Harry S. Truman
Emergency Phone Call to the President
"At eight o'clock, Central Standard Time in Independence, Missouri, Saturday night, I received a telephone call from the Secretary of State informing me that the North Korean forces had invaded South Korea in an all-out effort to overturn the South Korean government. We then discussed the situation and a decision was made to call a meeting of the United Nations Security council. That meeting convened about two o'clock, Sunday afternoon."
"Acheson's Phone Call to the President", 24 June 1950, Harry S. Truman Library, Student Research File, B File, Korean War Responses to North Korea's Invasion, Boxes 1 and 2, Papers of George M. Elsey.
President's Response to the Invasion
June 29, 1950 - Thursday
Subject: 4 p.m. Press Conference
June 29, 1950 Presidential Press Conference
"A transcript of the President's press conference is filed with other press conferences.
The press conference was interesting, naturally, because there were many Korean questions. One question which had later significance ran as follows: "Mr. President, would it be correct, against your explanation, to call this a police action under the United Nations?"
The President replied: "Yes. That is exactly what it amounts to."
The President also said, "We are not at war."
The President called the North Koreans "a bunch of bandits."
"Presidential Press Conference," 29 June 1950, Harry S. Truman Library, Student Research File, B File, Korean War Responses to North Korea's Invasion, Boxes 1 and 2, Papers of George M. Elsey.
Congress Supports Harry S. Truman's decision and UN action July 3, 1950
"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress," 3rd of July 1950, Harry S. Truman Library, Student Research File, B File, Korean War: Responses to NK's Invasion. One and two boxes, and papers of George M. Elsey. Assembled, the Congress of the United States hereby expresses its commendation of the forthright actions taken by the United States and other Members of the United Nations, both in condemning the acts of aggression of the invading forces from North Korea, and in employing armed forces to assist the Republic of Korea.
It is the sense of the Congress that the United States continue to take all appropriate action with reference to the Korean situation to restore and maintain international peace and security in support of the Charter of the United Nations and of the resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations."
"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress," 3 July 1950, Harry S. Truman Library, Student Research File, B File, Korean War Responses to North Korea's Invasion, Boxes 1 and 2, Papers of George M. Elsey.
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