Korea
Korea is sometimes called "the forgotten war". It isn't forgotten so much as repressed. We don't want to remember Korea. It was a defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.
The North Koreans stormed through South Korea in June 1950. Their Soviet-supplied military overwhelmed the South Korean army and in a matter of weeks the North Koreans were at the brink of victory. The South formed a perimeter around Pusan harbor and held off the attack. The United States, which was heavily fortified in nearby Japan, only 5 years after the end of World War II, sent reinforcements to Pusan harbor. The reinforcements formed an impenetrable barrier and the advance of the North was halted.
Everyone thought the US would burst out of Pusan and roll back the North Korean advance. General Douglas MacArthur had a different idea. MacArthur sent the marines to Inchon, a harbor several hundred miles north on the western side of Korea. Also, a harbor located a short march away from Seoul, the capital of South Korea currently occupied by the North. MacArthur took Inchon and then Seoul. All roads in Korea lead through Seoul. Every North Korean unit south of Seoul was suddenly out of supply. Now MacArthur launched the breakout from Pusan. MacArthur rolled up the North Korean army.
As the US moved to destroy the North Korean army, the Chinese attacked. China sent 20 plus divisions into Korea. The Chinese suddenly outnumbered the NATO forces 20 to 1. The 1st Marine Division was surrounded and thought destroyed. The US Marines fought valiantly. They were outnumbered on all sides and had to fight their way back to safe territory. Marine Commander Chesty Puller said, "We're surrounded. That simplifies things". The 1st Marine Division recorded the highest kill ratio of enemy to friendly that had ever been noted. They fought their way back to friendly territory and continued to fight for a suddenly futile cause.
MacArthur warned President Truman about a Chinese attack and asked to bomb the bridges connecting China and North Korea. Truman refused. After China sent troops, MacArthur asked for atomic bombs to stop the advance. Truman refused. MacArthur made a public statement that Truman would not allow him to win the war. Truman fired MacArthur.
The war dragged on for nearly 3 more years with nothing accomplished except needless slaughter. Almost 40,000 Americans died in Korea and it would have been a tenth that if we had gone into the battle fighting to win. Truman allowed politics to influence military decisions. Once war is declared, the military is in charge. Politics has obviously failed. Truman didn't understand this.
President Eisenhower formed a peace agreement that stopped the killing, but never ended the war. It still goes on. There are still United States soldiers stationed in South Korea. These soldiers are all that is preventing the North from attacking again. North Korea now has an atomic bomb and an insane leader. This war is still unresolved.
The United States was noble in its defense of South Korea. However, it lacked the resolve to actually solve the problem. Once war is declared, the enemy must be defeated.
The lesson of Korea is don't fight a war you don't intend to win.
The North Koreans stormed through South Korea in June 1950. Their Soviet-supplied military overwhelmed the South Korean army and in a matter of weeks the North Koreans were at the brink of victory. The South formed a perimeter around Pusan harbor and held off the attack. The United States, which was heavily fortified in nearby Japan, only 5 years after the end of World War II, sent reinforcements to Pusan harbor. The reinforcements formed an impenetrable barrier and the advance of the North was halted.
Everyone thought the US would burst out of Pusan and roll back the North Korean advance. General Douglas MacArthur had a different idea. MacArthur sent the marines to Inchon, a harbor several hundred miles north on the western side of Korea. Also, a harbor located a short march away from Seoul, the capital of South Korea currently occupied by the North. MacArthur took Inchon and then Seoul. All roads in Korea lead through Seoul. Every North Korean unit south of Seoul was suddenly out of supply. Now MacArthur launched the breakout from Pusan. MacArthur rolled up the North Korean army.
As the US moved to destroy the North Korean army, the Chinese attacked. China sent 20 plus divisions into Korea. The Chinese suddenly outnumbered the NATO forces 20 to 1. The 1st Marine Division was surrounded and thought destroyed. The US Marines fought valiantly. They were outnumbered on all sides and had to fight their way back to safe territory. Marine Commander Chesty Puller said, "We're surrounded. That simplifies things". The 1st Marine Division recorded the highest kill ratio of enemy to friendly that had ever been noted. They fought their way back to friendly territory and continued to fight for a suddenly futile cause.
MacArthur warned President Truman about a Chinese attack and asked to bomb the bridges connecting China and North Korea. Truman refused. After China sent troops, MacArthur asked for atomic bombs to stop the advance. Truman refused. MacArthur made a public statement that Truman would not allow him to win the war. Truman fired MacArthur.
The war dragged on for nearly 3 more years with nothing accomplished except needless slaughter. Almost 40,000 Americans died in Korea and it would have been a tenth that if we had gone into the battle fighting to win. Truman allowed politics to influence military decisions. Once war is declared, the military is in charge. Politics has obviously failed. Truman didn't understand this.
President Eisenhower formed a peace agreement that stopped the killing, but never ended the war. It still goes on. There are still United States soldiers stationed in South Korea. These soldiers are all that is preventing the North from attacking again. North Korea now has an atomic bomb and an insane leader. This war is still unresolved.
The United States was noble in its defense of South Korea. However, it lacked the resolve to actually solve the problem. Once war is declared, the enemy must be defeated.
The lesson of Korea is don't fight a war you don't intend to win.
posted by BoiseJag at 11:45 PM
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