Warfare Through The Ages: The Korean War

Korean War, conflict between 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 parallel into Soviet (North Korean) and U.S. (South Korean) 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.

Relations between them became increasingly strained, and on June 25, 1950, North Korean forces invaded South Korea. The United Nations quickly condemned the invasion as an act of aggression, demanded the withdrawal of North Korean troops from the South, and called upon its members to aid South Korea. On June 27, U.S. President Truman authorized the use of American land, sea, and air forces in Korea; a week later, the United Nations placed the forces of 15 other member nations under U.S. command, and Truman appointed Gen. Douglas MacArthur supreme commander.

In the first weeks of the conflict the North Korean forces met little resistance and advanced rapidly. By Sept. 10 they had driven the South Korean army and a small American force to the Busan (Pusan) area at the southeast tip of Korea. A counteroffensive began on Sept. 15, when UN forces made a daring landing at Incheon (Inchon) on the west coast. North Korean forces fell back and MacArthur received orders to pursue them into North Korea.

On Oct. 19, the North Korean capital of Pyongyang was captured; by Nov. 24, North Korean forces were driven by the 8th Army, under Gen. Walton Walker, and the X Corp, under Gen. Edward Almond, almost to the Yalu River, which marked the border of Communist China. As MacArthur prepared for a final offensive, the Chinese Communists joined with the North Koreans to launch (Nov. 26) a successful counterattack. The UN troops were forced back, and in Jan., 1951, the Communists again advanced into the South, recapturing Seoul, the South Korean capital.

After months of heavy fighting, the center of the conflict was returned to the 38th parallel, where it remained for the rest of the war. MacArthur, however, wished to mount another invasion of North Korea. When MacArthur persisted in publicly criticizing U.S. policy, Truman, on the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff removed (Apr. 10, 1951) him from command and installed Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway as commander in chief. Gen. James Van Fleet then took command of the 8th Army. Ridgway began (July 10, 1951) truce negotiations with the North Koreans and Chinese, while small unit actions, bitter but indecisive, continued. Gen. Van Fleet was denied permission to go on the offensive and end the "meat grinder" war.

The war's unpopularity played an important role in the presidential victory of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had pledged to go to Korea to end the war. Negotiations broke down four different times, but after much difficulty and nuclear threats by Eisenhower, an armistice agreement was signed (July 27, 1953). Casualties in the war were heavy. U.S. losses were placed at over 54,000 dead and 103,000 wounded, while Chinese and Korean casualties were each at least 10 times as high. Korean forces on both sides executed many alleged civilian enemy sympathizers, especially in the early months of the war.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• warfare through the ages
• the korean war
• the forgotten war
• military history
• north korea
• south
• korea
• usa
• war
• america
• truman

[lildevilalex]

way to plagarize the description... i saw that on a different webpage, word for word... tool

[RevBillyRayCollins]

@lildevilalex Yes I did take the information from somewhere else, where however I can not recall. Though I never took credit for the description, this is simply a short video giving a brief overview of the Korean War. If you would like to write your own description for this video, with accurate information, then by all means do so.

[RevBillyRayCollins]

Why are people disliking these videos? Whats there to dislike? I think some people who have disagreed with me on the civil war are disliking these just to get back at me.....

[SpecusNeofolk]

Why are we 'helping' Libya, and not North Korea, where millions of people are getting terribly oppressed, are starving and are getting murdered in concentration camps like Yodok or Hoeryong? 

[RevBillyRayCollins]

@SpecusNeofolk Well if you ask me, we shouldn't be helping anybody. But if I were to answer your questionn I would say it's because Libya couldn't launch an effective attack against the U.S. military, North Korea has a functional army and plenty of missiles. It would be World War III if we attacked North Korea, it's nothing more than a scuffle when dealing with Libya.

[SpecusNeofolk]

@RevBillyRayCollins I know that it would cause major destruction, but how can the world just watch how this all is happening? The west was liberated from the nazi oppression after all.. It disgusts me to read personal stories and watch documentaries about North Korea. The things that are happening there are so inhumane and terrifying, it's madness...

[RevBillyRayCollins]

@SpecusNeofolk Well you know, differences in opinion. I don't think we should get involved in issues that really don't affect us. That's why I believe we should leave North Korea, the Middle East, Central and South America, and everyone else alone. We need to get out of the U.N. and N.A.T.O. and they can have at it once we leave them.

[ariv59]

VIVA KOMMUNISMOS!

VIVA LAS VEGAS!

[RedGoblinus]

The "Glorious Glosters" from South West England - this was the Gloucestershire Regiment and they fought as an infantry regiment of the British Army. About 700 "Glorious Glosters" held out against 10,000 Chinese troops for three nights during the Battle of Imjin River in April 1951. A former work colleague of mine was a 'Glorious Gloster' and he was eventually captured by the Chinese after running out of ammunition. It remains the bloodiest battle fought by British Forces since World War 2.

[XXGDUBSXX]

@RevBillyRayCollins If that Happens I suppose I'll be fighting in that war.