What did the declassified documents reveal?

You are listening to Declassified, an audio briefing of public domain government records from storyflo.com. This episode features a declassified C.I.A. record detailing Secretary of State Dean Acheson's internal thoughts on the Korean War and Taiwan in July nineteen-fifty. This document is available at vault.fbi.gov. This three-page letter, originally classified Top Secret, was declassified under Executive Order eleven-thousand six-hundred fifty-two, sections three E and five D or E, by the Department of State. It was released by the National Archives and Records Administration in December nineteen-ninety-seven. The document opens with a letter from the Secretary of State, dated July twelfth, nineteen-fifty. Quote: Dear Paul: I put down the following to clear my own mind on a recurrent pattern of discussions at the nine-thirty meetings, and to invite correction where it may be needed. Our future course in Korea. a) The immediate future. As I see it, we have got to act with force, necessary to reoccupy to the thirty-eighth. All seem agreed on this so long as the Chinese and the Soviets do not officially come in. This means, I suppose, that if we are forced out, we have to come in again as quickly as possible. If the Chinese come in, it seems to me that the same is true. As to widening the theater of operations by attacks on Chinese territory generally, as against attacks on forces coming in, I should think this unwise as constituting an invitation to the Russians to join the Chinese under their treaty. If the Soviets come in, I should think that we still wish to fight it out in Korea unless and until the war becomes general. At that point general military judgment might well be different. I see a lot of objections to these conclusions. But I do not see that they add up to a possible alternative. Do you have a different view? b) The longer-run future. If we succeed in reoccupying the country, the question of garrisoning it and supporting it arises. This is expensive, requires troops needed elsewhere and presents a hard program to continue domestically. But I do not see how to avoid it. It seems too abstruse to ask the country to sacrifice men and money to retake Korea to support the U.N., and then let it slip away by default. I do not know how long this situation would continue, particularly in the light of changing conditions, but I cannot see the end of it. In other words, as the Virginians say, we have bought a colt. Formosa. Here I do not see how we can put out of our control, as by invoking U.N. action, for instance, the denial of the island to the Communists as long as (one) we wish to maintain our present, or a better position, in the Pacific, and (two) as long as the Chinese and Soviets are a militant menace there. If this is so, we ought to define positions on the subject which will give us adequate time and try to make others understand the facts of life. [Four lines redacted under exemption B one] Three. The Chinese Communists in the…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

Case File · ARCHIVE-003Declassified

Filed NOV 9 · 2026Runtime 1 min

CIA You Are Listening To Declassified, An Audio Briefing Of Public Domain Government

U.S. public record · FOIAUpdated November 9, 2026

intelligence-vault

◆ BLUF — The short version

com. A. record detailing Secretary of State Dean Acheson's internal thoughts on the Korean War and Taiwan in July nineteen-fifty. gov. This three-page letter, originally classified Top Secret, was declassified under Executive Order eleven-thousand six-hundred fifty-two, sections three E and five D or E, by the Department of State.

Date: NOV 9 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

↯ Dispatch — press play1:00

0:001:00

↯ Share

X in r/

Episode notes

You are listening to Declassified, an audio briefing of public domain government records from storyflo.com. This episode features a declassified C.I.A. record detailing Secretary of State Dean Acheson's internal thoughts on the Korean War and Taiwan in July nineteen-fifty. This document is…

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was CIA You Are Listening To Declassified, An Audio Briefing Of Public Domain Government about?: com. A. record detailing Secretary of State Dean Acheson's internal thoughts on the Korean War and Taiwan in July nineteen-fifty. gov. This three-page letter, originally classified Top Secret, was declassified under Executive Order eleven-thousand six-hundred fifty-two, sections three E and five D or E, by the Department of State.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

intelligence-vault

Related cases

✉ Dispatches

A short dispatch when a new file is released — narrated, answer-first, and linked straight to the primary source. No spam; unsubscribe anytime.

↯ Subscribe to the feed

RSS feed Browse all cases

CIA You Are Listening To Declassified, An Audio Briefing Of Public Domain Government

Questions about this case

Related cases

CIA You Are Listening To Declassified.

State Department Telegram Dated June Twenty‑eighth, Nineteen Fifty

CIA Today, We Delve Into An Army Intelligence Cable Concerning Communist Troop

CIA Today, We Examine A Top Secret Letter From The Department Of State

CIA Chinese Communist Assistance To North Korea

Questions about this case

Related cases

CIA You Are Listening To Declassified.

State Department Telegram Dated June Twenty‑eighth, Nineteen Fifty

CIA Today, We Delve Into An Army Intelligence Cable Concerning Communist Troop

CIA Today, We Examine A Top Secret Letter From The Department Of State

CIA Chinese Communist Assistance To North Korea

Get the next declassified case in your inbox