Sept. 15, 1950 - MacArthur's Inchon landing takes N Koreans by surprise. It breaks the back of the N Korean Army. None of the communist countries - N Korea, China or USSR - saw the landing coming. The Inchon and Seoul areas are defended by green units - N Korean Army 3rd, 8th and 12th divisions are completely destroyed.
Photo: N Korean nurses captured near Inchon about to be shot by the US Army
Sept. 15, 1950 - Seoul: The N Korean commander orders immediate evacuation of all foreigners (mainly Russians and Chinese) and party cadres. The top priority is given to the Soviet advisors. Russians file onto an old bus and leave Seoul. Communist cadres and their friends fight to get on whatever vehicles leaving Seoul. A train load of the communists manage to leave Seoul but is bombed just outside of the city with heavy casualties.
The command center is an utter chaos. Some N Koreans officer run around and scream at each other without knowing what to do; while others are furiously burning documents. The commanding general faults his intelligence for bad information - he has been informed that "it is impossible to launch a full-scale amphibious operation at Inchon."
On paper, the general has one division guarding Inchon, 3 divisions guarding Seoul and 4 divisions guarding Pyongyang. But, he knows that all these are "divisions' in name only and that he has at best 6,000 men to fight the invasion force of the X Corps - nearly 40,000 men. More than 4,000 N Koreans die. Civilians are indiscriminately napalmed and several captured N Korean nurses are shot by the Americans.
Sept. 22 - Kim Il Sung at last faces up to the music and orders a general retreat. The US CIA estimates NK losses: out of the original force of 165,000, less than 40,000 manage to return home. All equipment in S Korea are lost. The N Korean Army has 30,000 to 50,000 new recruits in N Korea. The actual figures are: 30,000 out of the invading force of 90,000 return to N Korea. Virtually all senior commanders are back in N Korea. In addition, N Korea has a reserve of over 125,000 men intact in N Korea and Manchuria.
Photo: Black Gi's prodly show off a POW.
Until the Inchon landing, the US JCS's primary concern was bracing for a Dunkirk at Pusan. With the abrupt and unexpected collapse of the North Korean Army, the JCS faces a new problem - to invade or not to invade N Korea. The overall US position is "one of steadfast patience and determination in opposing communist aggression without provoking unnecessarily a total war." In short, US is militarily NOT ready to fight USSR and China at this time. The primary interest of US is Europe - not Asia.
Sept. 25, 1950 - The Chinese Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Nie Ronzhen, tells the Indian Ambassador that China will intervene in Korea even at the risk of a wider war with US. Indeed, Mao will welcome a chance to settle old grievances with the Yankee imperialists. A few days later, Chou En Lai tells the Indian Ambassador the same line. The Chinese recite the old debts owed to the Korean people: over 100,000 Koreans in the Chinese wars of liberation, of land reform, and against Chiang Kai Sek. The Ambassador passes on the information but Dean Rusk ignores "this Indian with a spade beard".
Gen. Bradley (The JCS chairman) was opposed to MacArthur's war in Korea but Truman overrode his objection and approved stripping of US, Puerto Rico, Panama, Hawaii and Okinawa to feed MacArthur's army. Bradley tells Truman that a war with China is "the wrong war, at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and with the wrong enemy."
The State Dept. experts on the USSR, George Kennan and Charles Bohlen, urge not to cross the 38th parallel. They believe that the USSR and China will join the war - if US invaded N Korea. But the hawks, Dean Acheson, Dean Rusk (the guy who drew the 38th parallel and who got US involved in the Vietnam War) and John Allison win the day and talks Truman into siding with MacArthur over the objection of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Sept. 27, 1950 - MacArthur gets the official order to invade N Korea:
"Your military objective is the destruction of the North Korean armed forces. In attaining this objective you are authorized to conduct military operations, including amphibious and airborne landings or ground operations north of the 38th Parallel in Korea, provided that at the time of such operations there has been no entry into North Korea by major Soviet or Chinese Communist Forces, no announcement of intended entry, nor a threat to counter our operations militarily in North Korea. Under no circumstances, however, will your forces cross the Manchurian or USSR borders of Korea" - Gen. Bradley, Chairman, US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Why invade N Korea and risk a wider war with China or Russia? Once again the US intelligence fails to serve the US national interest. About 90% of the CIA intelligence comes from MacArthur's headquarters. Much of Mac's intelligence come from Chiang Kai Sek who has vested interests in widening the war. This is the last chance for Chiang to regain the mainland China. Chiang and MacArthur have been in cahoots to promote a war with China. The CIA estimates: 565,000 communist troops in Manchuria (including about 70,000 Koreans) with more troops arriving from China. Chou En Lai's repeated warnings go unheeded. MacArthur does not think too much of the Chinese 'peasants' army.
