By the spring of 1950, only five short years after the last shots of world war ii had been fired, the United States army had been reduced to an active force of 600,000. A great number of these were scattered about the world on occupation duty. But the armed forces of the communists, soviet russia and red china, remained on a strong wartime footing and in belligerent posture. Aggression was soon to come. Americans would be fighting against tyranny for the third time in 32 years. Korea. A crowded Little Finger of land, but a key importance 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 the fuse for a threeyear explosion . Before the japanese surrender in world war ii, we made an agreement with the russians who were then 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 would 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 and 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 in north korea from which u. N. Inspectors were barred, established a communist regime and divided the korean nation. Not long afterwards, the communist decided their moment for conquest had come. In early summer, 1950, life was good in the agriculture south. There was peace. Time for living in the quiet, ancient way. Then suddenly in the predawn darkness of june 25, 1950 [ bombing ] South Koreans were jarred aa wick by a living nightmare. Unprovoked and unannounced the communist later war of conquest had begun. [ explosions ] [ bombings ] many thought it was the beginning of world war iii. It may have been if we will not took immediate action. President truman had the army provide cover and sport to the republic of korea. In the United Nations, United States delegate Warren Austin spoke for the indignant people of free nations everywhere. 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 United States army were airlifted from japan to help check the red advance. They were greeted with cheers. But the cheering was soon forgotten. Our small forces found themselves greatly outnumbered by communist troops trained and equipped by the russians. Our handful of troops delaying action, buying precious time until reinforcements would arrive. We showed the communists that we had the will to fight aggression wherever and whenever it occurred. On july 10th, president truman appointed general douglas mk arrang macarthur commander in chief of the United Forces which were beginning to assemble. For the outnumbered troops in the field it was fight, pull back, and fight again. More United States forces arrive, not nearly enough but it was a beginning. Field commanders like general walter f. Walker and general william f. Dean found their task 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 be blooded and honed to professional keenness in a greater war. Korean forces complement the leaders was a hard corps of seasoned officers and enlisted men who won on other fields of battle only five or six years before. [ machine gun fire ] through 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 faced with an emergency buildup to fighting strength. We drew on our citizen soldiers, reserves and inductees. Within the year our army would grow from 600,000 to more than 1. 5 million men. [ gunfire ] other United Nations forces began arriving in korea. British troops of the sutherland and argyle highlanders. 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 stamina of the american soldier and his republic of korea allies and the protective wall of artillery fire held the communist forces at bay. [ gunfire and bombing ] the buildup of allied strength was rapidly gaining w moment momentum. September 15, 1950. The United Nations suddenly took the offensive. [ gunfire and bombing ] snee. General douglas macarthur, the supreme commander, had conceived this daring amphibious strike along the coast of the yellow sea just wests seoul. West of seoul. The Marine Landing force secured the island in just 58 minutes. And pushed on into the city itself kicking in the back door to the enemys defenses. Additional army forces poured in. Simultaneously the breakout from the pusan perimeter got under way in the south. [ gunfire ] in a week of heavy fighting our forces drove 20 miles inland from this area to seoul. More than 10,000 north korean troops were dug in and waiting at every Street Corner with orders to fight to the death. [ gunfire ] the United Nations offensive rolled back the communist forces sweeping northward past the 38th parallel. First pusan fell. Then wonsong on the east coast. Then pyongyang, the north korea capital itself. Psychological warfare played an important part. Loud speaker messages. And safe contact passes for lost korean troops inviting them to surrender met with striking success. En often entire units stacked their weapons and awaited arrival of u. N. Forces. Our army units pushed towards the river. The northernmost boundary. But there was signs of potential trouble ahead. Some of the prisoners taken in the north wore the quilted uniform of the communistchinese army. November found elements of the 10th corps on the frozen banks of the yellow river. While they ate their thanksgiving dinner, they could look across the river and see communist china. Victory seemed assured. There was talk of wars end by christmas. But on the other side of the river, chinese armies were massive. A whole new war was about to begin. Late in november, two full chinese field armies attacked, separating u. N. Forces and rolling them back. Which president truman first call add Police Action had now become a major war. Our forces in the west pulled back to the south. Elements of the 1st Marine Division and infantry along with the republic of korea troops cut off in the northeast, fought their way in subzero weather towards this area and evacuation by sea. 100,000 fighting men, and their machines, were loaded on to 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 of them as we could. By sea, the massive withdrawal moved southward towards ports where the units could land and regroup. In the west, elements of the 8th army withdrew south of the 38th