600,000. These wereber of scattered about the world on occupation duty. But the armed forces of the communists, soviet russia and red china, remained on a strong born time playing and in belligerent posture. Aggression was soon to come. America would be fighting against tyranny for the third time in 32 years. Korea. Land ofded finger of y importance to the fe world in the far east. Opened theed here next major chapter in the history of the United States army. Here at the 38th parallel. Just how this became the fuse. Othree years of explosion before the japanese surrender in rld war ii, we made an agreement with the russians who were then our allies. When surnder came on the asian mainland, Russian Troops would accept the surrender of Japanese Forces north of the 38th parallel. We would do the same south of it. Parallel was chosen because it divides theorean peninsula roughly in half. Itas also agreed free elections would be held in the government of korea returned to the korean people. 1948, freef elections we held in south korea, supervised by United Nations inspectorsestablishing the republic of korea. Three week later, communt controlled elections in north korea established the communist regime and divided the korean nation afterward, the communists decided their moment for conquest outcome. Had come. Electing 50summer 1950, life was good. There was peace, time for living in the quiet way. Then suddenly in the predawn 1950 of june 25, [explosions] awakekoreans were jarred by a living nightwear. Unprovoked and unannounced, the ofmunists latest war conquest had begun. Many thought it was the beginning of world war iii. It might have been if we had not taken immediate action. President truman ordered our navy and air force to provide cover and support through the republic of korea. Nations, United States delegate spoke for the indignant people of free nations everywhere. Armed invasion of the republic of korea continues. It has appealed to the United Nations for protection. I am proud to report that the toted states is prepared furnish assistance to the republic of korea. Four days after the invasion, lhe capital city of seoul fel to the communists. Small elements of the army were airlifted from japan to help check the red advance. They were greeted with cheers. But the cheering was soon forgotn. Our forces found themselves outnumbered by communist troops trained and equipped by th russians. Our handful of troops bought precious time until reinforcements would arrive. We showed the communists we had the will to find aggression wherever and whenever it occurred. On july 10, president truman appointed douglas macarthur, commanderinchief of the United Nations forces, which were beginning to assemble. For the outnumbered troops, it was fight, pullback, and fight again. More United States forces arrived. Not nearly enough, but it was a beginning. Field commanders found their , a Holding Action with no time and too few men. American military leadersh had only recently beebloodied and honed to professional keenness in a greater war. , hardcorees. Fficers and listed men [gunfire] through july and august of 1950, our forces were being pushed to a corner, the perimeter. We rushed more troops from japan. Again we were faced with an emergency build up to fighting strength. We drew on our citizen soldiers, reserves. Within the year, our army would grow from 600,000 to more than a million and a half men. Other United Nations forces began arriving in korea. British troops and argyle highlanders. The International Army was beginning to take shape. It was none too soon. Time was running out. The river provided a natural defee le. The stamina of the american soldier and his apublic of korea allies and protective wall of artillery fire held the communist forces at bay. The buildup of allied strength was gaining momentum. September 15, 1950, the United Nations took the offensive. General douglas macarthur, the supreme commander, had conceived this daring strike along the coast of the yellow sea west of seoul. The Marine Landing force secured the island in just 58 minutes. Into itself, kicking in the back door to the enemys defenses. Additional army forces poured in. Simulteously a breakdown o the pusan perimeter got underway in the south. In a week of heavy fighting, our forces drove 20 miles inland to seoul. Than 10,000 troops were dug in. Street cornerry with orders to fight to the death. Sweeping northward past the 38th parallel. Our army units pushed on toward the yellow river, koreas distant boundary. But there were signs of trouble ahead. Some of the prisoners in the north wore the uniform of the communist chinese army. November found elements of the 10th corps on the frozen banks of the river. While they ate their thanksgiving dinner, they could see communist china. Assured. Eemed there was talk of wars end by christmas. On the other side, chinese were amassing. New wars were about to begin. November, the chinese filledrmy attacked, splitting u. N. Forces and holding them back. What president truman had called a faction had become a major war. Our forces in the west pulled back to the south. Elements of the first mari division and the seventh infantry, along with other troops cut off in the northeast, fought their way in subzero weathe toward evaction by c. Sea. Men and theirng machines were loaded onto ships. More than 90,000 fled from their homes in north korea rather than live again under communist rule. We gave transportation to freedom to as many as we could. The massive withdrawal moved southward toward forks where the units could land. In the west, elements of the eighth army withdrew south. The Chinese Forces followed up with their massive defensive. Thousands of koreans choke to the roads leading south. They had seen communism in practice. Any hardship was preferable. Once again, we pulled out, blowing up the bridges behind us. Far to the south, our units were regrouping. In late february, we made a fresh start, and operation called operation killer. The chinese armies held a superiority of numbers. Cut down the odds. [gunfire] operation killer did just that. The enemy lost 10 men for every United Nations casualty. What had begun as an attempt to inflect personnel losses on the enemy developed into a ground gaining operation. On march 15, seoul again changed hands. South korean troops entered the streets unopposed. The enemy had pulled out to the north. But not for long. Spring brought another crisis. Another massive communist offensive. They fortify the cit determined not to lose it again. Wasaim many the enemy met by fire. They lost tens of thousands. Still they came on. Suddenly they faltered. Broke and arted pulling back, pursued by our armor. Again the communists had run afoul of the mens firepower of the eith army and the principles of logistics. They were unable to supply a sustained offensive. June 2, 1951, again we crossed th38th parallel. A battered enemy withdrawing before us. Soviet delegates proposed truce talks, suggesting a cease fire could be discussed. Opened in, talks were the r held city. They would drag on for two years while the bloodshed connued. The lines of the fighting front became virtually stabilized. After 12 days, the talks were deadlocked over the issue of a cease fire line. Then the communists broke off. Resume. All, they would the fighting continued. Materials were expended daily and nightly in prodigious amounts. Massive supply by air was a new military concept that came to development in korea. Airlift techniques became a means of supply in a largescale combat situation. Winter, 19 52, found the talks deadlocked over the principle of prisoner exchange. Backandforth raged the bitter hill battle. In march, 1953, a communist world was shaken by the death of stolen joseph selin. His successor launched what he termed a worldwide peace offensive. Its influence would be felt in korea. Within a month, the communists took us up on our standing offer to exchange sick and wounded prisoners. Was operation little switch. It indicated a cease fire might come soon. Listened formen word the shooting was to end. On july 20, 1953, at the u. N. Base camp, general clark signed the cease fire agreement. A few miles away, the communists did the same. By august 5, operation big switch was underway. Some 13,000 soldiers returned from red prison camps. General william dean, captured early in the war, returned with his comrades in arms. It was then that the world image of communism received a telling blow. Two thirds of the chinese prisoners refused to return to red china. 35,000 North Koreans decided they would rather theyve in south korea. Live in south korea. An armistice is only a cease fire, not peace. And in this divided nation, the need is for constant watchfulness, unending preparedness remains and may continue for years to come. This is true anywhere on earth where people face an aggressor. Hadhe communists miscalculated in korea. They could not bring themselves to believe we would spend so much of material and of effort and of pain so far from home. That lesson was an important one for all concerned. Once ain the United States army, the erican soldiers, had stood for most in a massive military force on foreign soil. But not for conquest. Passed, we began to see our pparedness would have to be largescale, constant flexible, and adaptable. They were to be ars of menace, bringing in a new phrase, the cold war
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