Korean+War+and+World+Affairs



It was a conflict beween Communist and non-Communist forces in korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallell into Soviet and U.S. zones of occupation. In 1948 rival governments were established. The Republic of Korea was proclaimed in the South and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea in the North. Throughout the summer of 1950, the U.S. and the other involved United Nations' states scrambled to contain North Korea's fast-moving army, assemble the forces necessary to defeat it and simultaneously begin to respond to what was seen as a global military challenge from the Communist world.In mid September 1950 an invasion at Inchon fractured the North Korean war machine. During the next two months UN armies pushed swiftly through North Korea. However, with victory seemingly in sight, China intervened openly, and the Soviet Union not-so-openly, on the side of their defeated fellow Communist neighbor. The UN was thrown back midway into South Korea. In the new year, the Chinese army was in turn contained and forced to retreat.By the middle of 1951, the front lines had stabilized near where the war started twelve months earlier. Negotiations began in hopes that an early truce could be arranged. But this took two more frustrating years, during which the contending forces fought on. Finally, on 27 July 1953, with a new regime in the USSR and the blunting of a final Communist offensive, negotiations concluded and fighting ended. However, the Cold War, considerably warmed up by the Korean experience, would would maintain its costly existence for nearly four more decades.
 * KOREAN WAR**

=The Korean War= (America's forgotten war)



**-Chinese Civil War:**
-Japanese power in China increases as Allies gave Japan control over former German possessions there (after defeating Germany) -Chinese protesters call for stronger, more independent China: demanding either democracy and nationalism or communism -Nationalist Party attacks the Communists in 1927 ---> massacre leads to civil war -Nationalists lose support because of harsh treatment of population, high taxes and corruption --> **COMMUNISM IN CHINA** 1949

-Japanese aggression in Korea before and during World War II
-Japan had annexed Korea as well, harsh rule -Japan was defeated in WW II, but no careful plans for Korean independence worked out yet -1945: temporary solution: Korea divided at 38th parallel (latitude line running across Korea at approximately the midpoint of the peninsula) into a Soviet-occupied northern zone (Communist regime) and an American-occupied southern zone (pro-American government) -occupying forces finally withdrew in 1948 and 1949



The trigger
-North Korean troops invade South Korea, determined to reunite Korea by force (altough both sides actually wanted to unify the nation) -Americans suspect that the action had been orchestrated by the Soviet Union: alarmed because China had aready fallen to the Communists --> communism on the advance) -Truman responded, "If this [the invasion of South Korea] was allowed to go unchallenged, it would mean a third world war, just as similar incidents brought on the second world war."



3 Stages of the War
1st Stage June 1950: North Korea captures South Korea's capital Seoul September 1950: UN forces hold Pusan Perimeter

2nd Stage September 1950: Incheon landing, liberation of Seoul November 1950: Farthest UN advance

3rd Stage November 1950: China enters the war in an effort to repel UN forces January 1951: Communists attempt to reinvade South Korea July 1953: Truce Line is established near the original division between North and South Korea



The effects of the Korean War
-enormous frustration in the US: limited results but 54,000 killed and 103,000 wounded soldiers -Communist forces pushed back beyond the 38th parallel -without nuclear war -American military changes: first war in which white Americans and African Americans served in same units -huge increase in military spending -US came to accept the demand of permanent mobilization, over a million American soldiers were stationed all over the world -powerful military industrial complex employing 3.5 million Americans by 1960 -shaping future US policy in Asia -peace treaty with Japan in September 1951, bad relations with Communist China --> diplomatic standoff lasting more than 20 years



Movie recommendation
[|Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War.] A very successful war movie showing the effects of the Korean war on two brothers.

(Kim)