parallel. The Chinese Forces followed up with their massive new years offensive. Thousands of koreans choked the roads 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. Operation ridgeway basically called operation killer. The chinese army held a staggering superiority of numbers and this was simple. Cut down the odds. [ gunfire ] [ gunfire ] operation killer did just that. The enemy lost ten men for every United Nations casualty. What had begun as an attempt to inflict heavy personnel losses on the enemy developed into a ground gaining operation. On march 15th, seoul again changed hands. South korean troops entered the deserted streets. The enemy had pulled out to the north. But not for long. Spring brought with it still another crisis. Another massive communist offensive. General van cleat fortified the city of seoul, determined not to lose it again. The enemy came on in human waves to be met by a storm of fire. They lost tens of thousands, but still they came on. And then suddenly, they faltered. Broke. They started pulling back pursued by our armor. Again the communists had run afoul of two things. The immense fire power of the 8th army and the principles of logistics. They were simply unable to supply a large force for a sustained offensive. June 2, 1951, again, we crossed the 38th parallel. A badly battered enemy withdrawing before us. Soviet u. N. Delegate jacob mullic frankly proposed truce talks suggesting that perhaps a ceasefire could be discussed. On july 10th, primary truce talk was openeds in the redheld city of kasong. They were to drag on two long years while the bloodshed continued. The lines of the fighting front became virtually stabilized. After 12 days, the talks in kasong were deadlocked over the issue of a ceasefire align. Then the communist broke off the talks. In the fall, they were resumed at panmoonjong. The fighting continued. Materiels is expended daily and nightly in prodigious amounts. Massive supply by air became a full development thcame through korea. Air lifts and drops became a major means of supply in a largescale combat swax. Situation. Winter 1952 found the talks at panmoonjong deadlocked over the principle of prisoner exchange. While back and forth along the twisted length of the main line of resistance, raged the bitter hill battles. [ bombing sounds ] in march, 1953, the communist world was shaken by the death of josef stalin. His successor launched what he termed a world wide peace offensive. Its influence soon would be felt in korea. Within a month the communists suddenly took us up on our standing offer to exchange sick and wounded prisoners. This was operation little switch. It indicated that a ceasefire might come soon. Battle der wary men listened for word that the shooting was to end. On july 27, 1953, at the u. N. Base camp in moonsann general clark signed the Peace Agreement pap few miles away, the communist did the same. By august 5th, operation big switch was under way. Some 13,000 u. S. Soldiers returned from red prison camps. General william dean captured in the battle 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 twothirds of the chinese prisoners refused to return to red china, and 35,000 north koreans decided theyd rather live in south korea. An armistice is only a ceasefire, not peace and in this its the need for constant watchfulness. An era of cautionness remains. This is true where any people faces an aggressor. The communist had miscalculated in korea. They could not bring themselves to believe that we would spend so much of materiel 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 foremost in a massive military force on foreign soil, but not for conquest. As the years passed, we began to see that our preparedness would have to be largescale, constant, flexible and adaptable. They to be years of menace, bringing into being a new phrase the cold war. Every saturday at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on American History tv on cspan3 go inside a Different College classroom and hear about topics ranging from the american revolution, civil rights and u. S. President s to 9 11. Thanks for your patience and for logging into to class. With most College Campuses closed due to impact of the coronavirus, watch professors transfer teaching to a virtual setting to engage with their students. Gosh clauv did most of the would, to change the soviet union, but reagan met him half way, reagan encouraged him, reagan supported him. Freedom of the press which well get to late are i should mention madison originally calmed it freedom of the use of the press and it is indeed freedom to print things and publish things. It not a freedom for what we now refer to institution stugsly at the press. Lectures in history on American History tv cspan3 every saturday at 8 00 p. M. Eastern. Its available at a podcast. Find it where you listen to pot castes. Podcasts. Jooshgs weeknights this month we feature American History tv programs as preview of whats available every weekend on cspan3. Tonight, programs on the military. Well travel to northeastern france with historian mitchell yuckalson touring two battlefields where american and French Forces fought in the spring of 1918 to stop a german offensive towards paris. That starts at 8 00 p. M. Eastern. Enjoy American History tv every weekend on cspan3. Youre watching American History tv. Every weekend on cspan3 explore our nations past. Cspan3. Created by americas Cable Television companies as Public Service and brought to you today by your television provider. Tuesday morning former fbi Deputy DirectorAndrew Mccabe testifies on the review. Fbi russia investigation. In a hearing before the Senate Judiciary committee. Watch live at 11 00 a. M. Eastern on cspan3. Online at cspan. Org, or listen live on the free cspan radio app. Next, on history book shelf, talking about a book year zero a history of 1945 in which he examines the war following end of world war ii. He looks at the transformative nature of the war from displacement of people in battleworn cities throughout youre and japan to creation of