President Truman speaking at the dedication of Friendship (now Baltimore-Washington) International Airport, June 24, 1950. Source: Truman Library The North Korean People's Army invades the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The morning of the 25th of June [the 24th of June in the United States], I got a call from my deputy, [Everett Francis] Drumright, just about 8 o'clock, telling me that in the past hour KMAG [U.S. Korean Military Advisory Group] headquarters had been receiving reports from the several units along the front of an onslaught across the 38th parallel. He said he had held up calling me until he could get a better indication of what was really going on. (We had had so many reports of that kind in the two years prior, that it was hard to determine if these were just forays across the 38th parallel or whether it was something beyond that.) And I said, "Well, I'll meet you at the office right away." I walked over, it was about a five minute walk from the residence to the chancery . . . . On the way over about 8:30, I ran into Bill James of the U[nited] P[ress]. He apparently had had a restless night and was heading toward his office. And he said, "What are you doing stirring at this time of the morning?" It was Sunday morning. And I said, "Oh, we've had some disturbing reports from activities on the 38th parallel, you might want to look into them." And went up and Drum and I drafted a telegraphic report to Washington which was very carefully worded because we were not too--it was not too clear yet just what was going on. But that was the first flash to Washington, which left the Embassy there just after 9:00 on the morning of the 25th (Korean time). Of course that whole day, Sunday, was filled with all kinds of rumors. Ambassador to Korea John Muccio Oral History Interview, February 10, 1971           The Truman residence, Independence, Missouri, 1950. Source: Truman Library The trip out [from Baltimore's new airport] was smooth and we landed about 2:00 P.M. [in Kansas City] . . . . The president was met by his sister and others and drove . . . to his home in Independence [Missouri] . . . . Later in the evening I received queries from the United Press about reports of fighting in Korea where the communist-inspired armies in the north launched an attack on the American-dominated southern portion. I did not communicate with the president, however. During the night I was awakened by the delivery of a message to the president from Secretary of State [Dean] Acheson, forwarding a report from Korea of the outbreak of hostilities. Assistant Press Secretary Eben Ayers Diary entry, June 24, 1950 Eben A. Ayers Papers           It was Saturday night, I guess about 10 o'clock. In those days night calls weren't unusual. . . . This call was from the watch officer of the Far Eastern Bureau, and said, "There's a development and I think that you would want to come in right away. I can't discuss it on the telephone." . . . I got my car and drove down . . . . [Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs] Dean Rusk and one or two of his boys and I were the only ones [thus far at the Department of State] . . . . He had talked to the Secretary [of State Dean Acheson], I think the Secretary had a secure line with the State Department that couldn't be tapped--what we called a scrambler or something . . . . Rusk and I talked it over and decided that obviously the first thing we'd do . . . would be to raise the question in the UN. We put that up to Dean Acheson, and he said it sounded fine, but he wanted to check with the President, who was in Independence, and he did check. . . . And the President approved taking it up with the United Nations. . . . Senator [Warren Robinson] Austin, was our permanent representative to the UN. I knew that the Senator was out of town . . . . Ernest Gross was his deputy. . . . He was out for the evening. I left urgent word with one of his daughters to trace him if she knew where he was and have him call immediately. . . . I don't know the age of this girl, and we just couldn't wait. Around midnight I decided that we just couldn't wait and I called Trygve Lie, Secretary General at his home, on the telephone, and told him what had happened. . . . I never shall forget, Lie was quite the fellow. I liked him. He, of course, was Norwegian, spoke English very well, but with a pronounced accent. I told him what had happened and his first words were, "My God, Jack, that's against the Charter of the United Nations'" (in a strong Norwegian accent). I couldn't think of anything more original to say than, "You're telling me, Trygve, of course it is!" Assistant Secretary of State for U.N. Affairs John Hickerson Oral history interview, June 5, 1973           Well, . . . we were having dinner that evening at [columnist] Joe Alsop's, and by an interesting coincidence [Assistant Secretary of State] Dean Rusk was also having dinner that evening at the same place. And Dean Rusk was called and advised that evening about the North Korean invasion of South Korea and he advised me and he went to the State Department and I went to the Pentagon and I was there all night long . . . . [B]etween the time we heard about it and the Blair House meeting [of June 25 the next night] our function really was primarily one of correspondence by Telecom with General MacArthur [and his staff] keeping informed, making sure what was happening and trying to collect all the evidence to permit the President to make the decision that he ultimately had to make. Secretary of the Army Frank Pace Oral history interview, January 22, 1972 Back to Week of Decision    Go to June 25, 1950

Back to Week of Decision Go to June 25, 1950 June 24, 1950 Presidential calendar of appointments for June 24, 1950. Papers of Harry S. Truman: Matthew Connelly Files. (1 page) (1 page) Notes by George Elsey describing communications on June 24, 1950, between President Harry S. Truman and Secretary of State Dean Acheson regarding the North Korean advance across the 38th parallel. Papers of George M. Elsey. (1 page) Note from 1951 by George Elsey describing communications with the President and White House staff June 24-25, 1950. Papers of George M. Elsey. (1 page) Teletype Conference, dated June 25, 1950 , between the Pentagon and General Douglas MacArthur's Far East Command discussing post-invasion posture of the North Korean military and the South Korean response. Papers of Harry S. Truman: Naval Aide Files. (7 pages)

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