Telegram from Matveev to USSR Council of Ministers

Telegram from the chairman of the General staff of the Soviet Army in North Korea to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR about the information of the Sino-Korean discussions on the introduction of PRC troops to Korean territory

No. 1425

7 October 1950  I.50X

I report: according to our information, the Minister of Internal Affairs Pak Il-u [Pak Il U] returned from Beijing on 5 October 1950 and on 6 October 1950 a meeting of the Worker’s Party Politburo was held.

At that meeting, Pak Il-u  explained that he was twice received by Mao Zedong and five members of the Politburo; the first time discussions lasted 4 hours, and the second time 6 hours.

Mao Zedong said that we will do whatever we can, but we can’t send troops. He justified it by saying that if China were to help Korea, then that would essentially draw the USSR into war.

Such a decision doesn’t work given the overall political situation as it stands today because it would lead to a third world war, and besides that, although the Chinese army is large, they don’t have modern weapons, aviation, and a navy.

He recommended the Koreans to continue the struggle on the front and on the home front. He underscored the importance of organizing guerilla warfare. He said that Kim Il Sung can use Manchuria as if it were his own territory.

After a discussion of the current military situation in Korea—the Politburo of the Worker’s Party allegedly made the decision that although there will not be any outside armed assistance, the struggle should continue, withdraw to the mountains, and prepare shock army for future offences.

In South Korea they should create a guerilla movement with Ri Seung-yop [Ri Sung Yop] at its head. In the North, during the retreat, they should also establish guerilla detachments under the leadership of Pak Il-u .

We have not yet been directly informed about the return of Pak Il-u  and about the meeting of the Politburo.  

Matveev