Sept. 27, 1950 - The British intelligence learns of a Chinese military council decision to intervene in Korea. US ignores this information. Simultaneously Chou announces publicly that "China will send troops across the frontier to participate in defense of North Korea." The hawks at the State Dept. led by Acheson and Rusk label Chou's statement a "bravado - part of a joint Soviet-Chinese diplomatic effort to save the North Korean regime." This arrogance (or ignorance) is shared by the CIA.
The CIA analysis of Chou's statements reads:
"Despite statements by Chou En Lai and troop movements in Manchuria...there are no convincing indications of an actual Chinese Communist intention to resort to full-scale intervention in Korea....From a military standpoint the most favorable time for intervention in Korea has passed....
While full-scale Chinese Communist intervention in Korea must be regarded as continuing possibility, a consideration of all known factors leads to the conclusion that barring a Soviet decision for global war, such action is not probable in 1950. During this period, intervention will probably be confined to continued covert assistance to the North Koreans." The consensus of the US top military is that the Russians are not ready for global war while China is not militarily capable of unilateral intervention - namely, "there will be no Soviet or Chinese communist intervention in Korea."
Sept. 28 , 1950 - Seoul: MacArthur and Rhee make a triumphant entry to Seoul from Kimpo and hold a ceremony at the capitol. MacArthur says -
"By the grace of merciful Providence, our forces fighting under the standard of that greatest hope and inspiration of mankind, the United Nations, have liberated this ancient capital city of Korea. It has been freed from the despotism of Communist rule and its citizens once more have the opportunity for that immutable concept of life which holds invincibly to the primacy of individual liberty and personal dignity....Mr. President, my officers and I will now resume our military duties and leave you and your government to the discharge of the civil responsibility."
Rhee says - "We admire you. We love you as the savior of our race." MacArthur tells the press that the war is almost over and that the North Korean Army is basically wiped out. What remains is mop-up actions that even the S Korean Army can handle.
Sept. 30, 1950 - The N Korean invasion of S Korea officially ends. The invasion has cost S Korea 111,000 killed, 106,000 wounded, 57,000 missing. 314,000 homes destroyed and 244,000 homes damaged. US losses so far: 5,145 killed in action; 16,461 wounded; 402 captured; 2,164 missing.
The Inchon miracle elevates MacArthur to the status of an infallible god both in Korea and America. Once again the old general has performed a miracle and saved the American honor. No one, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff, dares to question MacArthur's military decisions. MacArthur is ready for another show and readies his X Corps (those troops involved in the Inchon landing) for the "second" Inchon at Wonsan. The X Corps would trap the N Korean Army for the final kill.
Oct. 1, 1950 - Syngman Rhee orders Gen. Kim Paik Il to invade N Korea with or without US backing. Thus, Rhee realizes at last his dream of 'buk-jin' (march North). The second phase of the Korean War - invasion of North Korea - starts. US entered the war on the pretext of saving S Korea, but now that S Korea has been saved, the US objective changes to reunification of Korea by force after destroying the communist north. US changes from the defender to the aggressor.
A sad Kim Il Sung addresses his people. N Korean Army reverts to guerrilla warfare. They withdraw into mountains in South and North Korea and prepare for a prolonged people's war. MacArthur thinks that his military genius has destroyed the communist forces and all that remains is a mop-up operation. Kim Il Sung. Kim asks Mao for help -
"We request your special aid. Currently, with enemy forces attacking the area north of the 38th Parallel, our situation is extremely disadvantageous. In order to aid our forces. it is requested that the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army be directly mobilized for us immediately."
Oct. 2, 1950 - Beijing: Mao notifies Stalin that China will fight US in Korea -
"We are going to dispatch Chinese troops to Korea under the name of a Volunteer Force to fight the US Imperialists and Syngman Rhee's armed forces, side by side with our comrades, the North Korean forces. The reasons we are sending Chinese troops to Korea are that, if the US occupies the Korean peninsula, the Korean revolutionary forces would be completely removed, the US Imperialists would become more belligerent and arrogant, and it would result in a situation unfavorable to China."
Mao requests that Stalin provide air and logistical supports. Stalin agrees to equip 100 Chinese divisions and send two Soviet air force divisions to Manchuria. Mao and Stalin agree that October 15 is the day to start the operation across the Yalu.
Photo: Gen. Peng in a field camp
Oct. 8, 1950 - Peng Tehuai is given the command of the Volunteer Army (some 80,000 men) and prepares to enter N Korea. Kim Il Sung is a bad shape - he has only three divisions, one labor regiment, and one tank regiment intact and the rest of his army is in South Korea trying desperately to reach the reassemble area at Manpo. These units retreating from South are demoralized and without heavy equipment. Gen. Peng estimates at least two months to regroup and re-equip these units.
Oct. 10, 1950 - Wonsan falls to S Korea's I Corps (the 3rd and Capital divisions) - however, ominously, North Korea's 5th Division controls the mountains and villages around Wonsan. My father runs a state farm near Wonsan. He escapes to our home in Hamhung. He moves us to our country home in Oro-ri, a small farming community a few miles north of Hamhung. Radio Pyongyang broadcasts Kim Il Sung's speech:
"The Korean people are not standing alone in our struggle and are receiving the absolute support of the Soviet Union, the Chinese people,,".
