was being advised by Acheson and the JCS that he had to take a stand there to halt N. Korean actions.

>>It turns out, as described in the Venona papers, that the upper echelons of the
Democratic Party were riddled with Soviet agents, including some in the administration.<<

Venona papers? I've never heard of them. I have heard that some second or third tier civil servants/political appointees were Communist sympathizers, but they were not in positions to advise Truman in any way shape or form.  I recently read a comment from a right wing historian that Harry Hopkins was the link from the White House to the Kremlin. I believe that about as much as I'd believe a snowman lived in hell. FDR thought that he could convince Stalin to come around, and tried his political wiles on Stalin. Who better to work on Stalin in this vein than Hopkins, the man who was considered by some as the assistant president. BTW he had a son who was a Marine and was killed in the Pacific.

Thanks for taking the time to research your message, but I find it hard to swallow And I really don't want to get into this discussion. I am writing a book, and fool around too much as it is, so I am jealous of the time spent away from writing.

Regards,

Sandy