 This is war. War and its masses. War and its men and its machines. Together they form the Big Picture. I'm Captain Carl Zimmerman. The Big Picture is a report to you from your army. An army committed by you the people of the United States to stop communist aggression wherever it may strike. The Big Picture traces the course of events in the Korean campaign, through firsthand reports of our combat veterans, and through film taken by combat cameramen of the Army Signal Corps. These are the men who daily record on film the Big Picture as it happens, where it happens. Today the Big Picture brings into focus our troops below the 38th parallel, forced out of North Korea by the Chinese Reds, but making that enemy paid dearly for every inch of ground gained. You'll see the destruction of the ports of Hongnam and Incheon, the withdrawal across the Han River, airstrikes by our F-86 Sabre jets. You'll hear from two men who are there, Corporal Jim Jankowski and Corporal Tom Miller, who served with the Army Infantry in Korea. And now let's go back to December 20th 1950. On 20 December there are two fronts in Korea. Main concern at this time is the Hongnam Beachhead, where evacuation has been in progress since 12 December. On the western front, UN forces have withdrawn to a general line near the 38th parallel. The enemy continues to mass strength here. 105,000 troops and 100,000 refugees are evacuated from the Hongnam Beachhead to the Pusan Po-hang area to the south, plus vast quantities of supplies and equipment. The Navy and Air Force lay down a curtain of steel until the last man is removed. In the west, there is a gradual strengthening of the battle line. As General Matthew B. Ridgway becomes the new commander in the field, the Chinese are preparing for an all-out attack on Seoul. It comes on New Year's Day. The Allies abandon Seoul on 4 January. With the entire UN line pulling back, the Chinese suffer 10 to 1 casualties, but continue to push south with overwhelming odds. The Navy evacuates thousands at Incheon. On 9 January, the railroad center of Wonju falls. By this time, UN forces have withdrawn 60 miles south of the parallel. Here, a relatively stable situation is set up, although no definite line is drawn. From the 9th to the 20th of January, there are few gains by either side. The city of Wonju exchanges hands several times in bitter local engagements. Air action continues to harass red concentrations. Both sides have paused to mass strength for the crucial battles impending. The perimeter of blood and steel about the port of Hongnam is shrinking fast. Hard pressed by an invading Chinese communist army that swarms forward with reckless disregard for its casualties, the last of the United Nations troops carry out their orderly withdrawal from military positions that are no longer tenable. The delaying actions which have exacted such a high toll of the pursuers are finally drawing to a close. Most of these men who have stuck it out until the last hours before boarding the waiting ships are elements of the third division. Groups evacuated are being shipped to Pohang and Busan. A nitrate factory smokestack is blown up by an engineer demolition team to prevent its use as a landmark by the Reds to pinpoint vital targets in the beach area. Floating artillery holds back an enemy which will finally be allowed to take possession of the heap of rubble for which it is paid so dearly. Tons of demolition charges are lowered under the piers and pilings that line the harbor front. It will be a long time before the occupying enemy troops will be able to put these harbor facilities to any good use. Around the warehouses on the docks, engineers lay out a hose that is filled with TNT. Many lengths of the explosive hose are coupled together and laid close to the foundations of the buildings. In the UN's new scorched earth tactics, few buildings are left in which the Chinese Reds will be able to hide from observation or air attack. Primer cord is attached to the hose and paid out to the last safe position at the water's edge. The last remaining troops board landing craft that are armed with machine guns. Detonation devices left in the abandoned city are ticking off their last seconds and ammunition dump goes up. Thundering and crackling as it illuminates the sky with a spectacular display of fireworks. Docks are destroyed. A few miles north of Seoul, other UN troops are also pulling back in the face of overwhelming Chinese military manpower. The situation requires the entire 8th Army to be redeployed. Man and machines moved back from positions which they had occupied before the vast Chinese hordes had swarmed across the Manchurian border and precipitated an entirely new war. As UN troops withdraw below the 38th parallel, it is estimated that a force of fully 100,000 Chinese are preparing to close in on Seoul. The new lines, which will be commanded by General Ridgeway, are regrouping well to the south where our troops can avoid the danger of entrapment. South Korean guerrilla troops act as the rear guard as they move along in the withdrawal. The once proud capital city of Seoul is soon to be occupied by the enemy. Its last remaining inhabitants are frightened, discouraged and depressed during a Christmas season in which the words peace on earth, goodwill toward men, become a mockery. The Far East Air Force Combat Cargo Command takes on a mission of mercy. At Kimpo airfield near Incheon, a precious cargo is assembled for evacuation from Battletorn Korea. Nearly 1,000 Korean orphans and wafes of war are taken aboard C-54s for transfer to an island refuge off the South Korean coast. Aced six months to 11 years, these helpless victims of war were to have been settled at a model child welfare center in Seoul under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel R. L. Blaisdell, 5th Air Force Chaplain. But with the fall of Seoul now imminent, they are hurried off by air to a sanctuary far from the scene of any future hostilities. With the help of Red Cross, YMCA, and mission officials, the youngsters were gathered up from many