The Invasion
Relations between
North and South Korea rose sharply in 1949, a year before the war began. In
April 1949, Pyongyang, a city in North Korea, invited South Korea’s anti-Rhee
leaders to attend a coalition conference. Of 545 delegates present, 240 were
South Korean. Syngman Rhee, South Korea’s President, denounced them as
Communist stooges[1].
Later that year in May, South Korean forces penetrated up to two and a half
miles into North Korean territory, and attacked local villages[2].
Shortly after this, Kim Il Sung, North Korea’s leader, went to Moscow to seek
Stalin’s acquiescence in his plans for war[3], Il
Sung was successful and received 120 Russian made T34 tanks[4].
The North Korean People’s Democratic Republic army invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950 in the early morning with the strength of 135,000 men. The North Korean artillery and mortar barrage opened at 4am on June 25, this attack achieved complete strategic and tactical surprise. The South Korean army had a strength of 95,000 men at the time of the invasion, and only a third was deployed to the line confronting the Communist assault[5]. Ten Communist divisions, supported by 1,643 guns, powered through the 38th Parallel. The town of Ongin fell within hours to the 6th division of the North Korean army. The Communist 1st division drove for Keeping, while in the east the 3rd and 4th divisions took the Uijongbo corridor. Further eastward, the 5th division mounted its own attack, supported by North Korean landings along the coast behind the collapsing South Korean army’s front[6]. Kim Il Sung broadcasted his version of events on invasion day, saying that ‘The South Korean puppet clique has rejected all methods for peaceful reunification proposed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea[7]’. Despite Il Sung’s supposed reunification, the invasion came as a complete surprise to South Korea.
As the capital of South Korea fell so did the South Korean army, what started as an army began to flee south as individuals. By the evening of the second day, the government was moving south to Taejon and later on to Pusan[8]. The escape routes to the south ran over the bridges of the Han River, these bridges were blown up prematurely. Several hundred people were killed or wounded, and thousands more were trapped on the north side of the river. A senior engineer officer was subsequently tried and executed, even though there was evidence that the order had been given by a cabinet-rank civilian[9]. When the South Korean army reassembled south of the Han River, less than a quarter of its original strength was left, of 95,000 men a mere 22,000 were left[10].
[1]Hastings, Max. The Korean War. Great Britain: Pan Books Ltd, 1987, 38.
[2]Ibid, 38.
[3]Ibid, 44.
[4]Stokesbury, James L. A Short History of the Korean War. New York: W. Morrow, 1988, 39
[5]Hastings. Op.Cit, 47.
[6]Ibid, 47.
[7]Ibid, 47.
[8]Stokesbury. Op.Cit, 42.
[9]Ibid, 42.
[10]Ibid, 42.
The North Korean People’s Democratic Republic army invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950 in the early morning with the strength of 135,000 men. The North Korean artillery and mortar barrage opened at 4am on June 25, this attack achieved complete strategic and tactical surprise. The South Korean army had a strength of 95,000 men at the time of the invasion, and only a third was deployed to the line confronting the Communist assault[5]. Ten Communist divisions, supported by 1,643 guns, powered through the 38th Parallel. The town of Ongin fell within hours to the 6th division of the North Korean army. The Communist 1st division drove for Keeping, while in the east the 3rd and 4th divisions took the Uijongbo corridor. Further eastward, the 5th division mounted its own attack, supported by North Korean landings along the coast behind the collapsing South Korean army’s front[6]. Kim Il Sung broadcasted his version of events on invasion day, saying that ‘The South Korean puppet clique has rejected all methods for peaceful reunification proposed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea[7]’. Despite Il Sung’s supposed reunification, the invasion came as a complete surprise to South Korea.
As the capital of South Korea fell so did the South Korean army, what started as an army began to flee south as individuals. By the evening of the second day, the government was moving south to Taejon and later on to Pusan[8]. The escape routes to the south ran over the bridges of the Han River, these bridges were blown up prematurely. Several hundred people were killed or wounded, and thousands more were trapped on the north side of the river. A senior engineer officer was subsequently tried and executed, even though there was evidence that the order had been given by a cabinet-rank civilian[9]. When the South Korean army reassembled south of the Han River, less than a quarter of its original strength was left, of 95,000 men a mere 22,000 were left[10].
[1]Hastings, Max. The Korean War. Great Britain: Pan Books Ltd, 1987, 38.
[2]Ibid, 38.
[3]Ibid, 44.
[4]Stokesbury, James L. A Short History of the Korean War. New York: W. Morrow, 1988, 39
[5]Hastings. Op.Cit, 47.
[6]Ibid, 47.
[7]Ibid, 47.
[8]Stokesbury. Op.Cit, 42.
[9]Ibid, 42.
[10]Ibid, 42.