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THE FORGOTTEN WAR June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953

The Forgotten War

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The Forgotten War. June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953. Background. August 6, 1945 - Atomic bombing of Japan August 8, 1945 - Soviet Union declares war on Japan August 14, 1945 - Japan surrenders. 2 Separate Governments. US asks Soviet Union to stop at 38 th parallel - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: The Forgotten War

THE FORGOTTEN WARJune 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953

Page 2: The Forgotten War

Background August 6, 1945 - Atomic bombing of Japan August 8, 1945 - Soviet Union declares war on

Japan August 14, 1945 - Japan surrenders

Page 3: The Forgotten War

2 Separate Governments US asks Soviet Union to stop

at 38th parallel US and Soviet Union disagree

on how to reunite Korea 1947 – UN proposes free

elections but Soviet Union refuses.

Aug. 15, 1948 – Syngman Rhee elected first president of South Korea

이승만

Page 4: The Forgotten War

Kim Il Sung Seeks Reunification Kim Il Sung wants to

reunite Korea by military means

Stalin: Korea should not count on direct Soviet participation because USSR had challenges elsewhere

Mao: Reluctantly agrees, but later not pleased with Kim Il Sung who launched war and then expected others to save the day.

김일성

Page 5: The Forgotten War

North Korea Invades June 25, 1950 – North Korea crosses into

South The United Nations Security Council

unanimously condemned the North Korean invasion of the Republic of Korea.

The Soviet Union, a veto-wielding power, had boycotted the Council meetings since January 1950, protesting that the Republic of China (Taiwan), not the People's Republic of China, held a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

Page 6: The Forgotten War

Truman, 1945 - 1953 Q: “Mr. President, everybody is asking in

this country, are we or are we not at war”?A: “We are not at war.”- US President Harry S. Truman, four days

after North Korea invaded South Korea. Officially it was never a war since Truman never asked Congress for a formal declaration of war.

Truman Doctrine – quarantine the aggressor

Page 7: The Forgotten War

NK Takes Over 89,000 North Korean

troops vs. 38,000 South Korean troops

South Korean forces increased their resistance further south, hoping to delay North Korean units as much as possible.

Morale among the UN units was low - US forces had suffered over 6,000 casualties over the past month, while the South Korean Army had lost an estimated 70,000.

Page 8: The Forgotten War

Camouflaged US troops on Alert (July 1950)

Page 9: The Forgotten War

WASP pilot Elizabeth Gardener

Page 10: The Forgotten War

This U.S. Army photograph, once classified "top secret", depicts the summary execution of 1,800 South Korean political prisoners by the South Korean military at Taejon, South Korea, over three days in July 1950. South Korean troops executed many civilians behind frontlines as UN forces retreated before the North Korean army, on suspicion that they were communist sympathizers and might collaborate with the advancing enemy.

Page 11: The Forgotten War

US Prepares Counter Attack August 4 - MacArthur

reported 141,808 UN troops in Korea, so the UN ground force outnumbered the North Koreans 92,000 to 70,000.

More forces arrived during battle, and in early September 1950, ROK Army and UN Command forces outnumbered the KPA 180,000 to 100,000 soldiers.

Page 12: The Forgotten War

MacArthur’s Tricky Plan

September 15 - while North Korea was fighting in the southeast, General MacArthur ordered a gigantic amphibious strike at Inchon, a desperate gamble using troops badly needed to hold the Pusan Perimeter.

The landings cut the supply lines of the invaders. Seoul was retaken on September 26.

Page 13: The Forgotten War

Sept. 15, 1950 – Unloading men and equipment at Incheon

Page 14: The Forgotten War

Sept. 19, 1950 - MacArthur tours Incheon

Page 15: The Forgotten War

China Enters the War October 25, 1950 – 200,000

Chinese troops enter Korea. Seoul captured again The PVA marched "dark-to-

dark" (19:00–03:00), and aerial camouflage (concealing soldiers, pack animals, and equipment) was deployed by 05:30. During daylight soldiers were to remain motionless if an aircraft appeared until it flew away.

PVA officers were under order to shoot security violators.

Page 16: The Forgotten War

Dec. 4, 1950 - residents from Pyongyang, North Korea, and refugees from other areas crawl perilously over shattered girders of the city's bridge, as they flee south across the Taedong River to escape the advance of Chinese Communist troops.

Page 17: The Forgotten War

PVA – People’s Volunteer Army Constituted in order to

prevent an official war with the United States.

Only 1/5 carried a rifle. Employed a tactic

which they termed Hachi Shiki, which was a V-formation into which they allowed enemy forces to move.

Page 18: The Forgotten War

Stalemate March 14, 1951 - UN troops regain Seoul MacArthur’s solution: carry the war into

mainland of China.

“We must win. There is no substitute for victory.”- MacArthur, April 5, 1951

Page 19: The Forgotten War

MacArthur vs. President Truman MacArthur proposed naval blockade combined

with bombing of Chinese bases in Manchuria. Tried to acquired 4 nuclear bombs and considered nuclear poison along Chinese border.

Truman believed that would bring response from Soviet Union and nuclear war.

Truman’s dilemma: if MacArthur was fired, it might split the country. But if he was not fired it might split the UN coalition.

April 11, 1951 – MacArthur relieved from duty

Page 20: The Forgotten War

Armistice July 10, 1951 -

Negotiations started Political conditions

favoring a truce resulted from two events: Republican Eisenhower's

election as President (Eisenhower threatened nuclear war)

Death of Joseph Stalin July 27, 1953 – Armistice

(but ROK didn’t sign)

Page 21: The Forgotten War

Marilyn Monroe visits troops after armistice

Page 22: The Forgotten War

POW Exchanges

China North Korea USA0

2000400060008000

10000120001400016000 14699

7876

21

Refused Repatriation

Page 23: The Forgotten War

POW Exchanges

POWs Returned North

POWs Returned South

01000020000300004000050000600007000080000 75823

1277322604

359

Returned

Fair Exchange?

Page 24: The Forgotten War

Military Casualties

400,000215,000

46,000

40,000 2,500

PVANorth KoreaSouth KoreaUSA

Page 25: The Forgotten War

Military vs. Civilian Casualties

400,000

300,00058,000

34,000

2,500

2,000,000

PVANorth KoreaSouth KoreaUSAUNCivilians

Civilian deaths to military deaths are estimated at a 2:1 ratio.

This doesn’t include the wounded and missing

Page 26: The Forgotten War

Situation today – a South Korean marine looks at the North Korean side

Thanks for listening!