What did the declassified documents reveal?

This declassified government record is a top-secret memorandum from April twenty-second, nineteen-fifty-one, detailing U.S. intelligence on Chinese Communist intentions to intervene in North Korea. It is notable for its summary of intelligence reports leading up to China's entry into the Korean War. This document is archived at documents two dot the black vault dot com. This document was released under the Freedom of Information Act by the United States government. The Black Vault archive notes this as being among a collection of documents pertaining to U.S. intelligence on China. The declassification authority is not specified within the document. The document, titled General Whitney's Latest Remarks concerning Chinese Communist Intentions to Intervene in North Korea, contains, inter alia, the following information regarding Chinese Communist intentions as regards intervention in Korea. A chronological list of this information with a brief digest of the more important facts, is as follows: One. F-E-C Intelligence Summary, Number two-thousand-nine-hundred-fifteen, of September second, nineteen-fifty, carried information to the effect that the fifty-fifth, fifty-sixth, fifty-seventh, and forty-fourth armies of the Fourth Field Army had crossed the Yalu River at points along the Korean-Manchurian border. This carried the comment that an earlier F-E-C report of August eighth, nineteen-fifty, indicated the presence of only minor Chinese Communist units in Korea. Two. F-E-C Intelligence Summary, Number three-thousand-seventy-eight, of September twenty-seventh, nineteen-fifty, "Chinese Communist Intentions in Korea," stated in part as follows: "[Three lines redacted under exemption B1]" intervention of the Chinese Communist forces, "[One line redacted under exemption B1]" intervention of Chinese and Soviet forces, or "[One line redacted under exemption B1]" forces to North Korea to restore the status quo ante. Of the three hypothetical alternatives, the second or third appears safest from the Soviet point of view. "[Two lines redacted under exemption B1]" may be with the deliberate desire of "[One line redacted under exemption B1]" and causing us to stop. Three. Moscow's Telegram Number seven-hundred-ninety-two of September twenty-ninth, nineteen-fifty, quotes Panikkar, who stated that there is strong sentiment among Chinese Communist leaders favoring military intervention in Korea if the U-N crosses the Thirty-eighth Parallel. Panikkar further reports that decision on this has crystallized since mid-September. This telegram also quoted "[Three lines redacted under exemption B1]" as stating that the Chinese Communists were thinking of intervening if the U-N crossed the Thirty-eighth Parallel. Four. Mr. Merchant's memorandum of October third, attached, stated that the Department of Defense had relayed London's October third to Macarthur at eight-thirty a.m. that date, at this department's request. The memorandum further stated, "Captain Mardough is…

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.

Army: This Declassified Government Record Is A Top Secret Memorandum From April

◆ BLUF — The short version

S. intelligence on Chinese Communist intentions to intervene in North Korea. It is notable for its summary of intelligence reports leading up to China's entry into the Korean War. This document is archived at documents two dot the black vault dot com.

Date: OCT 21 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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Episode notes

This declassified government record is a top-secret memorandum from April twenty-second, nineteen-fifty-one, detailing U.S. intelligence on Chinese Communist intentions to intervene in North Korea. It is notable for its summary of intelligence reports leading up to China's entry into the Korean…

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was Army: This Declassified Government Record Is A Top Secret Memorandum From April about?: S. intelligence on Chinese Communist intentions to intervene in North Korea. It is notable for its summary of intelligence reports leading up to China's entry into the Korean War. This document is archived at documents two dot the black vault dot com.
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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Army: This Declassified Government Record Is A Top Secret Memorandum From April

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