| − | The '''Korean War''' was a conflict between communist and anti-communist states fought in Korea during the [[Cold War]] era. It that lasted from June 1950 to July 1953. Korea was a Japanese colony until August 1945, when it was divided into American and Soviet spheres of influence at the 38th parallel. In the South, Syngman Rhee became president as a result of elections supervised by the [[United Nations]] in May 1948. The Soviets installed a communist government under [[Kim Il-sung]] in North Korea in September 1948. | + | The '''Korean War''' was a conflict between communist and anti-communist states fought in Korea during the [[Cold War]] era. It that lasted from June 1950 to July 1953. Korea was a Japanese colony until August 1945, when it was divided into American and Soviet spheres of influence at the 38th parallel. In the South, Syngman Rhee became president as a result of elections supervised by the [[United Nations]] in May 1948. The Soviets installed a communist government under [[Kim Il-sung]] in North Korea in September 1948. [[American]] casualties were immense, though not as large as initially asserted by the [[Pentagon]] and engraved in the monuments; actual American war deaths were 33,652, while non-battle deaths in the war zone were 3,262, for a total of 36,914.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-many-americans-died-in-korea/</ref> |
| − | The war began on 25 June 1950 when the North Korean army crossed the 38th parallel to enter South Korea. Anti-communist forces retreated to a perimeter around the southern city of Busan. The U.S. staged a landing behind communist lines at Inchon, near [[Seoul]], on September 15, 1950. This tactic routed the North Koreans. In a controversial move, Truman ordered US forces to pursue the North Koreans across the 38th parallel. | + | The war began on June 25, 1950 when the North Korean army crossed the 38th parallel to enter South Korea. Anti-communist forces retreated to a perimeter around the southern city of Busan. The U.S. staged a landing behind communist lines at Inchon, near [[Seoul]], on September 15, 1950. This tactic routed the North Koreans. In a controversial move, Truman ordered US forces to pursue the North Koreans across the 38th parallel. |
| | The [[United States Air Force]] was the first (non-Korean) force to respond to the invasion. Initial action, however, was limited to making sure American citizens were evacuated safely. Once the first UN resolution was passed, attention turned to stopping the North Korean advance. USAF planes flew from bases in [[Japan]] and [[Okinawa]], and two [[aircraft carrier]]s were in the area, the USS ''Valley Forge'' and the British HMS ''Triumph''. In addition, US [[cruisers]] and [[destroyer]]s off the coast lent fire support to the retreating South Korean forces.<ref>''Historical Atlas of the U.S. Navy'', by Craig L. Symonds, the Naval Institute, 1995</ref> | | The [[United States Air Force]] was the first (non-Korean) force to respond to the invasion. Initial action, however, was limited to making sure American citizens were evacuated safely. Once the first UN resolution was passed, attention turned to stopping the North Korean advance. USAF planes flew from bases in [[Japan]] and [[Okinawa]], and two [[aircraft carrier]]s were in the area, the USS ''Valley Forge'' and the British HMS ''Triumph''. In addition, US [[cruisers]] and [[destroyer]]s off the coast lent fire support to the retreating South Korean forces.<ref>''Historical Atlas of the U.S. Navy'', by Craig L. Symonds, the Naval Institute, 1995</ref> |
| − | The North Koreans had the latest piston-engined fighters from the Soviet Union, but they were outclassed by the first-generation jet fighters flown by the USAF and the [[United States Navy|US Navy]]. UN aircraft made several strikes on North Korean air bases, and by July 5, the NKAF had lost over a hundred aircraft and the UN had complete air superiority.<ref name="MyFirstRef">''Rolling Thunder: Jet Combat from World War II to the Gulf War'', by Ivan Rendall, Dell Publishing, 1997</ref> | + | The North Koreans had the latest piston-engine fighters from the Soviet Union, but they were outclassed by the first-generation jet fighters flown by the USAF and the [[United States Navy|US Navy]]. UN aircraft made several strikes on North Korean air bases, and by July 5, the NKAF had lost over a hundred aircraft and the UN had complete air superiority.<ref name="MyFirstRef">''Rolling Thunder: Jet Combat from World War II to the Gulf War'', by Ivan Rendall, Dell Publishing, 1997</ref> |
