Korea

__The Korean War __



On June 25 1950 , North Korea invaded South Korea, it brought about the U.N's police action. The U.S jumped right into the war. Throughout the summer of that year the U.S. and the other involved United Nations' states worked hard 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.

Kim Sung the communist leader or North Korea, thought the people of South Korea would welcome rule from his government. So he launched a surprise attack on South Korea, three days later the North Koreans took the Capital of South Korea, Seoul.



In the fist couple weeks of the conflict, the North Koreans met little resistance. They advanced rapidly, and bye September 10th they had pushed the South Koreans, and a small group of American forces to Busan on the southern tip of Korea. Fifteen nations were sent to South Korea to help fight off the North Koreans, they were all under the command of Douglas MacArthur. He lead a huge counter attack, after months of heavy fighting the fight was pushed back to the 38th parallel. The fighting would remain there for the rest of the war.

Truman had told MacArthur to limit the war to Korea, he disagreed he was favoring an attack on the Chinese forces. MacArthur began making inflammatory remarks about the United States government that showed he disagreed with them. He gained support from senate member Joe McCarthy, who also led an attack on the Truman administration. "With half a million Communists in Korea killing American men, Acheson says, 'Now let's be calm, let's do nothing'. It is like advising a man whose family is being killed not to take hasty action for fear he might alienate the affection of the murders." In April 1951, Harry S. Truman removed MacArthur from his command of the U.N in Korea. He was removed because of the statements he made toward the United States government. McCarthy now wanted Truman to be impeached, because he claimed the president was drunk when he made his decision about MacArthur.

General MacArthur

6.8 million Americans men and women served during the Korean war. There were 54,200 deaths to Americans during hostilities, 33,700 of these deaths were actual battle deaths. There were 7,140 POW's during the war. 4,418 of these POW's returned home, 2,701 of these men did not return home after being held captive.

15 Aug 45 - Korea divided into US and Soviet occupation zones along 38th parallel 26 July 47 - President Truman's National Security Act creates US Department of Defense 15 Aug 48 - After supervised elections, US military government turns over power to Republic of Korea 25 Jun 50 - North Korean People's Army invades South Korea - UN calls for an end of aggression

27 Jun 50 - UN asks member countries to aid Republic of Korea - US announces intervention. North Korea attacks Seoul airfield. <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">28 Jun 50 - US bombers attack troops in Han River area - North Korean army captures Seoul <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">30 Jun 50 - President Truman orders ground forces into Korea and authorizes Air Force to bomb North Korea <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">5 Jul 50 - Near Osan, Task Force Smith troops fight for the first time and suffer heavy casualties <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">18 Jul 50 - US Cavalry lands at Pohangdong - US aircraft destroy key oil refinery in Wonsan <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">22 Jul 50 - Battle for Taejon ends with heavy US losses and retreat <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">4 Aug 50 - Pusan perimeter established in southeastern Korea <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">13 Aug 50 - First UN counterattack collapses <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">15 Aug 50 - Four-day battle of "the Bowling Alley" - UN forces hold back North Korean offensive <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">15 Sep 50 - Inchon landing of UN forces <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">29 Sep 50 - UN troops complete recapture of Seoul <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">7 Oct 50 - UN forces cross 38th parallel - UN sanctions defeat of North Korea and attempted reunification <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">14 Oct 50 - Chinese Communist troops cross Yalu River into Korea <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">19 Oct 50 - UN captures P'yongyang, the North Korean capital <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">1 Nov 50 - Chinese attack in force near Unsan <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">24 Nov 50 - General Douglas MacArthur's final "Home by Christmas" offensive begins <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">11 Dec 50 - End of Chinese strike against marine and army divisions at Chosin Reservoir - marines retreat <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">4 Jan 51 - Seoul captured by Chinese <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">25 Jan 51 - UN forces resume offensive <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">11 Feb 51 - Chinese counteroffensive begins north of Hoengsong <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">1 Mar 51 - UN line reaches between the 37th and 38th Parallels <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">18 Mar 51 - UN forces retake Seoul <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">11 Apr 51 - MacArthur recalled - General Matthew Ridgway given command <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">13 Jun 51 - UN forces dig in on the 38th Parallel <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">10 Jul 51 - Truce talks begin at Kaesong - Communists break off talks six weeks later

<span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">23 Sep 51 - UN forces take Heartbreak Ridge after 18-day battle <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">27 Nov 51 - Truce talks resume at Panmunjom <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">28 Mar 53 - North Korean and Chinese leaders agree to POW exchange <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">18 Apr 53 - Three-day battle of Pork Chop Hill ends in victory for UN forces <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">26 Apr 53 - Full peace talks resume at Panmunjom <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">14 Jun 53 - Communist offensive pushes Republic of Korea troops south <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">18 Jun 53 - South Koreans release 27,000 North Korean POWs, who refuse repatriation <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">25 Jun 53 - "Little Truce Talks" secure Republic of Korea's acceptance of armistice. Chinese launch massive attacks against South Korean divisions. <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">10 Jul 53 - Communists return to negotiations <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">27 Jul 53 - Cease fire signed - fighting ends 12 hours later <span style="color: #090329; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica; text-align: left;">4 Sep 53 - Processing of POWs for repatriation begins at Freedom Village, Panmunjom

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<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 200%;">Korean War memorial



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">From the sky the memorial is a circle intersected bye a triangle. The triangle is a group of 19 stainless steel men, it shows a squad on patrol in Korea. The wind blown ponchos of these men show that the whether was harsh in Korea. The granite curbs all around the memorial, have the names of the countries that fought, or gave medical aid to South Korea during the war. This memorial is meant to show what the men experienced, and to bring together all the armed forces, the U.S Air Force, Marines, and Navy.

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"Korean War timline." //landscaper.net//. U.S department of veteran affairs, June 2000. Web. 2 May 2011. <http://www.landscaper.net/kortime.htm>.