Someone recently asked me why I sometimes write pieces piquant forces conflicts. I responded with a examine of my own to wit: how many kids at Kennett High or any other high school across the land do you think know anyone about the two World Wars, Korea, Viet Nam? His head shake provided his answer. If just one high school history instructor would let his or her students read one of these essays, my objective would be more than achieved.
Case in point, the Korean War (June 1950 - July 1953), which many Americans under the age of 30 only remember from watching Mash on television. The Korean disagreement is fast becoming a footnote in our history and that's a shame to those who fought and died in that brief but highly intensive and deadly conflict. Many of my classmates, teammates and friends in college were veterans of this war and they made me feel like a boy among men. As they say, it was a growth experience. Some of these vets suggested the disagreement might be favorably forgotten by politicians because it ended in a stalemate and was fought for what some believed were questionable reasons. None of them believed that. At any rate, from a forces standpoint, it was an startling seesaw of activity that was analogous to a boxing match featuring ebb and flow action. It can be divided into four segments, though many of the private battles could be told as stories in their own right.
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This War was referred to by some as a "proxy war" because it was fought during the beginning of the cold war period and the overriding principals were the U.S. And the global Communists powers. Also, and to be technically precise, the disagreement was termed a "police action" in the U.S. In order to remove the necessity of a Congressional proclamation of war, though I am distinct any wounded soldier would say that a bullet or bomb does not make such fine distinctions. Similarly, to avoid officially declaring war on The Us, The Uk, France and other Un members, China forces were named the People's Volunteer Army (Pva) instead of Pla (People's Liberation Army). Thus, the indispensable combatants were, on the one side, North Korea, supported by the People's Volunteer Army of Communist China, and later Soviet advisors and aircraft pilots (who flew Migs). On the other side was South Korea, supported principally by the U.S., the United Kingdom, and forces from many, many other nations sent under the authority of the United Nations.
1) The first Invasion - June-September 1950
In the early morninhg hours of June 25, 1950, North Korea sent a force across the 38th parallel into South Korea. These forces rapidly developed southward against the poorly-equipped Rok (Republic of Korea) defenders. In just three days, they captured the Southern capital of Seoul. The United Nations fast condemned the attack. The Soviet Union, Pyongyang's close ally, was fortunately boycotting the U.N. Protection Council at the time -- and thus was not able to veto the council's condemnation. A U.N. Force was immediately composed to help defend South Korea. This immediately resulted in heavy forces and naval involvement by the United States. But the fact is, the U.S. Led the U.N. forces against North Korea, and while no one believed this forces challenge against communist aggression would be easy, few startling it would last as long as it did. Unknown at the time, however, was that an additional one and far more formidable aggressor was beginning to mass and was about to become involved.
Several U.N. Divisions rushed to the Korean peninsula to stop the Northern strike but could do miniature against a excellent force,and The U.N. forces were soon forced back to a retention pattern colse to the southern port city of Pusan by early August. North Korea was on the nasty and had the U.N. forces on the ropes. But these forces, led by general Douglas MacArthur and others, had some defensive moves up their sleeves which fast turned things colse to and put them on the offensive. And the startling seesaw continued. Indeed, in the first year alone, Seoul, in the middle of the greater Korean peninsula, changed hands four times!
2) The Counterattack - September-October 1950
U.N. Forces, under the command of general MacArthur, landed at the port of Inchon near Seoul on September 15, 1950 in a brilliant and daring strike the telling of which could be the subject of an entire book. The Inchon Landing cut off much of the North Korean army, which was attempting to force its way into the Pusan Perimeter to the South. U.N. Forces, breaking out from Pusan and piquant North and forces advent south from Inchon, were able to squeeze and overwhelm the Northern forces in South Korea. It was a great forces chess move..........and Seoul was retaken by U.N. forces on September 26.
After taking Seoul, U.N. forces punched their way north of the 38th parallel, capturing the Northern capital of Pyongyang on October 19. Even though China warned that it would not accept the presence of U.N. forces in North Korea, MacArthur prolonged to move northward -- with the announced intention of unifying the Korean peninsula. Some U.N. forces even reached the Yalu River -- the border in the middle of North Korea and China -- on October 25.
