Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 110: Telegram
The Commander in Chief, Far East (Ridgway) to the Chief of Staff, United States Army (Collins)
operational immediate
CX–57416. Urmsg DA 87119.1 Colonel Hanley’s press release was made without my prior knowledge, or that of my HQ. General Van Fleet reports it was made without his prior knowledge. I have sent my public information officer and an officer from my judge advocate section, who is a specialist on this subject, to Korea to obtain full and precise factual data concerning this unfortunate statement.
Complete report, including a proposed press release, will follow upon receipt of these data. At least until major aspects of the situation have been cleared up, I contemplate no press release here without prior coordination with you.
[Page 1144]I plan, if facts can be secured, to include in my complete report the following:
- a.
- The total nbr of UN dead believed to have been the result of atrocities and for whom bodies were recovered.
- b.
- Of this nbr the total nbr of identified dead.
- c.
- Of the number in subpara a above, the total nbr of unidentified dead.
- d.
- The total nbr of UN military personnel other than above, on whom evidence has been received indicating death occurred as a result of atrocities, but where neither the fact nor manner of death can yet be confirmed. In this latter case the source of the report and the evidence in each case will be forwarded as obtained.
Pending receipt from Eighth Army of the data permitting the submission of the foregoing, Eighth Army has reported the following with respect to US dead.
- a.
- 365 US dead believed to have been the result of atrocities and for whom bodies have been recovered.
- b.
- Of this number, 259 identified dead.
- c.
- Of the nbr in subpara a above, 106 unidentified dead.
- d.
- 3,545 US military personnel other that above, whom evidence has been received, indicating death occurred as a result of atrocities but where neither the fact or manner of death can yet be confirmed.
Of the US dead so reported, theatre records show that upon identification of body, report was made in each case to next of kin, in accordance with normal casualty reporting processes.
Pending receipt of my complete report, the following is suggested for release to the press, either here or in Washington or concurrently in both. Request your views. Proposed release follows: “The figures in Colonel Hanley’s press release were compiled over a period of about one year. During this period it became apparent that the Communist propaganda claims to the effect that members of the UN forces, being taken prisoners by the Communists, were treated in strict accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention, were false. It was, therefore, decided that at an appropriate time the total nbr of deaths resulting from atrocities, so far as aval evidence indicated atrocities, should be made public.
“It is deeply regretted that in the publication of these total figures it was not strongly emphasized that these totals included no new figures, but were simply the sum of previous figures which had already been reported through normal channels over the period of one year. Each member of the UN forces included in these totals, whose remains had been identified, had been reported as killed in action and his next of kin had been notified.
“The publication of this information, which has been in the process [Page 1145] of compilation over the past 12 months had, of course, no connection whatever with the current armistice negotiations.”2