What did the declassified documents reveal?

Declassified. Today we examine a declassified United States Army record detailing an oral report by Averell Harriman on his August nineteen-fifty trip to Japan and Korea, and General Douglas MacArthur’s views on the Korean conflict and Chinese Communist forces. This document is archived at The Black Vault. This memorandum for the record, dated August ninth, nineteen-fifty, was released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. It details a top-secret meeting at the Under Secretary’s office, summarizing Harriman's oral report and General MacArthur's perspectives at the time. The document, titled "Memorandum for the Record: U.M., Wednesday, August 9, 1950", opens with: "At the Under Secretary's meeting this morning, Mr. Harriman gave an oral report on his trip to Japan and Korea, of which the following is a brief summary. The South Koreans are fighting with great valor and appear to have the respect of U.S. Army at all levels." It continues: "Some one million refugees have retreated with the U.N. forces into the beachhead area and present a problem of infiltration which the authorities seem to have in hands; however, by October they will present a subsistence problem as approximately half are government-supported as against living with friends and relatives, and will need food." Regarding a draft peace treaty: "General MacArthur liked very much the draft peace treaty (Dulles' draft) and agrees that we should move aggressively ahead on the project." On questions about a "Korean Government into exile," the document states MacArthur "refused to comment on the desirability of a 'Korean Government into exile' because — quote — 'We are not going to be thrown off the beachhead,' — unquote." Concerning Formosa, MacArthur "does not believe the Communist forces will attack from the mainland, but if they do, it will be an unholy slaughter in which the Communist Forces will receive the greatest setback Communist forces have ever received." The memorandum notes MacArthur "confined his talks to the military and passed up political subjects. He has no doubt that the Nationalists will fight." It adds: "MacArthur says that the Generalissimo offered MacArthur command of the Nationalist Forces, which MacArthur refused." MacArthur's general outlook is described as: "In general, MacArthur believes that conditions both economic and political are considerably better than the pessimistic view of them which prevails in the U.S." On Soviet involvement in Korea, MacArthur "believes that it is confined to organization, equipment and observers, although the observers may have a directing hand in the military operations." Regarding Chinese Communist force support in Korea: "General MacArthur believes that the Koreans who fought with the C.C.F. are now in Korea; that they were demobilized and sent to Korea to be reformed and were not moved as units." MacArthur "believes that it would be a tragic mistake to permit the Chinese Communists to take a seat in the U.N. He…

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-005Declassified

Filed NOV 5 · 2026Runtime 1 min

United States Army Record Detailing An Oral Report By Averell Harriman

U.S. public record · FOIAUpdated November 5, 2026

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◆ BLUF — The short version

Declassified. Today we examine a declassified United States Army record detailing an oral report by Averell Harriman on his August nineteen-fifty trip to Japan and Korea, and General Douglas MacArthur’s views on the Korean conflict and Chinese Communist forces. This document is archived at The Black Vault.

Date: NOV 5 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was United States Army Record Detailing An Oral Report By Averell Harriman about?: Declassified. Today we examine a declassified United States Army record detailing an oral report by Averell Harriman on his August nineteen-fifty trip to Japan and Korea, and General Douglas MacArthur’s views on the Korean conflict and Chinese Communist forces. This document is archived at The Black Vault.
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.

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United States Army Record Detailing An Oral Report By Averell Harriman

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