Stalin agrees to train North Korean pilots, but in China, not in the Soviet Union, as Kim Il Sung previously suggested.
November 17, 1950
Telegram from Shtykov to Gromyko, transmitting 16 November 1950 message form Kim Il Sung to Stalin
CIPHERED TELEGRAM No. 600742/III
From CORRESPONDENT 13 Sent 17.11.50 Received 18.11 4:03-19:35
Sent to 8th Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces USSR 18.11 4:20-19:50
By telegraph
extremely urgent
To Comrade GROMYKO
I transmit a note I received from the Korean government with the following contents:
"TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE USSR
Comrade STALIN I.V.
For preparation of pilot cadres needed for the forthcoming offensive operations against the American troops I ask you, Comrade STALIN, to allow:
1) The preparation of 200-300 pilots on the territory of the Soviet Union from among Korean students sent to the USSR for education.
2) The preparation of pilots for two regiments of jet planes and one regiment of bombers from among the 119 pilots of the Korean People's Army who are being trained on the territory of the Soviet Union.
3) The dispatch to the Soviet Union of 120 men for the preparation of aviation technicians and 30 crew members for attack planes which we ourselves are not in a position to prepare.
4) By January 1 to send an additional 170 Korean pilots to the Soviet Union for flight training, who will have completed theoretical preparation by that time.
I hope that you, comrade STALIN, will assist us in the resolution of these questions.
With respect KIM IL SUNG
16.11.50"
No. 15 T. SHTYKOV
17.11.50
Copies: Stalin (2), Molotov, Malenkov, Beria, Mikoyan, Kaganovich, Bulganin, Khrushchev, Sokolovsky, Shtemenko, Gromyko, file of 8th Dept. of General Staff of Armed Forces
Kim Il Sung asks to send Korean students over in order to learn flying and maintenance techniques.
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