The Korean War

Mitchell Wheat

The Korean War

World War II had ended and at the Potsdam Conference (July – August 1945) the Allies decided to divide Korea into two occupational zones along the 38th parallel.

The Koreans were not consulted when this was discussed . The Soviet Union controlled the Northern part of Korea and

the United States controlled the South. In December of 1945 at the Moscow Conference it was

agreed that Korea would be controlled by a United States-Soviet Union Joint Commission.

Korea was also excluded from these talks . It was also decided that after 5 years of this

“trusteeship action,” in which both occupying nations would promote their own ideology, Korea as a whole country would become independent.

Background -> Korea Divided

The PRK (People’s Republic of Korea) was a provisional government which originally

organized to take control of South Korea after the Japanese surrendered. This government was short lived and formally dissolved at the

beginning of 1946 by a US formed government which oversaw South Korea.

General Hodge was appointed as military governor and controlled South Korea through the USAMGIK (United States Army Military Government in Korea).

Throughout the year 1946, there were many violent struggles and riots between various protestors and the Korean policemen. These conflicts became know as the Autumn uprising.

Many more struggles occurred in the late 1940s such as the Jeju massacre (April 3, 1948), which resulted in anywhere from 14,000-60,000 citizen deaths by the South Korean Army.

Korea Divided cont…

Two conflicting governments were temporarily established in the occupational zones in the years just before the Korean War. The ROK (Republic of Korea) was organized in South Korea on August 15,

1948. The elected president was Syngman Rhee on July 15. The People’s Democratic Republic of Korea was organized in North Korea

which was led by Kim II-Sung. The North and South now had two different governments with two

opposing ideologies. Syngman Rhee’s régime expelled communists and leftists from southern national politics.

The Soviet Union withdrew their forces from North Korea in 1948, and the United States withdrew their forces from South Korea in 1949.

Both Mao Zedong and Joseph Stalin supported (endorsed) Kim II-Sung’s desires to invade South Korea before the country-wide elections could be held to determine a common form of government for Korea.

Korea Divided cont…

Site detailing the events of the Korean War: http://www.cvce.eu/viewer/-/content/f315d78d-3cc4-41ae-aea6-4244da83e096/en

The War

On June 25, 1950 the KPA (North Korean People’s Army) crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea. The North Korean government falsely justified their invasion by stating

that ROK (Republic of Korea) troops, under the command of Syngman Rhee, had crossed the border first.

On June 27, Rhee evacuated his government officials from Seoul and ordered the Bodo League massacre, which began the following day. This massacre was for war crimes. Hundreds of thousands of people

were killed by the South Korean forces for being suspected of supporting communism.

Also on June 28, South Korea bombed the bridge across the Han River to stop the North Korean army from advancing. This was a hasty and desperate method by Rhee to stop the North

Korean advance. People were not properly warned and the bombing, which took place in Seoul, killed many civilians and cut off part of South Korea’s forces.

North Korean Invades!

President Harry S. Truman initially ordered General MacArthur to transfer materials to the ROK, while also providing air support to the fleeing South Korean forces. On June 30, 1950 MacArthur was given permission to transfer 2

divisions from Japan to Korea. The ROK and UN forces suffered big losses during the first

months of the war. By August the KPA had defeated the Southern forces all the way to the vicinity of Pusan. In the advance of North Korean forces, the KPA killed many of the

Republic of Korea’s civilians and intellectuals. The ROK and UN forces managed to hold the Pusan Perimeter

from North Korean advances from August to September. In defending this perimeter the U.S. Air Force destroyed 32 bridges

to disrupt travel and launched many air raids on key depots and refineries.

The United Nations (States) Intervenes!!

By late August the ROK & UN forces were ready for a counter-offensive, outnumbering KPA forces 18 to 10.

General MacArthur and General Hobart R. Gay, organize the X Corps, to penetrate North Korean forces, far behind the enemy lines. This called for the Naval invasion of Inchon and was initiated on

September 15. The city was bombarded and fairly easily taken. The X Corps were a combined group of ROK forces, U.S. army, and the U.S.

marines specifically created for the Inchon invasion. By September 25 (1950) Seoul was recaptured by South Korean

forces. Through the month of October in 1950 ROK, UN, and US forces

crossed the 38th parallel and commenced in systematically and rapidly advancing upon North Korea. Zhou Enlai had warned the US that China was prepared to intervene in

North Korea if they crossed the 38th parallel.

UN Intervention cont…

On October 25, 1950 the Chinese PVA (People’s Volunteer Army) ventured into North Korea and began to fight back the Southern forces. Zhou Enlai was appointed as the overall commander and coordinator

of the war effort by Mao. The PVA used First, Second, Third, Forth, & Fifth Phase

Offensives. The First involved a rapid attack against advancing UN forces and

then a quick retreat to the mountain bases. The Second involved ambushing the UN forces with a three-pronged offensive maneuver. The Third involved many sneak attacks during the night, usually with overwhelming numbers.

By the 30th of November the PVA had expelled UN troops from Northwest Korea and by mid-December all of North Korea.

Huge rescue and retreat operations were initiated by the UN and South Korean forces; moving tens of thousand of people and vehicles across to Pusan.

China Enters the War!!!

