ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 4020 12 March 1951
The following information was obtained from recovered American military personnel, who were interrogated upon arrival in JAPAN from KOREA by Central Interrogation Center, TIS. The interrogation was conducted at TOKYO Army Hospital by Lt FUSCO.
Source was captured by Chinese Communist Forces just South of the 38th Parallel above UIJONBU on 1 Jan 51. Those captured were taken to an assembly area where other Americans were being held and where additions were made when more prisoners were taken in that area. Source and the group, numbering about 115 men, were marched south until they were turned over to another Chinese unit headed by a “Mr. KU”. The group was broken down and placed in rooms in various houses in this small Korean village of approximately 15 houses. Source was placed in a small utility room with two other Lieutenants.
While at this village, the Chinese made two lists of names. One comprised the men who were to be sent north to a PW camp and numbered about 80. The other was composed of those men selected to attend the Communist Indoctrination School and numbered approximately 35 (This is the same school referred to in ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 3602, 3655 and 3869).
The fact that source was the only US Army officer permitted to attend this course by the Chinese is a notable point. The other two officers were sent north to the PW Camp. It was the opinion of source that he was chosen to attend the school not for any political reason but simply because he could not travel the distance required to reach the PW camp. Source had frostbitten feet and hands and was unable to walk. “Mr. KU”, the commanding officer, tried to impress source with the “great honor” that was accorded him in being the first American officer permitted to go to school and the first American officer that the Chinese intended to release.
Since source was permitted to keep in his possession and even take back with him an address book in which he jotted down various notes while at school, he was able to give more precise information than other members of the group. The school was conducted from 18 January to 7 February 1951. These dates were crossed off daily in his address book. He believed that the course was prolonged because “Mr KU” did not receive orders on time from higher headquarters and also because 3 of the members of the group who escaped enroute to the school “stumbled upon” a Division Headquarters. Even though these three men were recaptured, the Chinese were worried for fear the men would be able to pinpoint the location of the Headquarters if they were released too soon. Orders finally arrived on 7 February and the group was speedily released after a march of 3 nights.
Source had taken down in his book some of the subjects covered in the lecture period form 0900 to 1100 hours daily. He took them down exactly as presented so that in the discussion and opinion writing period the Chinese would be satisfied with the statements made. It was important to know the subject matter as presented in order to clear up any misunderstandings or misgivings expressed by the men themselves when not in the presence of Chinese. Some of the less informed men needed a little straightening out to correct erroneous impressions created by the Chinese instructors. For those men with sufficient education, very little guidance was required. Some of the subjects presented were as follows:
1. “In spite of the fact that the American Government is a bitter enemy of the Chinese Government, why does this not hinder the friendship between the American and Chinese people?”
2. “What are the differences between the Sino-American friendship that existed during the rule of the reactionary government of CHINA and the present Chinese Government?”
3. “What is the future of Sino-American friendship?”
4. “Is the Korean war beneficial to American troops?”
5. “Who are the war-mongers in the United States?”
6. “What is your opinion as to how to end the aggressor war?”
According to the school solution the answer to question five (5) above was “The Wall Street Capitalists such as MORGAN, FORD, ROCKEFELLER and MacARTHUR who is a large stockholder in the monopolistic companies.”
The general theme throughout the lectures was that the Chinese people had no quarrel with the American people but they wanted the American people to “wake up, see the facts and overthrow their corrupt government.”
Source was of the opinion that the Communist Indoctrination School had very little or no effect on the American and Australian soldiers who attended. The following are some of the reasons why he believed this to be true:
1. The course was too short for the average American to be convinced. It was quite evidently true of this particular group because doubts were quickly dispelled after short explanations by source and other better educated members. Those who may have had serious doubts but who never mentioned them, quickly forgot about them and thought of their experiences only as a bad dream upon arrival back at the lines. Source believed however, that if the course had lasted six months some of the Americans might become indoctrinated. The psychological advantage rested with the instructors who held the threat of non-release over the students. It was necessary for the Americans to make it appear that they were agreeing with what was taught in order to guarantee their survival and ultimate release.
2. The lectures were too long to hold the attention of the men during the entire period. One of the main reasons why source paid very close attention to what was being said was that some of the other men would become drowsy and inattentive and thus would be unable to give the proper answers when called upon to express their opinions during the discussion period. By listening closely and passing on to the men the ideas that the Chinese wanted back in their opinions, source was helpful in getting all through the course successfully.
3. The choice of prisoners for this particular school was a poor one. Included in this group were a good many ardent Catholics. The teachings of the atheistic Communistic instructors were anathema to these Catholics. Therefore, anything they had to say fell on deaf ears. Their prime concern was to be released. The fact that “Mr. KU” did not object to their reading the Bible during their rest or leisure periods showed him to be either a very intelligent man or an unconvinced Communist. Another case in point occurred when “Mr. KU” requested that the proper passage in the Bible be read at the burial service for the American soldier who had died as a result of his wounds.
4. The instructors did not present a solid front. All of them were evidently not thinking the same. With the exception of “Mr. KU” the other instructors did prescribe to the party line from beginning to end. But “Mr. KU” actually admitted that he was not a true Communist and by his actions showed this to be true. The fact that the man who treated them best was not a Red in the true sense of the word, did leave an impression upon the men. One point concerning the course was outstanding. Not a single instructor bothered or perhaps, was able to explain the ideology of Marxism or Leninism. Source believed that had the ideology been explained to the men some of them might have had questions and doubts. But the instructors stuck by their time worn slogans and cliches and echoed the type of material that ordinarily emanates from MOSCOW.
5. The choice of reading material was poor. “THE SHANGHAI NEWS” and the “DAILY NEWS RELEASE” (edited and published by China Information Bureau) were too one-sided in their presentation of information. There was no difference of opinion ever expressed in them. The newspapers contained information which the men knew about and which was considerably twisted from the version they knew. The newspapers also contained articles deriding the American solider such as his inability to fight, his willingness to surrender and the poor leadership he has. Source believed that these articles were helpful in keeping the men on an even keel in their thinking.
6. The instructors sometimes resorted to too obvious propaganda and even to lying to put across their ideas. This was brought out by their statements that SYNGMAN RHEE was an American who lived all his life in the US, married an American and could speak no Korean. Some of the men who had heard RHEE speak Korean challenged this. Another statement made was that JOHN FOSTER DULLES came to KOREA to set the date for the attack upon North KOREA by the South Koreans. A picture of DULLES looking through binoculars was supposed to prove their point.
It was the opinion of the source that the men all “played along” to make sure they would be released. He doubts very much if even a single man was indoctrinated, although if the course were longer some might have become convinced.
For the CO, TIS:
WEELDREYER
