The Final Stretch
The Korean War ended in a deadlock
between the North and South, without much change to aid the ongoing conflict
between the two countries. On October 25, 1952 the last large Communist attack
of the war was cresting in the Chorwon valley, while General Eisenhower was
making his ‘I Shall go to Korea’ speech[1]. West
of Chorwon valley, seven Chinese regiments had spent three weeks trying to take
White Horse Hill from the Republic of Korea (ROK) 9th Division. The
confrontation cost South Korea 3,500 casualties and the Chinese close to
10,000, but the ROK was well-supported with artillery and they were able to
keep the hill[2].
For the last two years of the war, it had become apparent that the Korean War could not be settled on any terms that could have led to the reunification of the country. As the war was close to ending the prisoner’s treatment and disposal became the focal point of ruthless bargaining in the last sterile months of the war[3]. In December 1952, the Red Cross in Geneva urged the exchange of the sick and wounded prisoners in Korea as a ‘gesture for peace’. Mark Clark, United Nations prisoner negotiator, welcomed the proposal but North Koreans and Chinese rejected it. Then on March 28, 1953 Kim Il Sung and Marshal Peng not only announced their acceptance of the trade, but also declared that this should pave the way to a settlement of the future of all POW’s[4]. The prisoner trade was called Operation Little Switch; the exchange began on April 20, 1953 and lasted until May 3, 1953[5]. The total amount of prisoners exchanged was roughly 6,500. Of these 700 Chinese and 5,100 Koreans were sent north and 450 Koreans, and 150 non-Koreans were sent south[6]. Many of the prisoners that returned to the south had been starved, and wounds and disabilities had gone months possibly years without any treatment.
Syngman Rhee’s frustration grew as the peace talks came to fruition. Rhee had opposed the negotiations from the start, and he had never agreed to a continued divide between the two countries, he wanted Korea to be ruled only by Democracy[7]. To ease Rhee’s fears of a Communist takeover the U.S agreed to build up the ROK army to first 16 and then 20 divisions[8].
Finally, a treaty was agreed on and signed on July 27, 1953. At precisely 10:00, US Army General Harrison entered the building from one side, and Lt. Nam Il of North Korea People’s Army from the other. They sat down at the centre of their respective tables and signed the copies of the documents in front of them, aides exchanged the copies, and they signed again. It was over in 12 minutes. Neither spoke, neither offered to shake hands. They got up, coldly looked at each other and left[9]. With that the physical conflict was over.
North Korea and South Korea are still at war with each other but the Korean Armistice Agreement was designed to ‘insure a complete cessation of hostilities and of all acts of armed force in Korea until a final peaceful settlement in achieved[10].
[1] Stokesbury, James L. A Short Story of the Korean War. New York: W. Morrow, 1988,239.
[2] Ibid, 239.
[3] Hastings, Max. The Korean War. Great Britain: Pan Books Ltd, 1987, 395.
[4] Ibid, 395.
[5] Stokesbury. Op.Cit 244.
[6] Ibid, 396.
[7] Ibid, 247.
[8] Ibid, 247.
[9] Ibid, 250.
[10] Ibid, 250.
For the last two years of the war, it had become apparent that the Korean War could not be settled on any terms that could have led to the reunification of the country. As the war was close to ending the prisoner’s treatment and disposal became the focal point of ruthless bargaining in the last sterile months of the war[3]. In December 1952, the Red Cross in Geneva urged the exchange of the sick and wounded prisoners in Korea as a ‘gesture for peace’. Mark Clark, United Nations prisoner negotiator, welcomed the proposal but North Koreans and Chinese rejected it. Then on March 28, 1953 Kim Il Sung and Marshal Peng not only announced their acceptance of the trade, but also declared that this should pave the way to a settlement of the future of all POW’s[4]. The prisoner trade was called Operation Little Switch; the exchange began on April 20, 1953 and lasted until May 3, 1953[5]. The total amount of prisoners exchanged was roughly 6,500. Of these 700 Chinese and 5,100 Koreans were sent north and 450 Koreans, and 150 non-Koreans were sent south[6]. Many of the prisoners that returned to the south had been starved, and wounds and disabilities had gone months possibly years without any treatment.
Syngman Rhee’s frustration grew as the peace talks came to fruition. Rhee had opposed the negotiations from the start, and he had never agreed to a continued divide between the two countries, he wanted Korea to be ruled only by Democracy[7]. To ease Rhee’s fears of a Communist takeover the U.S agreed to build up the ROK army to first 16 and then 20 divisions[8].
Finally, a treaty was agreed on and signed on July 27, 1953. At precisely 10:00, US Army General Harrison entered the building from one side, and Lt. Nam Il of North Korea People’s Army from the other. They sat down at the centre of their respective tables and signed the copies of the documents in front of them, aides exchanged the copies, and they signed again. It was over in 12 minutes. Neither spoke, neither offered to shake hands. They got up, coldly looked at each other and left[9]. With that the physical conflict was over.
North Korea and South Korea are still at war with each other but the Korean Armistice Agreement was designed to ‘insure a complete cessation of hostilities and of all acts of armed force in Korea until a final peaceful settlement in achieved[10].
[1] Stokesbury, James L. A Short Story of the Korean War. New York: W. Morrow, 1988,239.
[2] Ibid, 239.
[3] Hastings, Max. The Korean War. Great Britain: Pan Books Ltd, 1987, 395.
[4] Ibid, 395.
[5] Stokesbury. Op.Cit 244.
[6] Ibid, 396.
[7] Ibid, 247.
[8] Ibid, 247.
[9] Ibid, 250.
[10] Ibid, 250.