| | No modern conventional war has been won without air superiority, but air power alone has never won a war, and the first months of the Korean War were a case in point. Air strikes by bombers and fighter-bombers slowed the North Korean advance, but the communist troops were just too numerous to stop, especially with the South Korean resistance crumbling. UN troops, mostly American, were sent in to help hold the line, but they were outnumbered, and forced back. In August, the lines finally stabilized along the Naktong River, establishing the Pusan perimeter. | | No modern conventional war has been won without air superiority, but air power alone has never won a war, and the first months of the Korean War were a case in point. Air strikes by bombers and fighter-bombers slowed the North Korean advance, but the communist troops were just too numerous to stop, especially with the South Korean resistance crumbling. UN troops, mostly American, were sent in to help hold the line, but they were outnumbered, and forced back. In August, the lines finally stabilized along the Naktong River, establishing the Pusan perimeter. |
| − | According to [[R.J. Rummel]], forced labor, executions, and concentration camps were responsible for over one million deaths in North Korea from 1948 to 1987;<ref>Rummel, R.J. (1997), [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.CHAP10.HTM Statistics Of North Korean Democide: Estimates, Calculations, And Sources], ''Statistics of Democide'', Transaction.</ref> others have estimated 400,000 deaths in concentration camps alone.<ref>Omestad, Thomas, [https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/030623/23gulag.htm "Gulag Nation"], [[U.S. News & World Report]], 23 June 2003.</ref> [[Pierre Rigoulot]] estimates 100,000 executions, 1.5 million deaths through concentration camps and forced labor, and 500,000 deaths from famine, for a total of 2.1 million victims (not counting 1.3 million dead in the war).<ref>''[[Black Book of Communism]],'' pg. 564.</ref> Estimates based on the most recent North Korean census suggest that 240,000 to 420,000 people died as a result of the [[North Korean famine|1990s famine]] and that there were 600,000 to 850,000 unnatural deaths in North Korea from 1993 to 2008.<ref name="Spoorenberg, Thomas pp. 133-158">Spoorenberg, Thomas and Schwekendiek, Daniel (2012). [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1728-4457.2012.00475.x/pdf "Demographic Changes in North Korea: 1993–2008"], ''Population and Development Review'', 38(1), pp. 133-158.</ref> The famine, which claimed as many as one million lives, has been described as the result of the economic policies of the North Korean government,<ref>Stephan Haggard, Marcus Noland, and Amartya Sen (2009), ''Famine in North Korea'', Columbia University Press, p.209.</ref> and as deliberate "terror-starvation".<ref>Rosefielde, Stephen (2009), ''Red Holocaust,'' Routledge, p. 109.</ref> | + | According to [[R.J. Rummel]], forced labor, executions, and concentration camps were responsible for over one million deaths in North Korea from 1948 to 1987;<ref>Rummel, R.J. (1997), [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.CHAP10.HTM Statistics Of North Korean Democide: Estimates, Calculations, And Sources], ''Statistics of Democide'', Transaction.</ref> others have estimated 400,000 deaths in concentration camps alone.<ref>Omestad, Thomas, [https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/030623/23gulag.htm "Gulag Nation"], [[U.S. News & World Report]], June 23, 2003.</ref> [[Pierre Rigoulot]] estimates 100,000 executions, 1.5 million deaths through concentration camps and forced labor, and 500,000 deaths from famine, for a total of 2.1 million victims (not counting 1.3 million dead in the war).<ref>''[[Black Book of Communism]],'' pg. 564.</ref> Estimates based on the most recent North Korean census suggest that 240,000 to 420,000 people died as a result of the [[North Korean famine|1990s famine]] and that there were 600,000 to 850,000 unnatural deaths in North Korea from 1993 to 2008.<ref name="Spoorenberg, Thomas pp. 133-158">Spoorenberg, Thomas and Schwekendiek, Daniel (2012). [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1728-4457.2012.00475.x/pdf "Demographic Changes in North Korea: 1993–2008"], ''Population and Development Review'', 38(1), pp. 133-158.</ref> The famine, which claimed as many as one million lives, has been described as the result of the economic policies of the North Korean government,<ref>Stephan Haggard, Marcus Noland, and Amartya Sen (2009), ''Famine in North Korea'', Columbia University Press, p.209.</ref> and as deliberate "terror-starvation".<ref>Rosefielde, Stephen (2009), ''Red Holocaust,'' Routledge, p. 109.</ref> |