The Korean War “The Forgotten War”

1. The Korean War“The Forgotten War” 1950-1953

3. Lead up to Korean War • Korea jointly occupied by Soviet Union and American forces at end of WWII • 38th Parallel split peninsula in half until reunification was agreed upon • USSR got North Korea because they had been planning to invade Manchuria • US got South Korea because they had originally planned to invade the Japanese home islands • Withdrawal officially happened in 1948-49 • Remained divided with separate support from superpowers • Civil War couldn’t happen because Truman administration decided to concentrate on defense of island strongpoints • South Korean president, Syngman Rhee, sought support but was refused • US afraid Rhee would march north and involve them in a war • Kim Il-Sung sought support in Moscow for a military campaign • Was rejected until Acheson announced the “defense perimeter”

4. Primary source The Security Council, Having determined that the armed attack upon the Republic of Korea by forces from North Korea constitutes a breach of the peace, Having recommended that Members of the United Nations furnish such assistance to the Republic of Korea as may be necessary to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and security in the area, 1.         Welcomes the prompt and vigorous support which Governments and peoples of the United Nations have given to its resolutions 82 (1950) and 83 (1950) of 25 and 27 June 1950 to assist the Republic of Korea in defending itself against armed attack and thus to restore international peace and security in the area; 2.         Notes that Members of the United Nations have transmitted to the United Nations offers of assistance for the Republic of Korea; 3.         Recommends that all Members providing military forces and other assistance pursuant to the aforesaid Security Council resolutions make such forces and other assistance available to a unified command under the United States of America; 4.         Requests the United States to designate the commander of such forces; 5.         Authorizes the unified command at its discretion to use the United Nations flag in the course of operations against North Korean forces concurrently with the flags of the various nations participating; 6.         Requests the United States to provide the Security Council with reports as appropriate on the course of action taken under the unified command. Adopted at the 476th meeting by 7 votes to none, with 3 abstentions (Egypt, India, Yugoslavia)

5. Primary Source • Origin • UN Security Council Resolution 84 • July 5th, 1950 • Purpose • There are 6 main points made; • 1st is to thank countries which Defended the Republic of Korea in initial attack • 2nd is to point out the UN has already offered help • 3rd is to offer military assistance to South Korea through the US • 4th is to tell the US to assign a commander • 5th is to use the UN flag alongside the country’s own • 6th is to tell the US to report on any action taken • Value • It shows how quickly the UN reacted to the threat of the North Korean invasion • Shows the specific tasks needed at the time with a reference to past actions • Limitation • Doesn’t show the effectiveness of these actions • Doesn’t show what is done at later times • Doesn’t present the North Korean’s side

6. “Defense Perimeter” • Secretary of State Acheson announced publicly that South Korea wasn’t included in the American “defense perimeter” • “If the best minds in the world had set out to find us the worst possible location in the world to fight this damnable war, the unanimous choice would have been Korea.” • Made Stalin feel comfortable enough to endorse North Korean attack on South Korea • Also encouraged Ho Chi Minh to intensify offensive against French in Indochina • Didn’t require direct Soviet involvement

7. Initial Invasion • June 25th, 1950 • North Korea crosses 38th Parallel for first invasion • Pentagon had no contingency plan ready • South Korea had a weak army so army got to Seoul in 4 days • June 27th, 1950 • UN Security Council passed resolution to give military support to South Korea • General Douglas MacArthur named commander of all UN forces in Korea • One of hottest and driest summer on record • American soldiers got diseased • Fought a defensive war • Didn’t work very well for them

8. Impact of First Invasion of South Korea • Almost as shocking as Pearl Harbor with consequences almost as important • The blatant invasion challenged postwar collective security • 38th Parallel was sanctioned by UN • America able to act quickly once decision was made • US army occupied Japan • No Soviet representative n Security Council of UN meant international community also mobilized • Stalin had overlooked this

9. New War Aims • Had been pushed back to Pusan Perimeter • Became war to liberate the North from communism • Battle of Inchon worried Chinese

10. Inchon InvasionOperation Chromite • September 13-15, 1950 • Amphibian assault on Korean port of Inchon • 100 miles south of the 38th parallel and 25 miles from Seoul • Strategically appealing but tactically challenging • Long approaches through shallow canals, poor beaches, and a tidal range • McArthur planned a pincher move • Retake Seoul, cut off supplies to North Korean army, then attack Pusan • Low resistance and casualties • Objectives quickly achieved • Continued on toward Seoul • Took Kimpo airfield September 17th • Seoul recaptured on September 29th

11. Pyongyang • October 1950 • American and South Korean troops crossed the 38th Parallel • Pyongyang • Capitol of North Korea • Captured on October 19th • Continued north to Yalu River • Yalu River border between North Korea and China • Advance stopped by Chinese

