Korean War

The Korean War (Korean: ????/????), from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea. Some consider this Cold War-era conflict to have been a proxy war between the United States and its Western democratic allies and the Communist powers of the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union. The principal combatants were North Korea, supported by Soviet and later Chinese forces, combat advisors, aircraft pilots, and weapons; and South Korea, supported principally by the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, although many other nations sent troops under the aegis of the United Nations.

Entrance of the Chinese

While the People's Republic of China had issued warnings that they would intervene if any non-South Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel, Truman regarded the warnings as "a bald attempt to blackmail the UN". On October 8 1950, the day after American troops crossed the 38th, Chairman Mao issued the order for "Chinese People's Volunteer Army" (actually regulars in the Chinese People's Liberation Army) to be moved to the Yalu River, ready to cross. Mao sought Soviet aid and saw intervention as essentially defensive: "If we allow the U.S. to occupy all of Korea… we must be prepared for the US to declare… war with China", he told Stalin. Premier Zhou Enlai was sent to Moscow to add force to Mao's cabled arguments. Mao delayed his forces while waiting for Russian help, and the planned attack was thus postponed from 13 October to 19 October. Soviet assistance was limited to providing air support no nearer than sixty miles (96 km) to the battlefront. The MiG-15s in PRC colours were an unpleasant surprise to the UN pilots; they held local air superiority against the F-80 Shooting Stars until the newer F-86 Sabres were deployed. The Soviet role was known to the U.S. but they kept quiet to avoid any international and potential nuclear incidents.

Related Topics:
People's Republic of China - October 8 - 1950 - People's Liberation Army - Yalu River - Zhou Enlai - 13 October - 19 October - MiG-15 - F-80 Shooting Star - F-86 Sabre - Sino-Soviet Split

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On October 15 1950, Truman went to Wake Island to discuss the possibility of Chinese intervention and his desire to limit the scope of the Korean conflict. MacArthur reassured to Truman that "if the Chinese tried to get down to Pyongyang there would be the greatest slaughter."

Related Topics:
October 15 - 1950

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The Chinese assault began on October 19, 1950, under the command of General Peng Dehuai with 300,000 CPV troops. The Chinese assault caught the UN troops by surprise, as war between PRC and the United Nations had not been declared and the Chinese concealed their numeric and divisional strength after the first engagement with the UN. After these initial engagements, the Chinese withdrew into the mountains; UN forces ignored the stern warning delivered by the Chinese and continued their advance to the Yalu. In late November, the Chinese struck again. In the west, at Kunu-ri, the Chinese overran several ROK divisions and landed an extremely heavy blow into the flank of the remaining UN forces; the resulting withdrawal of the United States Eighth Army was the longest retreat of an American unit in history. In the east, at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir (November 26?December 13) the US 7th Infantry Division was devastated; the Marines fared better, inflicting heavy casualties on the Chinese who committed 6 divisions while trying to destroy the marines.

Related Topics:
October 19 - 1950 - Peng Dehuai - Eighth Army - Battle of Chosin Reservoir - November 26 - December 13 - US 7th Infantry Division - Marines

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On January 4 1951, Communist Chinese and North Korean forces captured Seoul. Both the 8th Army and the X Corps were forced to retreat. General Walton Harris Walker, the commander of the 8th Army, a decorated General in the war against the Nazi Germany, was killed in an accident. The situation was such that MacArthur mentioned that atomic weapons might be used, much to the alarm of America's allies. In March 1951, Operation Ripper repelled the North Korean and Chinese troops from Seoul.

Related Topics:
January 4 - 1951 - Seoul - Nazi Germany - Atomic weapon - Operation Ripper

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MacArthur was removed from command by President Truman on April 11, 1951. The reasons for this are many and well documented. They include MacArthur's meeting with ROC President Chiang Kai-shek in the role of a U.S. diplomat; he was also wrong at Wake when President Truman asked him specifically about Chinese troop buildup near the Korean border. Furthermore, MacArthur openly demanded nuclear attack on China, while being rude and flippant when speaking to Truman. MacArthur was succeeded by General Matthew Ridgway who managed to regroup the UN forces for an effective counter offense that managed to slowly drive back the opposing forces.

Related Topics:
Truman - April 11 - 1951 - Chiang Kai-shek - Wake - Matthew Ridgway

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Historian and Korean War veteran Bevin Alexander had this to say about Chinese tactics in his book How Wars Are Won:

Related Topics:
Bevin Alexander - How Wars Are Won

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:The Chinese had no air power and were armed only with rifles, machineguns, hand grenades, and mortars. Against the much more heavily armed Americans, they adapted a technique they had used against the Nationalists in the Chinese civil war of 1946–49. The Chinese generally attacked at night and tried to close in on a small troop position-generally a platoon- and then attacked it with local superiority in numbers. The usual method was the infiltrate small units, from a platoon of fifty men to a company of 200, split into seperate detachments. While one team cut off the escape route of the Americans, the others struck both the front and the flanks in concerted assaults. The attacks continued on all sides until the defenders were destroyed or forced to withdraw. The Chinese then crept forward to the open flank of the next platoon position, and repeated the tactics.

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