**UNITED NATIONS COMMAND** >> The predawn quiet of a rainy, peaceful Sunday morning, June 25, 1950, was abruptly shattered by artillery, mortar and automatic weapons fire as North Korean forces attacked without warning. The invading North Koreans quickly breached the 38th parallel and forcing lightly-armed Republic of Korea Army forces to retreat toward their capital of Seoul. >> Two days later, acting on a request from the United States, the United Nations Security Council called on the countries of the world to unite and assist in driving the invader from the ROK. In its resolution, the UN Security Council named the United States as executive agent to implement the resolution and direct UN military operations in Korea. >> Even before the UN resolution passed, President Harry S. Truman, recognizing a threat to the free world, determined the U.S. could no longer remain neutral while communist powers trampled the free nations of the world ordered General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Commander-in-Chief, Far East Command, to provide whatever assistance was needed to repel this invasion. General MacArthur committed U.S. air and naval forces within hours of the attack. Following passage of the UN resolution, on July 24, in Tokyo, General MacArthur established General Headquarters, United Nations Command. >> By then, the UN had issued a further appeal to all member nations to provide what military and other aid they could to assist the ROK Government in repelling the invaders. The first ground troops to enter battle on the side of the ROK were advance elements of the U.S. 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Units were airlifted from occupation duties in Japan to form "Task Force Smith." The unit was committed on July 5th a few miles north of Osan. >> The first battles were a disaster so, in the face of overpowering enemy strength, the UNC fought delaying actions as ROK and U.S. units withdrew down the peninsula. Outnumbered and out-gunned, they traded lives and space for time as they waited for the pledged assistance from other countries of the UN. >> On August 29, 1950, the British Commonwealth's 27th Brigade arrived at Pusan to join the UNC, which until then included only ROK and U.S. forces. The 27th Brigade moved into the Naktong River line west of Taegu. >> Troop units from other countries of the UN followed in rapid succession; Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand and Turkey. The Union of South Africa provided air units which fought along side the air forces of other member nations. Denmark, India, Norway, and Sweden provided medical units. Italy provided a hospital, even though it was not a UN member. >> During the three years of the Korean War, military forces of these nations fought and died together as members of the UNC. They fought for the freedom of the Korean people and to demonstrate UN resolve to stop unprovoked aggression. >> Through the freezing winters and the sweltering heat of the Korean summers, men from Britain, Ethiopia, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Turkey, United States, and other contributing countries demonstrated individual and collective heroism in facing human waves of north Korean and Chinese aggressors. Few battles in the history of modern warfare have wrought the heartbreak and the frustration of this struggle. >> Bloody Ridge, Chosin Reservoir, Hamhung, Heartbreak Ridge, Hwachan Reservoir, Iron Triangle, Punch Bowl and Pusan Perimeter -- all were mileposts in the seesaw battle for Korea's freedom. The dust of Old Baldy was crimsoned with blood of valiant members of the UNC; the Han and Imjin Rivers ran red with blood of UN fighting men. >> On July 27,1953, the shooting ended. An armistice was signed at Panmunjom which provided for the end of the fighting and eventual political settlement of the war. The shooting ended, but the troops remained, each side pulling back 2,000 meters from the last line of military contact to insure peace, to watch the Demilitarized Zone, and to guard against any resumption of hostilities. >> In a green field at Tanggok, located near the port of Pusan, stand myriad reminders of the Korean War. Simple white crosses, standing near the sign of the "Crescent and the Star" and the "Star of David" are bleak, symbolic representatives of the 33,629 Americans, numberless Koreans, 717 Turkish soldiers, and 1,109 soldiers of the United Kingdom who gave their lives during the struggle. Also sharing this place of honor are the symbols for the dead of the 12 other nations whose fighting men died to keep Korea free. **TROOP STRENGTHS** War in the Air **"Combat Episodes of the Korean War: Three out of One Thousand"** //Mir Aviatsiya// 1-97 pp.38-44 - Leonid Krylov, Yuriy Tepsurkayev, Moscow >>> //IT was interesting to compare our claims of victory with the numbers from the other side. We found many aerial victories which needed recounting...// //Harold E. Fisher Veteran of the 8th and 51st Wings, USAF// >>>   >>>    For the last seven years we have attempted to find the information in our archives and recollections of the Soviet participants in the war in Korea and compare that with the data from Western researchers. This has led to the opening of many interesting pages in the history of that war, and the finding of new facts which had previously been undisturbed. In this article we will provide several of the pieces of the picture of the war in Korean skies.First we will give a few of the generally disseminated **opinions** which have been accepted: >>>  **THE FIRST JET BATTLE** >>> All foreign researchers hold the opinion that the first MiG-15 entered the skies of North Korea on 1 November 1950, when a group of MiGs attacked a group of Mustangs without result. >>> On that day, pilots of the 72nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (GIAP) opened the 33 month long epoch of the participation >>> of Soviet pilots in the Korean War. Their first combat mission took place from 1350 hours to 1446 hours.