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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2771　30 December 1950

FIELD REPORT (ADVATIS SPECIAL REPORT - #008)　21 December 1950

Information contained in this report was obtained through interrogation of twenty-one (21) prisoners of war in response to a request by Psychological Warfare Section GHQ, FEC.

PW surrendered because he believed UN leaflets.

PW saw leaflets three times. The first time, PW found a leaflet at YONGCH’ON (龍川) which said, “All your military installations have been destroyed including transportation systems, therefore, you have no way to get your supplies. If you want to save your life, there is only one way; to come under the UN Forces protection.” The second time, PW saw a leaflet at IMKOKTONG (林谷洞) which showed the UN Flag and Korean Flag and said, “When you try to surrender to either UN Forces or ROK Army, you should show the flags.” The third time, PW saw a leaflet at IMKOKTONG (林谷洞), which showed a war situation map.

PW stated that he believed the leaflets and made up his mind to surrender. The officers tried to stop troops from seeing the leaflets and whenever airplanes scattered leaflets officers collected them and burned them. PW picked up leaflets at night.

PW was captured.

PW observed a UN leaflet on 7 Oct 50. He received this leaflet from an evacuee.

Leaflet:

Size was approx 20 cm x 10 cm. Color, white

Contents:

It stated that all military personnel should surrender and that PW would be well treated and well fed.

PW stated that the leaflet had no effect whatsoever upon himself.

PW surrendered. PW did not believe in Communism.

PW saw UN leaflets about four times and also heard loudspeaker broadcasting from a plane on one occasion.

Contents of the leaflets were written in both English and Korean. The following was announced through the loudspeaker. To the soldiers of the NKA. Where can you go if you leave your own country? Why don’t you surrender now and return to your homes.

PW decided to surrender to the UN Forces at the first chance.

After the leaflets were dropped and broadcasts were made from the plane, PW heard various rumors which were spreading among the civilians. Rumors were about the early end of the war.

PW stated he surrendered because his thoughts did not always agree with Communism and its policy. Because of that PW wanted to escape from the NK Army.

PW saw two UN leaflets in the mountains near CHUNCH’ON (春川).

The leaflet’s size was 15 cm x 20 cm, black letters on white paper.

Upon looking at the leaflets, he realized that the NKA had lied by saying they would be killed if they surrendered.

They were told by their officers not to pick up enemy leaflets.

PW surrendered because of lack of water and food. He was also afraid of the tactics employed by his officers under which forward troops were compelled to rush the enemy in spite of intensive fire, screening those in the rear.

He picked up 2 UN leaflets dropped by US planes on 17 Nov 50 near SINANJU. The leaflet was approx 8” x 8”, addressed to: “Chinese Soldiers in KOREA,” bearing a photograph of Chinese PWs in UN hands. The leaflet also urged Chinese troops to surrender; that 53 nations were aiding the ROK Gov’t; and not to be misled by their officers.

PW also stated he heard loudspeakers as though the broadcasts were coming from US planes over head, but could not hear clearly enough to understand.

PW states he was unable to note any particular reaction among his squad or unit members due to fear of punishment for any discussion of UN leaflets. Troops were required to surrender leaflets to their officers for destruction. Consequently, PW states no one mentioned contents of leaflets.

PW surrendered because he realized his life would be safe if he surrendered.

PW saw a UN leaflet.

Leaflet:

Size of leaflet - 10 cm x 15 cm

Color of paper - white (front) blue (back)

Color of letters - black

Contents:

If you surrender we will treat you kindly and if you are wounded we will give you medical treatment.

If you surrender you can eat good food and your life will be safe. When you surrender be sure to have your hands up and come down to the main road in the day time.

When PW read the leaflet he realized that his life would be safer and that the UN Forces would not kill those who surrendered.

PW surrendered, because while on a work detail, digging air raid shelters, he and six others were abandoned by their Squad Leader. The PW who was the oldest of the group took charge and decided to surrender. They did not have any fire arms and had heard from civilians that they were surrounded by UN Forces.

