It!~~.D~ U.' r..Ti:TI..

S
i: EIGllLll tmITED Sl'A'I'i.:S t.rort KO:SA (W3A!;:)
, Offico of tho COI:LlolllldiIl:; G'-'nc.al

21 JanU3ry 1!l51
> ~', '. ".-~.

Me'.JRf>JIDtnlli'Oll: Corpa, Division, separate Dr1£oda or ReT Com:r.a."ldors,

end Cornmandiu:\ Genoral, 2d Loz,:!.&tical Co'!l:Ulnd

StJ:3JECl'1 {rny ~:e Are l{~rc

- 1. In my br1.ef per1.odof c=nd duty here I lfoVO hosrd from

several sources, chiefly from tho members of combat units, the qucotioos,
"Io/hy arc we here?" "rlMt are w fl.zhting for1"

2. ~n\ot follows represents my answers to th~sequcstions.

3. Tbe answer to the first question, "~Ihy are w herei" lG

sluple Il!'\d conClusive. Wo are bere because of the d(lcisions at t!lJ projl" :1)'
constituted authorities of our respective gove~nts. As the C~~,dcr·
in-Chief, United Nations CommaneS, General of tlie Army Douglas 1l4eJ.rthur
said pubu'cly yesterdaYI; "'Xh1&cOlllllWld1nt~ds tomainta1n a eilitary
position in lorea just al longal the.Sta~smen of the United Nationo
decide we should do ao." The answer 1& s1!:.ple because further cotrment
1& UtIllecessary. It is conclusive because the loyalty we give, lind expect,
precludes any sl1ghtest questioD~g of tbese orderl.

4. ~ aecond question :1.1 of IIlUch areater significance, IIIld

every membcr of this command is entitled to a full and resloned anuucr.
11ine follows.

5. 'La me tho issues are clear. It is not e qucstion of this

or th~t Korean town or villaBe. Real estate ls, here, incidental. It Is
not restricted to ths i.ssue of freedom for out South Korean AllieD, \ih<.lsa
tidclity'and valor under the severest stresses of battlc ~e rcco~i=cl
th,u.:;n that froedOQ is a symbol of the Wider issues, u.d incluclad Gtlem;;..
t h = . ­
6. "'he real lssues are whether thQ povcr of \>(lstcru c1vllbatio:t,
ns God has peroittcd it to £louer in ,our O\itl beloved lllnds, "hall ~o!y lind
defeat COt:l:lunism; \/hGthor tl:Q rule of een \lho ahoot their prisonoro I ~'ndnv<l
their citi!!cns. and deride the di!:Dity of can, ahall dicplacc tho rulo 01
thol:c 1:0 \;:,0.' the indi~'lclunl end h:l.s :lJ:Idivldual ri(;hts arc sac:red; \JllcLhur
\IC (lrc to surviva \lith God I s hand to (;\Iide am! lead us. or to perish in th~
C:cad c::l.:;lcnca of a Godlcss \;orld.
SUDJl:C"£1 iihy Wo Are Here 21 J.!!Lltlllr')' 19~1

,
7. If those be true. lInel to me they ere. boyond eny pocslbULty
of ch311e~\31i. then thh hils long einc:e ceased to be a fLght for frccdOQ for
uur t~r(Hl.I.l /,lUes alone en4 for their uatiolllll survival. It has boco.... o.
o~d it continues to be. a fLsht for our own freedoo. for our own survival,
in en bO:l;)rcb1c, lndeplludc.'t\t natiolllll ubteuce.

s. :rhe .r.acdfices \:0 havo tU:~o. alld th·~$e ve el'All yet c~ll't".n C,
m:c not offered vicariouoly for othors, but in our Qtln direct defenso.

9. In the finD.l analysis, the issue nov joined d::;ht here in

!:ore:! is uhether Co=uniCMI or ir.dividual frcedoo shall prevail, an:!, r.:lIl:c
r.·J Distal:c, \lhethor the nest flish!". of foar-driven pO')plo ",e 110.'.10 jest
uitn:lsaod acroes tho lto\ll, and continuo to vitnellS in otho~ sroao, shall
be checked end defeated overseas or perraitted. step by-etop, to close in
on our OT.01holllclMd and st SOQe futuro tin:e, hovovor distant. to en:;uH
our ""01 loved 0".09 in all its cisar)' enddil:pair.

10. Thc90 ara the things for Lilith 10'3 fisht. tlcver have lUCu:.bers
of IIny rJ.litary co::'Dmld hr.d a grellter challcl\3c than we, or a final:' OPP0l:­
tuuity· to show oursalves Md our people at their best--mld thuG be an h,,",,::
to tho p.OfC~Dicu of arcs, and a credit to those ~"ho bred us.

11. I 1:ould U.keea~ 'comiaandor to whoa this is addressed, in 111&

chosen ways cif .leader·ship, to .convcythe fOl"egoing to every single llIo:t1ber
Otr.l
of his eocme.ndGt . thoearl1est ·pract1c:ablelllQQCtlt~ ..
. ..

U. B. F.1d::,'Vay
Liauterumt Ge:ncl"Ql, United SUites .\"rt""l_
COI!mIlll:l1r.S

A true (01)'

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