[|(1)]   The group consisted of five MiG-15 aircraft headed by Major Stroykov, and it did attack the American Mustangs. Per the Soviet archives, one of the Mustangs was shot down by Lieutenant Chizh. Western publications are singularly lacking on the fact of the loss of this Mustang. Of what happened, or of any other battle fought on that same day, not one single publication has set out any information. But at the same time, the combat reports of the 72nd GIAP from 1 November describe what they call the second battle of the regiment's pilots: //"...during the period 1412-1531 (1512-1631) hours a group of four MiG-15s lead by Major Bordun, and consisting of pilots Lieutenant Khominich, Lieutenant Sukhov, and Lieutenant Yesyunin, took off to intercept enemy aircraft in the vicinity of Antung. 25 minutes after the aircraft arrived in the Antung area, there were no enemy aircraft, and the group received the order to return to their airfield. After 2-3 minutes, the group received an order by radio to return to the Antung area and drive off an enemy air raid. Three MiG-15s (Lieutenant Yesyulin returned to the airfield early, as he ran short of fuel and had no drop tanks) and Major Bordun led them back to Antung. As they returned on a course of 160-170 degrees, Lieutenant Khominich spotted ten F-80 Shooting Star aircraft in front of them and which were flying at an altitude of 4,500 meters in combat column order: in the lead were four F-80s, with another pair 800-1000 meters behind them and 100 meters higher; the rear four F-80s were 800-1000 meters behind them and flying in pairs. The first four and the pair were flying in a combat "arrowhead" formation to the right, with 50-70 meters between each aircraft. Lieutenant Khominich, transmitting the information about the enemy over the radio, made a left climbing turn, and came down on a firing bearing of 2/4 where he attacked the leading four F-80s from out of the sun. As a result of his attack, one F-80 was shot down. He opened fire at 800 meters, and ceased firing at 200 meters after firing a long, three second burst. Exiting his attack, Lieutenant Khominich made a sharp climb to gain altitude with a subsequent turn to the left. The pair of Major Bordun attacked the remaining four F-80s which were attempting to attack Lieutenant Khominich as he exited his attack, but without any effect. As a result of their attacks, the American formation broke apart into singles and pairs, and they left combat..."//[|(2)] . >>> For that reason, **the first jet versus jet air battle in history took place on the first day of November 1950.** It was an honor to achieve victory over a powerful enemy. And it was a hundred times more honorable to defeat him in the first battle. And this means, therefore, that in the impartiality of history it is nearly inevitable there will be interference with the question of prestige. To us it seems that because 8 November was the first day that an //__American__// pilot was the first to score a victory, this was the day set in the West for the "first all-jet combat in history". Is there any more clarifying thing than the fact that on 1 November the F-80 pilots were not able to strike back at the MiGs? >>>  **THE FIRST "JET" VICTORY** >>> As is clear from the battle described above, which was fought by the pilots of the 72nd GIAP on 1 November, saw Lieutenant Khominich record a victory over an F-80 jet. Nevertheless, we are not able to call its pilot the first jet pilot in history to score a victory over a jet aircraft. >>> The American side, effectively, did announce the loss of a Shooting Star on that date, but according to their data, one F-80 was lost on a morning raid by a group of fighter-bombers against the Sinuiju airfield as it was shot down by Chinese antiaircraft fire over the banks of the Yalu River. The unsuccessful results of the raid forced the Americans to repeat their attack with another force of F-80s. At that time, as the second strike group arrived in the area of the target, several kilometers away a group of F-51 Mustangs was under attack by MiG-15s. Recalling that the sortie by Lieutenant Khominich followed the one in which the 72nd GIAP met up with the Mustangs, we can arrive at the conclusion that the F-80 which was scored by Lieutenant Khominich was not the one which was admitted to be lost by the Americans. We believe that a second F-80 was lost on that day, about which the USAF has remained silent for some reason, but as of now there is no documentation to support this claim nor to refute the American side, other than the belief in the veracity of Lieutenant Khominich as the pilot who scored the first jet victory in history, alas, we cannot. Moreover, the archives which describe the battle do not provide substantive evidence of the aircraft which Khominich claimed to have shot down. Did it crash, or did it even fall out of the sky? Did it blow up in midair, or simply head south streaming smoke? But if there is no evidence of his victory, then at least we can reliably state that the one claimed by Brown did not happen either. >>> (Josh Keenan)
 * Peak strength for the UNC was 932,964 on July 27, 1953 -- the day the Armistice Agreement was signed:
 * Republic of Korea 590,911
 * Columbia 1,068
 * United States 302,483
 * Belgium 900
 * United Kingdom 14,198
 * South Africa 826
 * Canada 6,146
 * The Netherlands 819
 * Turkey 5,453
 * Luxembourg 44
 * Australia 2,282
 * Philippines 1,496
 * New Zealand 1,385
 * Thailand 1,204
 * Ethiopia 1,271
 * Greece 1,263
 * France 1,119
 * - the first jet versus jet air battle took place on 8 November 1950;
 * - the first jet versus jet victory in the history of air warfare was scored by an F-80 of the 16th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing, flown by 1st Lt. Russell J. Brown who shot down a MiG-15 on 8 November 1950;
 * - the first jet ace of the war was an F-86 pilot from the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, USAF, Captain James. J. Jabara.