Difference between revisions of "Korean War"

Revision as of 09:46, May 15, 2007

United States marines landing at Inchon, 15 September 1950.

The Korean War was a major conflict on the Korean peninsula lasting from 1950 to 1953, between the communist forces of North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, and the democratic forces of South Korea, supported by a multinational United Nations force.

Prelude

A Japanese territory until the end of World War II, Korea was then divided by agreement into two administrative zones in 1945, along the 38th parallel, occupied by the Soviet Union and the United States. In both zones competing government organisations were created to rule a unified Korea, and military forces raised. A number of serious border incidents were instigated by the forces of both sides.

Outbreak

In the summer of 1950, North Korean forces under Kim Il Sung, 135,000 strong and supported by 200 aircraft, thrust southwards. The 95,000 strong South Korean army, created under US control, was unmotivated, inefficient and had been deliberately denied heavy weapons; within hours most formations had fled south, often abandoning their equipment. After a week, almost half of the South Korean army had disappeared.

A United Nations resolution, passed in the absence of the USSR, condemned the attack and demanded the withdrawal of the North Korean forces. The United States, wanting its half of Korea back, was the most enthusiastic in pursuing these demands.

Pusan perimeter

By September, the surviving South Korean forces, and the US Eighth Army which had been sent to assist were confined to a small enclave around the Southern city of Pusan behind the Naktong river. It had taken months to assemble more than a handful of American troops; American air units had made some ineffectual sorties; and the suggestion that North Korea should be nuked was not taken any further.

Inchon landings

With the situation in the south finally stabilised, in September, 70,000 UN troops under General MacArthur, with massive support, landed at Inchon, near Seoul, surprising the exhausted North Koreans. The landings were an extremely risky operation; if any significant resistance had been encountered, the landing craft would probably have been stranded by the extreme tides of the landing zone, leaving the forces landed vulnerable to complete annihilation. However, they were lucky and only two days after the capture of Seoul from the 20,000 North Korean defenders was announced, it was actually achieved.

China joins the war

MacArthur struck north immediately, intent upon destroying the North Korean forces, and captured the North Korean capital Pyongyang in mid-October. China, feeling threatened by these developments, sent hundreds of thousands of well-motivated, veteran troops south from Manchuria, supported by Russian built MiG fighters that were superior to any of the UN aircraft. By November the UN offensive had been halted, and by December it was mostly in ignominious retreat. In January the Chinese forces recaptured Seoul.

Stalemate

In March 1951, a UN operation recaptured Seoul. In April, General MacArthur, disagreeing with President Truman's concept of limited war, suggested publicly a massive nuclear bombardment of the whole of northern China and was sacked by President Truman. The subsequent Chinese spring offensive was halted, but only after the Battle of the Imjin River, where the British 29th Brigade, whose situation had been misunderstood by the American sector commander, was surrounded and partially overrun, suffering many unnecessary casualties. (The situation had been reported as being "a bit sticky", which is British Army terminology for "extremely dangerous")

Aftermath

By June the communist forces had had enough and called for a ceasefire, although it took until 1953 before an armistice was signed. As several participants have never formally made peace, the conflict remains technically active today, even though there has been no major combat since 1953; the ceasefire line remains heavily fortified and militarised to the present day.

Participants

UN Multinational Forces

Communist Forces

References

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 === Stalemate ===
-In March 1951, a UN operation recaptured Seoul. In April, General MacArthur, disagreeing with [[Harry S. Truman|President Truman]]'s concept of limited war, suggested publicly a massive nuclear bombardment of the whole of northern China and was sacked by President Truman. The subsequent Chinese spring offensive was halted, but only after the Battle of the Imjin River, where the British 29th Brigade, whose situation had been misunderstood by the American sector commander, was surrounded and partially overrun, suffering many unnecessary casualties.(The situation had been reported as being "a bit sticky", which is British Army terminology for "extremely dangerous")
+In March 1951, a UN operation recaptured Seoul. In April, General MacArthur, disagreeing with [[Harry S. Truman|President Truman]]'s concept of limited war, suggested publicly a massive nuclear bombardment of the whole of northern China and was sacked by President Truman. The subsequent Chinese spring offensive was halted, but only after the Battle of the Imjin River, where the British 29th Brigade, whose situation had been misunderstood by the American sector commander, was surrounded and partially overrun, suffering many unnecessary casualties. (The situation had been reported as being "a bit sticky", which is British Army terminology for "extremely dangerous")
 === Aftermath ===