Office of the Historian

The outbreak of hostilities in Korea; response of the United States and the United Nations to events in Korea, June 24-30, 1950

Editorial Note on the Arrangement of Documents

The difference in local time between Seoul and Washington (EDT) was 13 hours; because they lay on different sides of the International Date Line, Korea from 12 midnight to 1 p.m. was one calendar day ahead of Washington.

The material is here arranged chronologically, as far as possible, according to Washington time. Incoming telegrams appear in order of the date and time of their receipt in Washington, which is indicated in the heading of the document. Outgoing telegrams are printed according to the time of their transmission from Washington.

[149] The Chargé in Korea (Drumright) to the Secretary of State

[Suwon,] June 29, 1950—9 p. m.
[Received June 29—9:50 a. m.]

795.00/6–2950: Telegram

[151] The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kirk) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, June 29, 1950—6 p. m.
[Received June 29—1:02 p. m.]

795.00/6–2950: Telegram

[152] The Ambassador in India (Henderson) to the Secretary of State

New Delhi, June 29, 1950—3 p. m.
[Received June 29, 1950—1:22 p. m.]

795.00/6–2950: Telegram

[153] The Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions and Certain Consular Offices

Washington, June 29, 1950—2 p. m.

795.00/6–2950: Circular telegram

[154] The Secretary of State to the Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Sebald)

Washington, June 29, 1950—2 p. m.

357.AD/6–2950: Telegram

[155] The Ambassador in Egypt (Gaffery) to the Secretary of State

Cairo, June 29, 1950—2 p. m.
[Received June 29—3:15 p. m.]

330/6–2950: Telegram

[156] The Ambassador in India (Henderson) to the Secretary of State

New Delhi, June 29, 1950—6 p. m.
[Received June 29—3:54 p. m.]

791.00/6–2950: Telegram

[161] The Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Far East (MacArthur)

Washington, 29 June 1950—6:59 p. m.

795.00/6–2950: Telegram

[162] The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kirk) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, June 29, 1950—6 p. m.
[Received June 29—7:02 p. m.]

795.00/6–2950: Telegram

[165] The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State

New York, June 29, 1950—midnight.
[Received June 30—12:35 a. m.]

330/6–2950: Telegram

[166] The Chargé in Korea (Drumright) to the Secretary of State

[Suwon,] June 30, 1950—1 p. m.
[Received June 30—1:27 a. m.]

795.00/6–3050: Telegram

[167] The Commander in Chief, Far East (MacArthur) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, June 30, 1950—12:50 p. m.
[Received June 30—1:31 a. m.]1

795.00/6–3050: Telegram

[168] Memorandum of Teletype Conference, Prepared in the Department of the Army

[Washington,] 30 June 1950—3:40 a. m.

795.00/8–2550

[169] The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kirk) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, June 30, 1950—noon.
[Received June 30—7:37 a. m.]

795.00/6–3050: Telegram

[170] The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kirk) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, June 30, 1950—noon.
[Received June 30—7:50 a. m.]

795.00/6–3050: Telegram

[171] The Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Sebald) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, June 30, 1950.
[Received June 30—8:05 a. m.]

795.00/6–3050: Telegram

[173] The Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions and Certain Consular Offices

Washington, June 30, 1950—10 a. m.

501/6–3050: Circular telegram

[176] The Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Sebald) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, June 30, 1950.
[Received June 30—11:12 a. m.]

357.AD/6–3050: Telegram

[177] The Ambassador in Egypt (Caffery) to the Secretary of State

Cairo, June 30, 1950—1 p. m.
[Received June 30—12: 01 p. m.]

330/6–3050: Telegram

  1. Mr. Dulles returned to Washington from his trip to Japan and Korea on June 29. The source text is a copy of this memorandum which was transmitted on June 29 by Mr. Allison, who had accompanied Mr. Dulles, to the Counselor (Kennan).↩
  2. The source text is a copy of a document in the IO Files, Department of State, bearing the designation US/S/1267 and the date June 30, 1950.↩
  3. Schnabel, Policy and Direction, p. 78, states that this message was received—in the Department of Defense—an hour before midnight on June 29.↩
  4. The time is that assigned in Korean Conflict.↩