<--PREV Doc #1525  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #1527 Document #1526; May 5, 1960 To Syngman Rhee Series: EM, AWF, International Series: Rhee The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XX - The Presidency: Keeping the Peace Part IX: Shattered Dreams; March 1960 to July 1960 Chapter 22: Disaster in Paris   Dear Dr. Rhee: The vastness of the events which have taken place in Korea has claimed the attention of the entire world. I can assure you that no one has followed them with more anxious sympathy than I.1 With your voluntary withdrawal from political life, I am reminded ever more strongly of how much your country will remain in your debt. The rebirth of Korea in 1945 was the fruition of your long years of patient and arduous labor. Your tenacity and indomitable courage at a time when the Republic was the prey of Communist armies won the admiration of the entire Free World as well as the gratitude of all the Koreans. Since then, under your guidance, Korea has recovered from the deepest wounds of that conflict and is today a monument to your life-long work. I cannot but feel that your decision, momentous as it is, is yet another example of wisdom as well as selfless service. I assure you that the United States will continue to feel itself bound by strong ties of sympathy to Korea under your successors. My best wishes for many years of health and happiness in the honored retirement which you have done so much to earn. Sincerely 1 For several weeks Korea had been in a state of political turmoil. The announcement that Rhee had won reelection on March 15 by an overwhelming majority and that the incumbent vice-president, his political opponent, had been defeated by Rhee’s candidate had provoked charges of election irregularities and fraud. On April 19 bloody student-led riots had broken out in several Korean cities, resulting in demands for Rhee’s resignation. On April 27 Rhee had stepped down, ending his twelve-year presidency and long political career. He had gone into exile in Hawaii. For background see no. 985; New York Times, April 23 and 27, 1960, and Quee-Young Kim, The Fall of Syngman Rhee (Berkeley, 1983), pp. 1 - 10. For developments see no. 1578. Eisenhower’s letter would be released to the public on May 9, 1960 (Public Papers of the Presidents: Eisenhower, 1960 - 61, pp. 401 - 2, see also pp. 360 - 61, 407). Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Syngman Rhee, 5 May 1960. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 1526. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/second-term/documents/1526.cfm <--PREV Doc #1525  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #1527

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