National Curriculum Learning Pack
Far East
The Korean War 1950 –1953
Korea, since 1910 had been part of the Japanese Empire. When the
Japanese occupation collapsed in 1945; the occupying forces of America and
Russia simply divided the peninsula,(at Potsdam) in half along the 38th
parallel. The Americans supported the democratic republic of Korea, who
were led by Syngman Rhee in the south, while the Soviet-supported Republic
of Korea was ruled by Kim IL Sung in the north. Each of the administrations
claimed to be representative of the whole country. Russian and American
forces withdrew from Korea in 1949.
Syngman Rhee
Kim IL Sung
By 1949 both countries remained divided, relying on their Superpower for
support. At the same time both the North and South Korea were threatening
to invade one another.
In June1950, immediately following the dramatic defeat of Russia over the
matter of Berlin, a Russian trained and equipped North Korean army, acting
under Russian instructions, crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded South
Korea. The Security Council of the United Nations, in which the U.S.S.R,
having temporarily withdrawn, was unable to exercise its veto, thereupon
authorised armed assistance to the South Koreans. General MacArthur then
in Tokyo, was placed in supreme command of the United Nations forces.
These were drawn from many nations forces including Britain, New Zealand
to Turkey, but far the largest force was the United States.
Later that year the situation became destabilised. Stalin became convinced
that a ‘Second Front ’ was now feasible to spread communism throughout
East Asia. Communists had taken power in China and in 1950 Stalin, as part
of his larger strategy for seizing power in the region endorsed Kim IL Sung’s
invasion plans of South Korea in June of that year.
One of most shocking things for the Americans was the belief that an
undeveloped could become communist – once a country fell others would
follow. Eisenhower, later in 1954 remarked ‘you have a row of dominos set
up, you knock over the first one, and …… the last one …. Will go over very
quickly’.
The solution for the Americans was one of ‘Roll Back’ in other words
endorsing military intervention, rather ‘Containing’ communism.
The newly established United Nations (UN) whose allies were committed to
preventing the spread of communism provided the President Harry. S.
Truman in 1949 with a perfect opportunity to stop the spread of communism
when the North invaded South Korea. The USA, with backing from NATO sent
troops to defend the South. The initial push by the North Koreans (NKPA)
took them deep into the South, but the North Koreans suffered severe
setbacks, with heavy losses and short of supplies. By the end of September
Seoul had been recaptured by the United Nations forces under the command
of General MacArthur responded and driven the NKPA back beyond the 38th
parallel. By October the UN forces had reached the border with China. The
People’s Republic of China was understandably afraid of an invasion of
Manchuria through Korea. In turn the Chinese entered the war in November
1950,(estimated at 300,000) recaptured North Korea and pushed the
Americans back to a point south of the parallel.
UN forces at the 38th Parallel
Chinese Troops
To restrain the Chinese, who indeed were never officially at war in Korea, the
UN placed an embargo on the export of strategic goods to China. MacArthur
wanted more dramatic action-the bombing of Chinese railways and production
lines. Rather than risk extending the war, bringing the Russians in and starting
world war three; President Truman dismissed MacArthur in April1951. Adopting more
conventional methods of warfare, General Mark Ridgeway, who succeeded MacArthur,
first held and then defeated the Chinese. Russia meanwhile lost interest in the conflict
increasingly dominated by the Chinese. In July1951 peace talks began at Panmunjon,
but it was not until a year later that an armistice was arrived at.
The armistice merely restored the arbitrary dividing line between North and
South Korea. In 1972 the UN units were still supervising the 38th parallel.
After 1952 South Korea slowly recovered from the devastation of war. By
1969 South Korea moved from being an aid-receiving state to be in a position
to offer aid to other states. With an army of 600,000 and intensely anticommunist,
the Republic of Korea was in a position to send 48,000 troops to
assist the Americans in Vietnam.
Consequences of the war
Civilians killed by retreating Chinese
troops
UN war dead
The Korean War exercised a dramatic effect on the policies of many
countries, effects which were still being felt many years later. Perhaps,
however, it’s greatest significance lay in the combined effort of troops, all
wearing the badge of the UN and all obeying a common commander
appointed by the UN, to resist aggression.