points in the war-torn nation. The tiny passengers, many of whom are suffering from starvation, whooping cough, tuberculosis and other serious illnesses, are cared for with special tenderness by the airmen and nurses. Last minute evacuation by air is necessary because a Korean ship, which was to have removed the children from Incheon, failed to make its appearance. On the southern outskirts of Seoul, United Nations troops pull back across the Han River. The South Korean government has already moved to Busan. The carefully planned withdrawal from Seoul is orderly and without unnecessary haste, as British and American units fight delaying rear-guard actions within the burning city to delay the oncoming Reds, who during the last few days have been attacking with fanatic disregard for their own high losses. A section of a cotton bridge is dismantled after the main body of troops have crossed in that area. Whatever is usable and readily transportable, the troops take with them. There will be other rivers and streams to cross. Demolition charges are prepared to blow up the portions of the bridge that are impractical to salvage. Explosives attached, the order is given to destroy the floating span. Removing South again to a new defense line, destroying any places that might be a value to the enemy. Corporal Jim Jankowski, who served with the army's second division, can tell us about that withdrawal. Well, Jim, how about the withdrawal from Seoul? Well, the withdrawal from Seoul area, before we started, it was a very nice town there, but after we started going through it, we destroyed all buildings and ammo dumps that the enemy couldn't take and use against us. We didn't want to leave any defensive positions behind for the Chinese, right? No, we didn't. How about the withdrawal across the Han River? Well, the withdrawal across the Han River, our combat engineers there waited for everyone to get across there, and after we got across, they picked up all the valuable stuff they needed, and after that they destroyed the bridge and set mines and buoy traps in case to a place where the Chinese could come through to harm our forces. Now, the second division received the front of the Chinese attack. What do you remember most about these attacks, Jim? Well, the most I know about the Chinese attacks is, well, they send about three waves against you, and the first wave would have burp guns, automatic rifles, and the second wave would have grenades, and the third wave wouldn't have nothing, but when we'd shoot down the first wave, destroy them, the third wave would pick up weapons and come keep on coming against us, just like throwing a bunch of bodies at you. They didn't place much value on life, didn't they, Jim? No, they didn't. They're doped up there, and seemed like their commander officers tell them about they have food and clothing up on the hill, and when they get up there it seemed like they don't have, they see they don't have it, and they convince them at next ridge over they got the food and clothing for them. They just dope them up and make them take the ridge. Let's keep them moving. Keep them moving. Well, Jim, well, while we were withdrawing, what was happening to the civilian population? Well, the civilians, our air force and navy and our ground force took care of them. They flew them out by airplane and took them by boats, and any kind of transportation could get to take them to the Taigu and Busan perimeter. Now, how long did it take to make our withdrawal from the north to the area south of Seoul? Well, this took us a matter of days to withdraw from the north area down to Seoul there, but we knocked off pretty many Chinese doing that. We saw a lot of action. You certainly did. Well, let's watch our troops now as they continue to withdraw to a position below the 38th parallel. Incheon, the seaport for Seoul is evacuated. After the fall of the South Korean capital on 4 January, Incheon once again sees her beaches crowded with soldiers. It is a scene which is reminiscent of the United Nations' landing here last September, but this time the situation is more grim. Incheon has been isolated by the Chinese advance through the abandoned city of Seoul, and the communist reoccupation of Incheon is expected within a few hours. Chief difficulty in carrying out the embarkation here is the unusually high tides which have a 30-foot rise and fall, limiting the place and time at which landing craft can safely come in. When UN troops spearheaded by the first U.S. Marines landed here on 15 September, the approaching end of the Korean War was hailed. But then the Chinese intervened to bring about what General MacArthur described as a totally new war. The final outcome of this new phase in Korea is still in doubt, as UN soldiers retrace hard-won steps along the roads and sea lanes to Busan. Throughout the evacuation, the United States heavy cruiser Rochester stands by, in case the Chinese should appear before they are expected. The evacuation is to be completed by midnight. As the landing craft pull away, the island of Wolmi stands in the background, patched with snow. When the Marines had made their landing last September, Wolmi Island was the beachhead for the first wave of the southmost. Now Wolmi is the last coastal landmark the troops see as they make their reluctant departure. Thousands of civilian refugees from the same area jam the railroad station at Incheon, patiently waiting their turn for any kind of transportation which offers a chance for escape from the oncoming red terror. The civilians from this section of Korea that has been in UN hands for a number of months appear better clothed than fed than the refugees evacuated from Hongnam in the east. The patient and enduring populace prayerfully waits for a chance to ride on something anything that moves. Compared to walking day and night over the icy ground, a freight car is luxury travel. The harbor area is equally crowded with fleeing civilians. These refugees are the families of the factory workers or the families of dock workers. Many refugees arrange for their