Photo: Wonsan completely ruined
At the same time, Radio Peking broadcasts
"The American War of intervention in Korea has been a serious menace to the security of China from the very start...The Chinese people cannot stand idly by with regard to such a serious situation - created by the invasion of Korea by the United States and its accomplice countries and to the dangerous trend toward extending the war. The Chinese people firmly advocate a peaceful resolution to the Korean problem and are firmly opposed to the extension of the Korean War by America."
The Capital Div. (Sudo Sadang) moves 50 miles north to take my town Hamhung. The 3rd Div. stays put in Wonsan to safeguard the port for the US X corps including the 1st Marine Div. Wonsan is heavily mined by the Russian Navy. MacArthur brings in Japanese Navy mine sweepers lead by Adm. Takeo Okubo to clear the mines. This is the first official entry of the Japanese forces into the Korean War.
MacArthur's generals are competing to be the first to reach the Yalu. MacArthur has not read Sun Tzu's The Art of War -
"Thus, if you order your men to roll up their buff-coats, and make forced marches without halting day or night, covering double the usual distance at a stretch, doing a hundred miles in order to wrest an advantage, the commanders of all your three divisions will fall into the hands of the enemy. The stronger men will be in front, the jaded ones will fall behind, and on this plan only one-tenth of your army will reach its destination.
"If you march fifty miles in order to outmaneuver the enemy, you will lose the commander of your first division, and only half your force will reach the goal. If you march thirty miles with the same object, two-thirds of your army will arrive. We may take it then that an army without its baggage-train is lost; without provisions it is lost; without bases of supply it is lost. We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country--its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps." MacArthur is to lose more than five divisions for his folly.
Oct. 11, 1950 - Stalin informs Chou Enlai that
"The Soviet Union and China forces concluded a treaty of friendly alliance and mutual aid. In this treaty, if any one country is invaded by another country. the other must aid it as much as possible. This is clearly specified. Therefore, as far as we are concerned, we must strive, as much as possible, to limit military confrontation in Korea. As our Chinese comrades say, the Korean war must be made into a local war. If the US makes to bomb the mainland of China, we in the Soviet Union, will deploy our air forces to aid her.
If things work out that way, the war will become unlimited and the possibility of it expanding to Europe or various places in the world increases. Because this is the case, as far as the air force question is concerned, it is necessary to be cautious. Instead. improving the equipment of the Chinese forces seems a good idea. We agree to your requests for urgent aid to equip your 40 divisions. However. this must be done in phases. Right now, we will move to first equip 20 divisions."
Stalin got scared and has changed his mind about sending his air force to fight US. Stalin has realized that China and USSR have a mutual defense treaty which obligates him to fight on the side of Mao, if US goes to war with China. Stalin states that "Comrade Kim Il Sung must form a government in exile in northeast China" and that the best he can do for Mao is to send back the Chinese pilots in training in Russia. Stalin is playing a game with Mao and Kim. He wants to bleed US to death in Korea at the expense of Kim and Mao.
Photo: Peng's advance units cross the Yalu
Oct. 11. 1950 - Beijing: Mao is furious at Stalin's duplicity-
"Was everything not determined by agreement? How, in a situation where deployment orders had already been issued, could the Soviet Union unilaterally change their decision? If it comes to fighting, one must certainly fight to win,, absolutely. However, in the current situation, even without us having air superiority cannot do anything but fight. If we do not fight, as far as Korea is concerned, it will immediately go into the hands of the enemy.
Also. after an announcement of unification by the Republic of Korea, it is not clear if we would fight or not. Stalin! All Socialist countries are looking to you. We are waiting for your support. But, you are saying that you are temporarily withholding deployment of the Air Force. For Truman's part, with Syngman Rhee fighting Kim I1 Sung, there was no delay in aid at all. If he had delayed even a little, Syngman Rhee would have collapsed and been destroyed.
"Stalin! Why are you saying that you will postpone aid to China and Kim I1 Sung? As far as I am concerned, even if the Soviet Union commits air divisions to North Korea, I don't see that Truman will immediately and absolutely declare war on the Soviet Union. In the current situation, when the atomic bomb is already not a monopoly of Truman's country alone, what makes you believe that he would immediately declare war?
What could he rely on that fight? Without the Soviet Union's help, if operations are only conducted with the Chinese volunteer forces, various types of difficulties will be forced. As far as these are concerned, in terms of numbers. they mean increasing the number of combat casualties.
To what degree? 100,000 -- 200,000 -- if not. then 500.000? Hey, as far as the Chinese People are concerned. even though they do not want war, this will be relentlessly forced upon them."
Oct. 12, 1950 - Mao tells Peng to stop his operations and wait for further instructions. Peng has already placed a sizable force in N Korea. Peng flies to Beijing.
