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There are many wars recorded in the history books, but none touch as close to democracy and human rights as the Korean War. This war forced the United Nations to ask for military support from its members to give to South Korea. It will also convey the discrepancies between North and South Korea. This essay will be an overview of the 3 phases of the Korean War and the final casualties.
The Korean War began on the 25th of June 1950. North Korea invading South Korea caused the Korean War. North Korea had tried to split up the South subtly and bring the South into communism with them. When that did not work, they came in and tried with force. The United Nations promptly ordered the North to withdraw its forces as its invasion was in violation of a treaty but the North continued fighting. The United Nations asked its members to donate troops and supplies to the South. Sixteen of the United Nations members sent troops and 44 countries sent military supplies, rations, or medical supplies. The United States sent 70% of the troops and supplies.
1st Phase
At 0400 hours on the 25th of June 1950, 70,000 North Korean troops with Russian T-34 tanks crossed into South Korean territory. On the 29th of June, the North Korean Peoples Army captured Seoul. By August the North Korean Army was moving southward and had their sights set on Tague, which is another large city. The United Nations forces were now on the defensive.
On September 15th General MacArthur took over the major port of Inchon. This triumph allowed the United Nations to break through the Pusan perimeter and to cross the North Korea - South Korea border to retake Seoul.
“MacArthur assigned command of ground troops in Korea to the Eighth Army under Lt. Gen. Walton H. Walker, who established headquarters at Taegu on July 15, assuming command of all American ground troops on the peninsula and, at the request of South Korean President Syngman Rhee, of the ROK Army. When ground forces from other nations reached Korea, they too passed to Walker's command.”
(http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/AMH/AMH-25.htm)
By the end of the first phase of the war, there were 111,000 South Koreans dead and 57,000 missing
2nd Phase
The North Korean forces were now in retreat and in two days, the Southern forces had moved 25 miles into North Korea territory. Within a week they captured the major city of Wonson. They then proceeded toward the Yalu River meeting almost no resistance from the northern forces.
China’s decision to enter into the war in October turned the tide of the war, and sent the United Nations forces onto the defensive again.
“MacArthur now had a measure of Chinese strength. Around 200,000 Chinese of the XIII Army Group stood opposite the Eighth Army. With unexcelled march and bivouac discipline, this group, with eighteen divisions plus artillery and cavalry units, had entered Korea undetected during the last half of October. The IX Army Group with twelve divisions next entered Korea, moving into the area north of the Changjin Reservoir opposite the X Corps. Hence, by November 24 more than 300,000 Chinese combat troops were in Korea.
"We face an entirely new war," MacArthur notified Washington on November 28. On the following day he instructed General Walker to make whatever withdrawals were necessary to escape being enveloped by Chinese pushing hard and deep through the Eighth Army's eastern sector, and ordered the X Corps to pull into a beachhead around the east coast port of Hungnam, north of Wonsan.”
(http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/AMH/AMH-25.htm)
On the 6th of December, the Communist forces were across the border and into South Korea again. By December 22nd they had retaken Seoul. Although they had come quickly, the new northern army was not as strong as its predecessor was. By March 14, 1951 the United Nations forces had retaken Seoul. From May to April there was a "see-saw" type of fighting, where one side would gain a small amount of ground only to lose it again and give some of their own. In the summer of 1951 talks for an armistice began. Accusations against the United States of war crimes stalled negotiations as well. The Americans decided to speed up the negotiations with North Korea, therefore they intensified their bombing attacks against the North. The United States were considering the use of nuclear weapons to end the war quickly.
3rd Phase
By June 8th, 1953 the prisoner of war (POW) issue was settled in the negotiations. Both sides had agreed to return the prisoners voluntarily. June 17, 1953 the truce agreement had been finalized. The United States agreed to enforce the agreement of the armistice. The armistice was signed on July 27th, 1953.
The Korean War was one of the bloodiest wars in history. Almost one million South Korean’s were killed and several million were made homeless. More then 560,000 United Nations troops were killed, missing in action (MIA), or wounded. North Koreans suffered massive losses as well with over 1,600,000 troops killed, missing in action, or wounded.
Bibliography
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/AMH/AMH-25.htm –Korean War Overview
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/korea/30-2/30-2_11.htm - A Rifle Company as Covering Fire
http://www.koreanwar.com-Korean War
http://www.lineages.com/military/mil_kor.asp – Military Research Room Korean War 1950 1953
I am Canadian
I believe in having a country as strong as the beer it serves,
I say about, not aboot, because aboot isn’t a place, it is something you wear to get there,
I have a strange speaking Prime Minister,
I believe that most often, war is the easiest solution,
Though I suspect the decision would be harder if the President went with them.
I believe wildlife should be preserved for future generations,
I believe allies and friends are among the most valuable things to be found,
War is not the best way to improve the economy,
I have beautiful scenery outside my window,
Not as my background for Windows,
We have soldiers, not peacekeepers,
Any American that jokes by saying he didn’t know Canada had an infantry is lying,
Apparently they can see them well enough to bomb them in the middle of the night.
I believe it is important what you bomb,
Not how many bombs you drop.
My name is Mike,
I wear hats with tractor manufacturer’s names on them,
I have a plaid jacket and a chainsaw,
I do farm work for enjoyment,
And most importantly,
I AM CANADIAN!
Mike Harborne