own transportation. Fishing boats and freighters are pressed into service. The fare is ten thousand one or about thirty dollars for the thirty-six hour sea journey to Busan. Darkness comes. At first there are only a few fires visible. Then the gun is destroyed in the face of the advancing enemy. The gun breaks over the suburban town of Ascombe. debris burns in the deserted streets. This is the site of a former arsenal. Abandoned locomotives have received a final going over from the air. Kimpo airfield, 12 miles inland, lies in smoking ruin. Typical of Incheon's total devastation are the locks which once protected its tidal basin. To the troops of communist China are left these remains of a Korean city. The great trek southward goes on by land as well as by sea. Up to the last, every bridge across the Han River is taxed to its capacity. A million civilians have already started southward from Seoul but still the stream of refugees continues slowly making its way over frozen rivers and fields. A serious problem for UN authorities these people must somehow be cared for in the already overcrowded southern refugee centers. Farther south near Suwon, British Commonwealth forces of the 29th British Brigade moved to new defense positions in the course of the general redeployment of all United Nations forces. Units of this brigade were among the last to leave the rubble that had once been Korea's capital. On its way back the convoy passes the rusting skeleton of a Russian tank, one of those knocked out during last year's UN offensive. North of Suwon, US forces supported by tank units prepare to dig in to fight further delaying actions in support of the redeployment. By holding the Chinese forces at bay from a series of selected defense positions, the 8th Army's withdrawal from above Seoul is successfully completed with extraordinary order and precision. About this time the 1st Cavalry Division was withdrawing to the south below the 38th parallel just west of Seoul and with the 1st Cav with the 5th Regiment was Corporal Tom Miller. Well Tom are you pretty proud of this outfit, 1st Cavalry Division? Yes I am. How long were you with him? Three years. Saw occupation duty and in Japan we pulled occupation duty before we left for Korea which was on the 18th of July. Tom you were with the I&R platoon weren't you? Just what does an I&R platoon do? Well the mission of the I&R platoon is to go out and contact the enemy without getting in a fight and find out their positions, their gun positions and how strong they are in manpower and what type weapons they use and get it back to headquarters so that they can take it and break it down and base their attack on our information. Could you give us an example of how you operate it? Well such as one patrol we went out on we crossed through the lines and we were receiving some information from a Korean woman and she told us that there was eight Korean soldiers sleeping up a draw with one automatic weapon. So we adventure up there to check on them and we found out that there was eight up there but she didn't say nothing about the other 300 on the surrounding hills. So when we finally did fight our way out of there and get back to our lines we was able to give the information to headquarters so that they could fix it up so our troops would not get caught in the same thing as we did. Right well how about these Chinese Tom what do you think of them as fighters? Well at first they had their professional soldier which had been paid and he fought for quite some time so he knew how to fight but now they've been grabbing anything they get their hands on from farms and they're not well equipped and not well trained and some of them gave up easy but at first there some of them are fight pretty hard and they fight till they're dead. This was drawn of ours south below the 38th parallel. What was it like Tom? Well it was played on a leapfrog basis where one division would move back behind say two divisions and set up a rear guard action then the other two divisions would move behind them and they kept that up they just leaped one division behind the other one all the way back. And the one that stayed behind got it plenty rough huh? Oh yes sir. Right well now how about the air support you got as you were withdrawing? Well we had wonderful air support especially with fighter planes which slowed the enemy up from advancing on us too fast. They used a lot of napalm? Yes they did. Napalm could cover a ridge and a wood area very wonderfully and whatever it hit it would just burn up quickly. It would really dig them up won't it? Oh yes and it hit a tank it just burned everything in it and crew in the tank. Well Tom let's watch the Air Force now as they make it pretty uncomfortable for the Chinese. As Chinese and North Korean ground forces occupy the ruined land for which they are paying so dear a price. Fighter bombers of the UN Air Force fly constant sorties to harass and impede their movements and to destroy their supplies. The merciless blasting is in line with our determined efforts to prevent the enemy from marshalling sufficient troops for a major push before the UN forces have time to consolidate their strength in their new positions. That was to have been pitted against the outnumbered UN troops disappears in flashes of flame and puffs of smoke. After identifying their targets our planes swoop down like avenging shadows of death and destruction. Indicate that the incessant air attacks are wreaking havoc with troops around. The enemy has kept off balance and prevented from holding the tactical initiative. Those were the events that comprised the big picture from December 20th 1950 to January 20th 1951. Our thanks to Corporal Jim Jankowski and Corporal Tom Miller for being with us. Next week the big picture will show the United Nations forces moving north. You'll see the army's 24th and 25th infantry divisions in the attack and you'll hear from another combat veteran an army soldier who saw as it happened a part of the big picture. This is Captain Carl Zimmerman inviting you to be with us then.