3. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
5. Air War
6. Peace Talks
Background to the Korean War
• Korea had been colonized by the
Russians and after 1905, by the
Japanese.
• At Yalta, Stalin promised to attack
Japan w/i 3 months of VE Day. The
Soviets invaded August 9 – Japan
surrendered August 15.
• After the surrender, the Soviets
occupied Korea’s north and the USA
occupied the south.
• A plebiscite was to determine the
country’s future.
The Red Army
accepted the
surrender of the
Japanese in
Manchuria, August, 19
45.
4. Political Timeline
• Sep 9, 45: USA accepts surrender in
Korea
• Nov 14, 47: UN resolution to remove
troops after elections
• April 8, 48: Truman orders US troops out
• Aug 15, 48: Republic of Korea created in
popular elections Syngman
Rhee, president
• Sep 9, 48: Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea claims all of Korea
• Jun 25, 1950: North invades South.
7. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
5. Air War
6. Peace Talks
UN Security Council Resolution 84
•
•
•
•
•
July 7, 1950
To repel attack and restore peace and security
Unified command under USA
UN flag to be used
Regular report to the Council
In Favour
Abstained
Absent
USA
Egypt
USSR
UK
India
R of China
Yugoslavia
France
Cuba
Ecuador
Norway
8. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
5. Air War
6. Peace Talks
Bipolar World: Proxy War?
NORTH
SOUTH
780,ooo
590,ooo
260,ooo
480,ooo
26,ooo
63,ooo
27,ooo
42,ooo (13 Nations)
These numbers represent total participants by nation; not all were deployed at the
same time – Canadians, for example, were sent on one-year rotations.
9. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
①
5. Air War
6. Peace Talks
Action and
Counter-Action
The North Koreans invaded and
almost drove the South into the
sea at PUSAN.
②
The UN (USA) landed at INCHON
and drove almost to the Chinese
border at the YALU River.
③
The Chinese invaded and drove
the UN back to the 38TH
PARALLEL.
④ STALEMATE and STATIC WAR with
looooonnngg peace talks at
PANMUNJOM.
⑤ Armistice with DMZ, but still at
war today.
10. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
5. Air War
6. Peace Talks
General Douglas MacArthur
Hero of the Pacific Theatre
Military chief in occupied Japan
Leads daring Inchon invasion
Wanted to cross the Yalu and
attack PRC in Manchuria
Truman told him to back-off.
MacArthur often ignored his
superiors (Truman).
25. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
THE AIR WAR
5. Air War
6. Peace Talks
New Technology:
1. Jet Fighters (prop driven airplanes still used)
2. Helicopters (very limited size/load capacity)
27. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
5. Air War
6. Peace Talks
MiG Alley: aerial dogfights
The USAF won
10:1.
This is attributed to training
NOT superior aircraft.
The USSR had pilots flying in
Korea but NEVER admitted it.
28. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
5. Air War
6. Peace Talks
Canada sent no jet fighter squadrons to Korea because
none had yet been created – 22 Canadian fighter pilots
flew on exchange with the USAF.
32. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
5. Air War
6. Peace Talks
Negotiations
• The war turned into a stalemate
• The Chinese continued to have regular
“harassing” attacks
• The UN forces held their ground and patrolled
to deny the Chinese strategic advantage in the
valleys.
33. 1. Background
2. Crisis
3. Bipolar World
4. Ground War
5. Air War
July 27, 1953:
Armistice signed at Panmunjom
6. Peace Talks
The USSR had entered into Korea to fight the Japanese prior to the
BOLB = veto…..THE USSR WAS BOYCOTTING THE COUNCIL BECAUSE THE R OF CHINA WAS RECOGNIZED NOT THE PRC!
UN Flag recognizes other UN participant combatants such as Australia 17,000 at the high end and Luxembourg with 44. 8 of the 13 averaged 1500 troops. Some countries, like Denmark, did not send combatants, but did send field hospitals.
Mac is watching the bombardment of Inchon on board USS Mt. McKinley. With the DPRK forces largely destroyed, troops of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) quietly crossed the Yalu River. Chinese foreign minister Zhou Enlai issued warnings via India's foreign minister, Krishna Menon, that an advance to the Yalu would force China into the war. When questioned about this threat by President Truman and Secretary of State Dean Acheson, MacArthur dismissed it completely. MacArthur's staff ignored battlefield evidence that PLA troops had entered North Korea in strength. The Chinese moved through the snowy hills, struck hard, and routed the UN forces, forcing them on a long retreat.[40] Calling the Chinese attack the beginning of "an entirely new war," MacArthur repeatedly requested authorization to strike Chinese bases in Manchuria, inside China. Truman was concerned that such actions would draw the Soviet Union into the conflict and risk nuclear war.
US Marines retreat from the Chosin Reservoir. Roads often choked as soldiers move north while others and refugees move south.
Note UN wreath of olive around maple leaf. Note also RCAF transport planes (CC-119) conducting resupply by parachute.
Note UN wreath of olive around maple leaf. Note also RCAF transport planes (CC-119) conducting resupply by parachute.
Ridgeline trenches of the US Marines under bombardment. After the Chinese fought from the Yalu to the 38th Parallel, the Allies dug in and the rest of the war was fought in the same general valleys. Most of the Canadian casualties occurred in an area that could be seen from one vantage point.
This is a 2PPCLI daylight patrol – most were night patrols. Recce and fighting.
USA 3%; Britain 6% casualty rate. When we look at the USA’s rate it is only about 3%, but that is because many Americans were in support roles away from the “sharp end.” Ex. Navy, aircraft maintenance, supply,etc.
A widely publicized Life Magazine photo of a child victim to a B-29 strategic bombing attack on North Korea. By the end of the war all strategic targets in North Korea had been destroyed by the USAF.
Cockpit view of F86 Sabre
The MiG was more heavily armed and armoured. The 10:1 win ratio in favour of USA pilots was due to training. In terms of training, the Russians were the best, then the Chinese, then the North Korean. There were many Russian aces in Korea: 21, 19, 17, planes etc.
The Soviet pilot flew planes with Chinese or N .Korean markings and wore same uniforms or civilian clothes. They had cards with common Korean words, but in the heat of battle often spoke Russian – the US pilots who intercepted Russian communication knew they were often engaging Soviet pilots. Photo shows Soviet ground crew servicing MiG 15.
The RCAF did fly transport aircraft in Korea.
1. The world press at the signing. 2. People’s Liberation Army Commander signs. 3. General Clark signs for USA. 4. Premier Kim Il Sung signs for N. Korea.
The tunnels discovered in the mid 1970s could funnel a division (10,000) in an hour.