PW observed a UN leaflet in mid Oct.

TRANSLATION

TO: C in C. NORTH KOREA

1. Hold hostilities now because the sooner the war ends the less will be the damage.

2. Accord humane treatment to (UN) prisoners of war.

3. Your prisoners of war will be treated according to international law.

The back of the leaflet was written in English. PW destroyed leaflet instantly after reading it hurriedly. Reason for destroying the leaflet was fear of being caught by Plat Ldr. Leaflet told the North Koreans to surrender, and stated that PW, would be treated fairly under international law. It enjoined NK troops to treat UN PWs humanely.

Before reading the leaflet, he thoroughly believed the platoon leader, that all PWs would be killed by UN Forces. After reading the leaflet he changed his mind and thought it best to surrender.

After reading UN leaflet and talking to local farmers (25 Sep 50) PW surrendered.

Leaflet:

8” long and 4” wide. White and fairly thin. In the left hand top corner was a picture showing PWs eating. The words written in Korean running from left to right stated there were two choices to make. Either surrender and eat well or stay in the NKA and fear death.

PW wasn’t quite sure this was true because he was told PWs were persecuted and killed.

PW surrendered when the 106th Regt retreated. Subject heard from farmers of the humane treatment afforded PWs by UN Forces and also was influenced by leaflets.

Leaflets encouraged the enemy to surrender to escape the cold; promising food, clothing and immediate release at the war’s termination. Medical care also was promised.

Surrendered because he disliked army life. After seeing the UN leaflets, he decided to surrender at the first opportunity.

Leaflet:

Printed in black on white paper 5” x 8”. It had a picture of PWs eating.

Heard the loudspeaker broadcast that P’YONGYANG had fallen and how far the ROK Army had advanced.

The leaflets caused many to desert the NK Army.

PW surrendered to ROK MPs at SINGYE (新溪). PW had deserted his unit 5 days prior to his surrender, because of insufficient rations.

PW saw two leaflets.

First leaflet observed by PW was a 6” x 6” leaflet which said “Come out of the hills where there is no food and surrender; then you will be treated well.” The second leaflet 7” x 7” had a statement by MacARTHUR.

“The UN Forces will defeat the North Korean Army by Christmas. Surrender now, and you will be able to return to your family soon after the end of the war. PWs at SEOUL are being treated very well.”

PW stated that since he was a deserter the leaflet made him very happy.

PW surrendered after being AWOL from his company. PW was forced to enlist in the NKA and for that reason alone he surrendered to the ROK Army.

PW once observed a leaflet when he was a civilian.

TRANSLATION:

Koreans, Seek Refuge.

According to hearsay, these leaflets were dropped from a US plane. It urged all Koreans to evacuate to the mountains.

PW did not follow instructions to evacuate. He was forced to volunteer in the NKA. PW stated that a Democratic Youth Asso leader name HO, Ke Man (許啓萬) (허게만) threatened him that he would lose his property if he did not volunteer.

PW was greatly moved by the promise shown by propaganda leaflets and loudspeaker broadcasts. Following his surrender, PW evinced a desire to join the CNA.

PW saw leaflets on 15 Nov in the vicinity of KUSONG (龜城). The leaflets were seen in great number in the mountains. Later, picking up and carrying of leaflets was forbidden by unit political instructors. While in the vicinity of KUSONG (龜城) a broadcast from a plane with CNA flag markings, was heard. The broadcast was a follows:

“CNA soldiers! Surrender! We guarantee you safety.” PW was unable to make out the rest of the broadcast because of the foreign accent. PW was impressed by the CNA flag marking on the plane.

The effect of the propaganda leaflets and the broadcast was to increase PWs desire to surrender.

After PW’s unit heard the broadcast the morale of his unit was shaken. They, at first, thought that the CNA had joined the UN Forces.