12. China’s Involvement • 1948-1950; Eager to legitimize revolution by winning Stalin’s approval • Worried about “armed aggression against Chinese territory” • SURPRISE!!!! • US Diplomats and intelligence personnel believed the time for China to intervene was past • Allied air power and firepower would cripple ability to move or resupply • Military observers thought huge infantry forces would be poorly led, supplied, and equipped • Forgot about revolutionary zeal and military experience • Veterans of civil war against the Nationalist Chinese forces • Were poorly supplied but highly motivated, battle hardened, and led by officers who had been at war for 20 years • General MacArthur said they wouldn’t attack • His reputation meant that when he said the Chinese wouldn’t attack people believed him • Far Eastern Command (FEC) listed total of Chinese troops in theater as 34,500 when really there was 300,000 • Entered North Korea at end of October, undetected by intelligence forces • Started a few small battles but nothing really alarming for the Americans

13. More Chinese Involvement • 25th November • Chinese struck the 8th Army • Forced them to retreat to the Ch’ongch’on River • Hundreds killed due to slow moving vehicles and bottlenecks at bridges • Defeat at Ch’ongch’on River major blow to MacArthur’s plan of reunifying Korea forcefully • 2nd Division lost almost 4,500 from 15th to 30th November • Task Force Faith destroyed one division and prevented another attack from the Chinese for another 4 days • Destroyed in the process • General Walker decided to abandon P’yongyang and withdraw to the Imjin River • Seoul withdrawn from on January 4th

14. Descent to Stalemate • MacArthur • Disagreed with UN telling him not to bomb mainland China • Made public his dissatisfaction • Fired • Replaced by James A. Van Fleet • April 22nd • Chine launched attack, forced back • General Ridgeway proposed meeting to talk about cease-fire • North Korea agreed and talks began July 10, 1951 • While negotiators talked, both sides continued to fight • The war had reached a stalemate

15. “Limited Engagement” • Limited Engagement is not using all of the possible weapons available • Aka nuclear weapons • Korean War proved it was possible to wage war of limited engagement

16. A Little on Canada • Canada prime minister Louis St. Laurent cautiously brought • Canada into the war • No ground forces initally, just naval and air support • Sent 27K soldiers and sailors; 3rd largest contingent • Colombia sent 6200 soldiers

17. Peace Talks and Panmunjom • Peace negotiations fell apart in October 1952 • Spring of 1953 Peace talks resumed • Eisenhower’s election • Death of Stalin • April 1953 • Exchange of sick and wounded prisoners • Communists agreed to voluntary repatriation • June 1953 • Agreement for 2.5 miles of demilitarized zone • Gave North Korea 850 miles^2 south of 38th Parallel and 2350 miles^2 above Parallel to South Korea • No increase of military strength during the armistice • Syngman Rhee didn’t like armstice • Threatened that South Korea would keep fighting • Truce signing delayed until US satisfied Communists that it would keep South Korea in line • July 27th, 1953 • Armsitce signed • Fighting ended that evening

18. Casualties This rate of civilian casualties was higher than World War II’s and Vietnam’s • Nearly 5 million people died • More than half of these–about 10 percent of Korea’s prewar population–were civilians • United States suffered 33,686 battle deaths • along with 2,830 non-battle deaths • 8,176 missing in action • South Korea reported • 373,599 civilian deaths • 137,899 military deaths. • Data from official Chinese sources reported that the PVA had suffered • 114,000 battle deaths • 34,000 non-battle deaths • 340,000 wounded • 7,600 missing • 21,400 captured • Chinese sources also reported that North Korea had suffered • 290,000 casualties • 90,000 captured • and a "large" number of civilian deaths. • the Chinese and North Koreans estimated that about 390,000 soldiers from the United States, 660,000 soldiers from South Korea and 29,000 other UN soldiers were "eliminated" from the battlefield.

19. Results of Korean War • Truce didn’t actually solve anything but the fighting • Needed to keep a constant alert • South Korea • US troops remained in greatly reduced numbers • North Korea • Violated armistice agreement by rearming troops with modern weapons • United Nations • Gained respect by taking action, joint action by members • UN could have possibly seen as US puppet because most action was taken by US • USA • Containment policy seemed to work • Defense spending increased, didn’t liberate North Korea • Russia • Became closer to China, gained more respect from Asian communists • Arms race with US • China • Emerged stronger than ever, closer relationship with Russia • Expensive war, didn’t win South Korea • Lost US in trade and politics

20. Works Cited • "HowStuffWorks "Korean War - Stalemate"" HowStuffWorks. 24 Apr. 2014 <http://history.howstuffworks.com/korean- war/korean-war5.htm>. • "Inchon Invasion." Inchon Invasion. 24 Apr. 2014 <http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/kowar/50- unof/inchon.htm>. • "Korean War." History.com. A&E Television Networks. 24 Apr. 2014 <http://www.history.com/topics/korean-war>. • "The Korean War: The Chinese Intervention." The Korean War: The Chinese Intervention. 24 Apr. 2014 <http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/kw- chinter/chinter.htm>. • "The Korean War." The Korean War. 24 Apr. 2014 <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/korean_war.htm>. • "Wilson Center Digital Archive." Wilson Center Digital Archive. 24 Apr. 2014 <http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/117725 >.