Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 109: Telegram
The Chief of Staff, United States Army (Collins) to the Commander in Chief, Far East (Ridgway)
operational immediate
DA 87119. For Ridgway from CSUSA sgd Collins. Colonel Hanley’s statement reference atrocities has caused widespread repercussions not only in United States but abroad.1 Reaction here has turned primarily to shock to families of men listed as missing in action and to possible connection between Hanley’s statement and Armistice negotiations. Our understanding is that statement was cleared only through subordinates of Logistical Command without personal knowledge of you or Van Fleet.
Recommend the issuance of clarifying statement by you as soon as possible covering source and conditions of issuance of Hanleys statement, assurances as to best official estimates of dead, indicating whether or not figures in Hanley’s statement are excessive, and clarification of non-inclusion of these deaths in our casualty reports. Disclaimer of any connection with Armistice negotiations would be most helpful.
- On November 14, Col. James Hanley, Chief of the Judge Advocate Section of the Eighth U.S. Army in Korea, issued a statement in which he said that evidence showed that the Chinese Communists had killed 2,513 captured Americans in addition to 10 British, 40 Turkish, 5 Belgian, and 75 other soldiers since November 1, 1950. The North Koreans, he said, had killed 147 more. In addition, large, unknown numbers of Korean civilians had been killed without previous trials. Subsequently, Colonel Hanley added to the total of prisoners slain 3,610 Americans killed before November 1950. (See the New York Times, November 15 and 16, 1951.)↩