In February of 1951 General Ridgway ordered an effective offensive with a full-scale X Corps advance which gained some ground for the South. This was known as Operation Roundup.

In mid-February the PVA counterattacked with the Fourth Phase Offensive which gained initial victory, but was blunted by the IX Corps.

General Ridgway then launched another offensive which involved the revitalized 8th Army conducting a full-scale battlefront-length attack. After this the UN forces gained more land and cities. This was known as Operation Killer.

Operation Killer was followed by South Korea expelling the PVA and KPA from Seoul on March 14, 1951. This was known as Operation Ripper.

In April the Chinese counterattacked with the Fifth Phase Operation, which produced initial success, but no lasting holds.

Fighting Centers Around 38th Parallel!!!!

President Truman removed General MacArthur from his duties on April 10, 1951; placing General Ridgway as head commander for the Southern forces.

Many battles and fighting still occurred, but no significant territorial exchanges were made between the North and the South. However, the U.S. Air Force continued to vigorously bomb North Korea.

Armistice negotiations began on July 10, 1951 at Kaesong. These negotiations would continue for 2 years with little progress.

On July 27, 1953 the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed by China, North Korea, the UN, and the US; this caused a cease fire which basically brought an end to the fighting – technically the war never ended.

Upon agreeing to the armistice, a DMZ (Korean Demilitarized Zone) was created which has been patrolled by both North and South Korean, as well as the US and UN.

Stalemate -meh

North Korea had T-34-85 medium tanks which were designed during the Second World War. The South Korean armies did not have tanks or sufficient anti-

tank equipment and the US could not get adequate armored forces equal to these tanks early in the war (the US could only transfer what they had in Japan to South Korea).

Because of the mountainous terrain, there were not many large-scale tank battles. Tanks served mostly as infantry support units or mobile artillery.

Neither side of Korea had a strong naval force, so there were few battles at sea. However, UN navies patrolled the west and east coasts of Korea to block supply lines. Ships were also used as artillery for coastal targets and were

effectively used in the Battle of Inchon.

Weapons

The Korean war was the first war in which the jet aircraft played a central role. The propeller-driven aircrafts of the Second World War were now obsolete.

Once the Soviet Union gave supplies and air support to Northern Korea in 1951, the MiG-15 was a jet which posed a great threat to American bombers and inferior UN fighters.

UN forces gained air superiority in the Korean War after the initial months of the war and maintained it for the duration of the War. Yet, they’re air force was very small at one point and needed reinforcement

from the United States in 1951 when China became involved. The UN and US air forces used bombing extensively to try and destroy

enemy targets or to hamper enemy transportation and supply lines. Bombing raids were commonly used to take out key bridges throughout the

Korean lands. In fact the US dropped more napalm and bombs on North Korea than they did during the whole Pacific campaign of World War II.

As a result of aerial warfare many Korean cities and towns were destroyed.

Weapons cont…

The Soviet Union did not personally involve their own men and forces in the Korean War, although they did send many supplies to the North Korean effort such as vehicles, guns, and especially – planes. Stalin made it clear that the Soviet Union would not directly get

involved. Mao and Zhao were pretty sure that Chinese intervention

was inevitable once UN and US forces crossed the 38th parallel in the counter offensive. General MacArthur even gave statements and requests to pursue

many of the North Korean force into Chinese territory were he believed many were being supplied and safeguarded there.

Atomic warfare was not implemented in the Korean War but Truman did discuss the possibility of using it to win the war.

Outer Involvement and Atomic Bombs

North and South Korea are divide by a line close to the 38th parallel which would separate the two countries until the present day.

The Korean Armistice Agreement provided from monitoring by an international commission. The NNSC (Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission) have been stationed near the DMZ. – The NNSC is composed of Swiss and Swedish Armed Forces –

Hostile relations between the North and South parts of Korea. There have been some minor acts of aggression by N. Korea over the years.

Most sources estimate some 2 million total civilian casualties! With about 35,000 US deaths; 400,000 PVA deaths; 500,000 KPA deaths;

and 330,000 ROK deaths. Mao Zedong showed the world that China’s Marxist concerns were

international by entering into the Korean War. He also believed that Stalin viewed him favorably after this.

Effects

Chiang Kai-shek’s regime in Taiwan would be protected from the PRC’s control by the United States after the Korean conflict.

Post-war recovery differed for the North and South parts of Korea. South Korea didn’t progress much in the first post-war decade, but

later industrialized and modernized, especially from the 1960s – 1990s. Contemporary North Korea remains underdeveloped.

Thousands of ‘G.I. babies’ were adopted by American families in the years following the war ‘G.I. babies’ are the offspring of western soldiers and Korean women.

The U.S. Immigration Act of 1952 removed race as a limiting factor in immigration. Made possible the entry of military spouses and children from South Korea after the Korean War.

Pre-existing Cold War tensions grew as a result of the Korean War. Communism was spreading and the UN was still trying to prevent it.

Effects cont…

Effects cont…http://www.youtube.c

om/watch?v=dzOh6dPyo8U&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7xsh7DcFcc

We get a really great fun, funny, family-filled show which would last three times longer than the actual Korean war did and became one of the longest running T.V. series ever. (11 years, 1972 - 1983)