3) China'S Intervention - October 16, 1950
In mid-September 1950, the aforementioned amphibious invasion at Inchon had dealt the North Koreans a mortal blow from which they would never recover. In the following two months, U.N. forces pushed fast through North Korea and there existed the euphoria of an apparent total victory in plain sight, though this may have contributed to a degree of overconfidence. At any rate, China intervened on behalf of their badly defeated fellow Communist neighbor to the South. Major Chinese forces entered Korea on the night of Oct. 16 1950, when a unit of the 42d army of the 13th Army Group crossed the Yalu. On Oct. 18, Chairman Mao issued the final order for four armies and 3 artillery divisions to enter Korea on Oct. 19. The Chinese massed for a counter attack. Though less well armed than the Un armies, the Chinese armies were much larger, carried less equipment, moved faster on foot, and, amid the frightening blowing of bugles and noises from loudspeakers, routed the Un forces in wave after wave type attacks. Some 40,000 U.S. forces were cut off by the strengthen and evacuated from near Wonsan in mid-December 1950. Incredibly, Seoul was retaken by the Chinese as they pushed south. This time, the Communist forces were stopped about two-thirds of the way down the peninsula and were not able to push to Pusan.
A second Un nasty began in late February 1951, which pushed the Chinese back north of Seoul again. The Un strengthen stopped near the 38th parallel. Then, a second Chinese nasty was launched in April. Once again, wave after wave of Chinese soldiers cut off and destroyed strengthen Un troops. But this time the Chinese armies stopped north of Seoul. The Un forces was thrown back midway into South Korea. Then, early in the new year, the Chinese army was again contained and forced to retreat. And the startling seesaw of battle prolonged as each army took its turn production an nasty move and then being stopped and then beginning up again.
4) Truce - January 1951-July 1953
Thus, U.N. forces once again reoccupied Seoul in March 1951. From that point they were able to strengthen slightly north of the 38th parallel. At that time, general MacArthur -- who had openly disagreed with President Harry S.Truman over how to escort the war -- was relieved of his command by the President despite a public outcry. MacArthur saught faultless victory in Korea and argued for attacking bases inside the China mainland that were supporting forces in North Korea. There was even talk of crossing the Yalu and chasing the Chinese forces back into mainland China. However, President Truman and other Un leaders feared that attacking China would lead to a larger disagreement that could plunge the world into an additional one World War.
The stage was thus set for intensive truce negotiations which began on July 10, 1951. By then, the war had become a stalemate -- neither side having made any real advances. The talks went on for an additional one two years. And during this time, the war became a back and forth series of savage fire fights from both sides along a heavily defended battle line on the 38th parallel the location of which changed only slightly.
Finally, on 27 July 1953, with a new regime in Russia and the flourishing pushing back of one last Communist offensive, truce talks finished and the fighting ended. As part of the cease-fire, both sides agreed to withdraw 2 kilometers along the final battleground and form a demilitarized zone (Dmz) along the armistice line -- a zone that still exists today. The final cease-fire line showed no indispensable gain for either side notwithstanding that when the armistice was finally signed in 1953, there had been four million forces and civilian casualties, together with 33,600 American, 16,000 Un allied, 415,000 South Korean, and 520,000 North Korean dead. There were also an estimated 900,000 Chinese casualties. But, to repeat, there had been no indispensable gain for the invading communist forces.
There are many sub plots to the Korean War. Ones that could be the subject of cut off and lengthy essays. Giving rise to these are names like general Walton Walker (who was killed in a jeep urgency in December of 1950) and Matthew Ridgeway. Names like Task Force Smith, the Chosin Reservoir, Hill 303 Massacre, Chipyongni, the Twin Tunnels Ambush, the May Massacre. Also the Battle of Bloody Ridge, the Battle for Heartbreak Ridge, the Battle of Pork Chop Hill, the Punch Bowl (famous for a hand-to-hand fighting during during a lack of ammunition), Battle of the Hook, the Koje-do prision camp riots. Each featured bitter and vicious fighting, sometimes in unbearably cold weather.
If one visits Seoul today, he or she can take a bus to the 38th parallel, walk through the tunnels used by the North Koreans, visit the negotiating rooms which are still fully furnished, stare at the menacing North Korean guards who stare back, hear music from North Korea's "City of Paradise," which is nothing more than Hollywood-type billboards depicting a city which ostensibly beckons South Koreans to cross over the Dmz and "come home." What one perhaps does not grasp is the terrible loss of life incurred by so many to prevent this aggressive Communist activity from succeeding. In my mind, that was never a "questionable reason" for becoming complicated in this war. Older South Koreans are forever grateful to the U.S forces who saved them from Communism. Could anyone be more honorable than that? In my mind, the success of the Korean War should not be assessed on our potential (or inability) to invade China or to overrun North Korea; it should be measured by our potential to include communism. For that accomplishment and 33,600 other reasons, the Korean War should never be forgotten.
"[Korea is] the clearest test case that the United Nations has ever faced. If the United Nations is ever going to do anything, this is the time, and if the United Nations cannot bring the urgency in Korea to an end, then we might as well wash up the United Nations and forget it." Senator Tom Connally, of Texas, summing up Congressional conception of the Korean urgency three days after the invasion.
33,600 Reasons Never to ForgetFriends Link : todays world news headlines
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