Surrendered. Influenced by US broadcasts which urged Chinese troops to surrender under guarantees of good treatment and medical attention for those who were wounded.

Leaflets:

UN leaflets about 4” x 8” printed on white paper in red ink - Chinese on one side, and Korean on the other. There were also some printed in green ink bearing the same text. Leaflets were addressed to Chinese troops urging them to surrender and save themselves.

PW and 60 men surrendered to about a hundred American soldiers during daylight because planes were flying over them and they did not have any chance to run away. PW states he was tired of fighting and did not have any spirit to fight anymore.

PW saw UN leaflets at UNSAN (雲山).

The leaflet was written in Korean. Since the PW is illiterate, PW had someone read the leaflet for him. The leaflet was 5” x 6” long written in black ink in Korean and English

The above example is the text as the PW heard from the interpreter and the English translation.

When PW saw the leaflet for the first time he asked himself if it could be true and was very much in doubt.

Although troops heard about the leaflets and broadcasts they were not able to talk among themselves unless they were intimate friends.

PW saw propaganda leaflets just north of NAMSI (南市) N KOREA, on 19 Nov 50.

Description of leaflet:

One side of the leaflet was written in Korean characters, and the other in Chinese characters.

PW claims that after reading said leaflet he was very happy to know that if captured he would not be killed. However, PW also states that he was not fully convinced as to the truth of all the statements in the propaganda leaflet.

Surrendered. Day before surrender heard an early morning broadcast addressed to former Nationalist Soldiers of the New 6th and 16th CN Armies to surrender under guarantee of special treatment. Those surrendering with arms in their possession were promised a special reward.

Five or six of his companions, while on litter duty during a US air attack, discussed the matter and decided to surrender. They decided it would be preferable to their then present lot. During confusion caused by the air strike, succeeded in escaping with three of his companions.

Surrendered. Was left behind by his unit and had seen a UN leaflet.

Leaflet:

About 17 cm x 10 cm written in both Korean and English. It stated that the N Korean aggression was a failure, that the UN troops had many tanks coming to KOREA, and that the NKA would be overpowered. It also stated that if they surrendered they would not be killed and that they would be treated well.

PW had lost hope in his unit because of heavy losses. After he had seen the leaflet, he thought he might as well surrender. He believed that the UN troops would not kill him if he surrendered.

Surrendered to get away from the NKA life.

PW saw a propaganda leaflet on or about the 20th of Sep.

The leaflet stated that the UN troops had landed at INCHON and that the area below the 38th parallel was cut off and that if they surrendered they would be treated well and would not be killed.

PW stated that he half believed it. However, it was one of the motives for his surrendering.

PW stated he was always watched and mistreated because he had served in the Japanese Army. That was why he didn’t enter the NKA until he was forced to do on 22 Sep. He surrendered willingly when the ROK Army approached.

He saw UN leaflets at CH’ONGJIN (淸津), but he couldn’t pick them up.

PW heard his M/Sgt tell of UN leaflets which said that all the NKA consisted of recruits. “You can’t continue any longer, so surrender early.”

There were three escapes the night the M/Sgt said that. The M/Sgt himself ran off after 4 days. PW was told that there were about 100 escapes in his Regt before he surrendered. It was the NKA law that escapees be shot to death. PW witnessed 2 executions.

PW voluntarily surrendered to ROK Unit at WONJU (原州) because his unit was wiped out and there was no hope of reorganizing. Therefore, he stole a Regt headquarters secret document and handed it over to ROK Unit when he surrendered.

PW saw a leaflet at TABU-DONG (多富洞).

The leaflet stated in Korean that the UN Forces made an amphibious landing at INCHON (仁川) and were fighting for justice. Troops who surrender to the UN Forces will be treated well.

PW wanted to surrender right way to UN Forces.

PW heard an officer say “What a joke,” referring to the leaflets and he gave orders not to pick up leaflets and read them anymore.

For the Commanding Officer: