Forces under the United Nations. By the spring of 1950, only five short years after the last shot the World War Two had been fired, the United States army had been reduced active force of 600,000. A great number of these were scattered about the world on occupation duty. The armed forces of the communists, soviet russia, remained on a strong wartime footing, and in villager posture. Aggression was soon to come. America would be fighting against tyranny for the third time in 32 years. Korea. The crowded finger of land, but the key important to the free world in the far east. What happened here opened the next major chapter in the history of the United States army. The war began here at the 38th parallel. Just how did this imaginary line become diffuse for a threeyear explosion . Before the japanese surrender in world war ii, we made an agreement with the russians who were than our allies. When surrender came on the asian mainland, Russian Troops would accept the surrender of Japanese Forces north of the 38th parallel. And we will do the same south of it. The 38th parallel was chosen because it divides the Korean Peninsula roughly in half. It was also agreed that free elections would be held, as the government of korea returned to the korean people. In august of 1948, free elections were held in south korea. Supervised by United Nations inspectors. Establishing the republic of korea. Three weeks later communist controlled elections and north korea from which human inspectors were barred, established a communist regime, and divided the creation. Not long afterwards, the communists to sided that their moment for conquest had come. In early summer, 1950, life was good in the agricultural south. There was peace. Time for living in the quiet, ancient way. Then suddenly in the predawn darkness of luck june, 25th, 1950 [noise] South Koreans were jarred awake by a living nightmare. Unprovoked and unannounced. The communists latest war of conquest had begun. Many thought it was the beginning of world war three. It might have been if we had not taken immediate action. President truman ordered our navy and the air force to provide confront support to the republic of korea. It in the unit in nations, United States delegate spoke for the indignant people of nations everywhere. And the armed invasion of the republic of korea continues. The republic of korea has appealed to the United Nations for protection. I am proud to report, that the United States is prepared to furnish assistance to the republic of korea. Four days after the invasion began, the capital city of seoul fell to the communists. Small elements of the states army were elected to japan to help check the red advance. They were greeted with cheers. But the sharing was soon forgotten. Our small forces found themselves greatly outnumbered by communist troops, trained and equipped by the russians. Our handful of troops but precious time, until reinforcements would arrive. We showed to the communists that we had the will to fight aggression wherever and whenever it occurred. Im july 10th, president truman appointed general douglas mcarthur, commander in chief of the inundations forces, which were beginning to assemble. For the outnumbered troops in the field, it was fight, pull back, and fight again. [noise] more United States forces bribed in pusan. Not nearly enough. But it was a beginning. Royal field commanders like general walter each walter found their past was a grim one and all too familiar historically. A Holding Action with no time and too few men. But American Military leadership had only recently been bloodied and home to professional keenest in a greater war. To reinforce top leaders was a hardcore of seasoned officers enlisted men who had won their ribbons on the field of battle only five or six years before. [noise] third july and august of 1950, our small forces were being pushed into a corner. The pusan perimeter. We rushed more troops from japan. Again, we were faced with a emergency buildup to fund strength. We draw on our citizen soldiers, reserves, and inductees. Within the, year our army would grow from 600,000 to more than 1 million and a half men. [noise] other United Nations forces began arriving in korea. British troops of the sutherland and our gall highland. The International Army was beginning to take shape. It was none too soon. Again, time was running out. The river provided a natural defense line around pusan. It was here that the guts and the stamina of the american soldier, and his republic of korea allies and a wall of protective artillery fire held the communist forces at bay. [noise] the buildup of allied strength was rapidly great gaining momentum. In sean, september 5th, 1950, the United Nations suddenly took the offensive. General douglas mcarthur, the Supreme Commander had proceeded with this amphibious strike on the coast of the yellow sea just west of the coast of seoul. The Marine Landing course secured the island in just 58 minutes, and pushed dawn into incheon the itself to canning that back door to the enemies defenses. Additional army forces poured in. Simultaneously, the breakout from the pusan perimeter got on the way in the south. In a week of heavy fighting, horses drove inland from seoul more than 10,000 north korean troops were dug in and leading at every Street Corner with orders to fight to the death. Denominations offensive roll back defensive forces sweeping northward past the 28th parallel. First he some fell. Edge then won some on the east coast. [noise] then ken yang, the north korean capital itself. Psychological warfare played an important part. Loudspeaker messages. And safe conduct passes for north korean troops met striking them with success. Often, entire units stacked their weapons and awaited the arrival of un forces. Our army units pushed on towards koreas northern most boundary. But there were signs potential trouble ahead. Some of the prisoners in the north where the uniform of the communist chinese armies. November found elements of the ten core on the front banks of the yellow river. While they ate their thanksgiving dinner, they could look across the river and sea communist china. Victory seemed assured. There was talk of wars and by christmas. But on the other side of a whole new war was about to begin. Late november, splitting un forces and rolling the back. What president truman at first called a Police Action had now become a major war. Are forces in the west pulled back to the south. Element of the First Marine Division and the seventh infantry division, tenth core, along with republic of korea troops cut off in the northeast fought their way in sub zero weather to fight off evacuation by sea. 100,000 fighting men, and their machines were loaded onto waiting ships. More than 90,000 refugees 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. By, see the massive withdrawal moved southward, towards where the units could land and reboot. In the west, elements of the eight army withdrew south of the eighth parallel. The Chinese Forces followed up with their massive new years defensive. Thousands of koreans choke to the road leading southward. They had seen communism in practice, any hardship was preferable. Once again, seoul changed hands as 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. An operation general ridgeway calls a portion of killer. The chinese armys healthy superiority of numbers and rejoice intent was simple. Cut down the odds. [noise] operation killer did just that. The enemy lost ten men for every in admissions category. The what have been done as a attempt to inflict heavy losses on the enemy developed into aground gaining operation. On march 15th, so again changed hands. South korean troops entered the streets unopposed. The enemy had pulled out to the north. But not for long. Spring brought with it another crisis. Another massive communist offensive. The general fortified the city of seoul, determinative lose it again. The enemy came on in, waves met by a storm of fire. They lost tens of thousands. Still the came on. Suddenly, they faltered, broke, and start pulling back, pursued by our. Armor again the communists had run afoul of two things. The mens power of the army and the principles of the joysticks. They were simply unable to supply a sustained offensive or large force. June 2nd, 1951, again we crossed the 38th parallel. A badly battered enemy withdrawing for us. Soviet un delegate, jacob, frankly proposed trust, talks suggesting that a ceasefire could be discussed. Underlie tent, preliminary truce talks were opened in the red held city of they were to drag on for too long years, while the bloodshed continued. It the light at the fighting front became virtually stabilized. John after 12 days, the talks in case song were deadlocked over an issue of a ceasefire line. Then the communists broke off the talks. In the fall they were resumed. The fighting continued. Material were expended daily and nightly in look to just amounts. Massive supplied by air was a new military concept that came to full development in north korea. Airlift and air dropped in techniques became a major means of supply and a largescale combat situation. Winter, 1952, found the talks deadlocked over the principle of prisoner exchange. Well back and forth, trusting the long line of resistance, raged the Bitter Health battle. [noise] in march, 1953, the communist world was shaken by the death of just of stolen. His successor launched a world wide peace offensive. Its influence would soon be felt in north korea. Within a month, the communists suddenly took us up on our standing offer to exchange sick and wounded prisoners. Earth this was operation little switch. It indicated that a ceasefire may come soon. Battle weary men listened forward that the shooting was to end. On july 27th, 1953, at the un base camp general mark clark signed the ceasefire agreement. A few miles away, the communists did the same. By august 5th, aberration big switch was underway. Some 13,000 un soldiers returned from red prison camps. General william dean captured early in the war, returned with his thousands of comrades in arms. It was then that the world image of communism received a telling blow. For two thirds of the chinese prisoners refused to return to red china. And 35,000 north koreans decided they would rather live in south korea. An armistice however is only a ceasefire, not peace. And in this divided nation the need is for constant watchfulness. And ended preparedness still remains and me continue for years to come. This is true anywhere on earth or people face an aggressor. The communists had miscalculated in korea. They couldnt bring themselves to believe that 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 again, the United States army, the american soldier had stood for most in a massive military force on foreign soil. But not for conquest. As the years past, we began to see that our preparedness would have to be largescale, constant, flexible, and adaptable. There would be years of menace bringing it to being a new phrase. A cold war. Weeknights this month were featuring American History tv programs as a preview of whats available every weekend on cspan 3. Tonight programs on the military. We will travel to northeastern france with historian mitchell, to tour to battlefields were u. S. And france to stop a german offensive towards paris. That starts at 8 pm eastern. Enjoy American History tv every weekend on cspan 3. Tuesday morning former fbi deputy director, Andrew Mccabe testifies on the fbi russia investigation in a hearing in the Senate Judiciary committee. What 11 am eastern live on tuesday, or listen alive for free on the cspan radio app. Next on history bookshelf, ian berman talks but his book year, zero a history of 1945 and which he sums the world following the end of world war ii. Mr. Burma
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