Between 1950 –1953 nearly 60,000 British troops served in Korea – just over
half the soldiers were national servicemen. Total British losses were about
1,100. Well over 36,568 Americans died in combat, and over 100,000 South
Koreans and other UN forces were killed. It is estimated that some 780,000
Chinese troops, North Koreans Civilians and Military personnel died during
the conflict.
The impact of the Korean War can be seen a significant landmark battle in the
Cold War, in that an estimated 3,000,000 people died. Moreover, the threat of
using an atomic bomb and the start of World War III between the East and the
West had not been at its highest, since the end of the Second World War.
Below: the Korean peninsula, showing the strategic importance of Korea
(lying between the powers of Japan, China and the Soviet Union) and the 38th
parallel of latitude along which the country was divided in 1945.
Fighter Combat in Korea
B-26
F-51
F-84
F-51 Mustang
The air war in Korea differed in several respects from World War II, although
similarities differed of course. Piston-engined planes such as the F-51
Mustang, B-26 Invader, and the B-29 Superfortress all served in Korea. Yet,
the role they were employed to do was quite different from 1945.
The Mustangs were principally for close air support in Korea, whereas in
World War II they had served in bomber escort. Likewise the B-29’s were
used principally against interdiction targets rather than strategic objectives as
in World War II. Extensive jet fighter operations were the great innovation of
Korea, with jet-powered F-80’s and F-84’s undertaking close air-support and
special missions, while the F-86 Sabres battled with the MiG-15’s for
command of the air.
MiG versus Sabre
The F-86 Sabre
MiG-15 Shot down
The Sabre was considered inferior to the MiG in terms of the distance, or
range it could fly. Although in terms of performance experts generally
considered the F-86 as the better aircraft. The MiG could outclimb the sabre
at high altitude whereas the F-86 was faster at a lower level. The MiG could
climb and turn at certain speeds, yet as pilots reported, was poor in controlling
at high speeds and at high altitude. Both planes it was felt had insufficient gun
for combat, the MiG’s being two 23mm and one37mm cannons-more suited to
fighting slower planes, such as bombers; the Sabre’s 0.5inch gun was equally
ineffective against the MiG by not having a sufficient “hitting and range” for jet
combat.
Both sides had interesting tactics to engage each other along what was
refered to as MiG alley. The MiG’s operated a “hit and run and Zoom and
Sun” manoeuvre, which involved MiG fighters diving down from on high onto
the slower Sabres. Their response was to form “the Jet stream” where 16
Sabres divided into four aircraft formation, each entering the flight path at 5minute intervals and at different altitudes. As the Sabres flew at high speed
the hope would be that a soon as one flight was engaged by the MiG’s, the
others could rapidly converge on the combat. So, although operating at a considerable
initial disadvantage against the High-flying MiG’s, the supporting
Sabres were able to counter attack to good effect.
MiG Alley
Unlike World War II, Korea was a limited war and all strategic and tactical
targets in China and the Soviet Union were off-limits to the UN. Nevertheless,
the battle for air superiority was quickly won by the UN; and unlike the WWII
here a higher proportion of tactical aircraft, like the Sabre could be used for
close air support when attacking enemy targets.
Technical Innovation: the Helicopter
If the Jet-versus-jet fighter combat was the most dramatic result of the Korean
War in the air, then the use of the helicopter was of equal significance.
The SikorskyH-5, BellOH-13 and Hiller H-23 provided casualties speedy
medical attention at field hospitals. The wounded being carried in panniers
attached to the sides of the helicopter fuselage. Helicopters were also used
for the first time in combat rescue missions, including the recovery of airmen
shot down behind communist lines. Such a feature would be incorporated to a
larger effect in the Vietnam War.
Facts & Figures
Over 60,000 British troops served in Korea with just over half the soldiers
being National Servicemen
Over 36528 Americans died
Over 100,000 South Korean and other UN forces were killed
It is estimated that over 78000 Chinese troops, North Korean civilians and
Military personnel died during the conflict