Harry S. Truman: Report to the American People on Korea

Explanation and Analysis of the Document

Truman had ordered the U.S. military to fight the North Korean forces that invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950. The Korean War quickly expanded, and the UN Security Council authorized military action to defend South Korea. (The Soviet Union was in the midst of a boycott of the Security Council and therefore did not veto the measure.) Led by the United States, UN forces from sixteen nations drove the North Koreans back across the thirty-eighth parallel and came close to the Chinese border. China then launched a surprise attack in November and drove the UN forces back into South Korea. Meanwhile, the allied commander, World War II hero General Douglas MacArthur, argued for an expansion of the conflict, including air attacks on China. Truman refused to escalate the war and dismissed the popular MacArthur after the general publicly called for attacks when he had been ordered not to do so by the president.

On April 11, 1951, Truman spoke to the American people in a televised address to defend his policies in Korea. The president delivered a measured speech that emphasized the ideological and practical reasons he wanted to limit the war. He also explained his decision to remove MacArthur from command. Truman argues in the address that his policies were consistent and had not changed since the war began. Specifically, he maintains that the United States and its allies wanted to contain the war and prevent World War III. Consequently, he had rejected calls to bomb China or otherwise expand military operations. Truman contends that the invasion of Korea was the boldest effort yet by the Communist bloc to expand its influence and part of a larger effort to take control of Asia. He asserts that by preventing the fall of South Korea, the United States and its allies demonstrated the resolve of the West. He further argues that successes in Korea helped in other areas where there were Communist insurgencies, including Indochina.

The president explains that his dismissal of MacArthur was based on a disagreement over war aims. MacArthur thought the conflict should be expanded, which was counter to Truman's policy. The president notes that he felt compelled to act so that there would be no doubt by others around the world as to the goals of the United States. The commander in chief praises MacArthur as one of the nation's great military leaders but points out that the “cause of world peace is much more important than any individual.” Truman concludes his address by telling the American people that his administration sought peace and was ready to negotiate. He is emphatic, however, that the United States would “not engage in appeasement.” Instead, Truman sought a resolution to the conflict that reflected American values and principles and one that was in line with the nation's foreign policy goals.

Most Americans opposed Truman's decision to remove MacArthur. The Korean War and the growing attacks on Truman's administration by Senator Joseph McCarthy had already undermined the president's popularity. The dismissal of the popular war hero was perceived as an indication of weakness on the part of Truman. The president understood this and was prepared to accept the consequences of his action. MacArthur had directly challenged the president's authority as commander in chief, and Truman made the correct decision. With historically low public opinion ratings (just 22 percent), Truman decided not to run for another term. He instead endorsed the eventual Democratic nominee, Adlai Stevenson. Another war hero, Dwight D. Eisenhower, was nominated by the Republicans, and he easily won the election of 1952.