Korean War, 1950-53
Years Active
Australians Served
Australians Wounded
Australians Killed
Prelude to war
Prelude to war
While agreeing in principle to the unification of Korea, the two superpowers could not agree on how to bring this about. Each assisted the establishment of a regime to its own liking in its part of the country – communist in the north, and non-communist in the south.
The fight over Korea in the 1950s represented a Cold war flash-point, when the ideological conflict extended beyond Europe and broke out in open warfare. It transformed a civil conflict into an armed confrontation between the major powers of the world.
Prelude to war
While agreeing in principle to the unification of Korea, the two superpowers could not agree on how to bring this about. Each assisted the establishment of a regime to its own liking in its part of the country – communist in the north, and non-communist in the south.
The fight over Korea in the 1950s represented a Cold war flash-point, when the ideological conflict extended beyond Europe and broke out in open warfare. It transformed a civil conflict into an armed confrontation between the major powers of the world.
Prelude to war
While agreeing in principle to the unification of Korea, the two superpowers could not agree on how to bring this about. Each assisted the establishment of a regime to its own liking in its part of the country – communist in the north, and non-communist in the south.
The fight over Korea in the 1950s represented a Cold war flash-point, when the ideological conflict extended beyond Europe and broke out in open warfare. It transformed a civil conflict into an armed confrontation between the major powers of the world.
Crossing the “line”
Within two days of the war’s beginning, US President Harry S. Truman committed US navy and air force units to aid South Korea. By the end of the month, he had authorised US ground forces to be deployed to the peninsula. On 28 June 1950, Australia became the second nation, behind the United States, to commit personnel from all three armed services to the war.
This Australian commitment represented a major strategic statement of practical military independence from Britain and laid another foundation stone for the 1951 establishment of the ANZUS – Australia, New Zealand and United States – security pact for the Pacific region.
The terrain and climate made conditions in Korea difficult for troops. Almost eighty per cent of Korea is mountainous and the effort of moving even short distances over mountains and valleys was exhausting and time-consuming.
Soldiers also had to cope with extremes of temperature. The pervading, numbing cold of the winters is well remembered by veterans. Soldiers slept with their guns to their chests, to keep the parts from freezing up. Living and fighting in this climate posed a constant struggle, creating difficulties with transport, the movement and maintenance of supplies and the soldiers’ health.
Allied troops under the command of Gen.Douglas Macarthur liberated Seoul and pushed the North Korean forces back beyond the 38th parallel, eventually capturing Pyongyang in October 1950. As the allied troops pressed forward beyond Pyongyang they encountered Chinese forces in large numbers, who were in alliance with the North Koreans. Despite MacArthur’s intent to push northward to the Chinese border they ultimately retreated from the Chinese offensive and by early 1951 lines were again drawn at the 38th parallel (where they remain to this day) when the war entered a long period of stalemate.
Armistice and the aftermath
Whilst the guns have remained quiet since 1953, the absence of a formal peace treaty fuels continued tension between North and South Korea.
Australian Forces remained in Korea as part of the multi-national peacekeeping force until 1957 and US forces remain stationed in South Korea, monitoring the DMZ.
There is a feeling among some Australian Veterans of Korea that their war experience was forgotten – either lost in the aftermath of the Second World War or muddled with the beginnings of the Vietnam War. Thankfully, he sacrifices of that conflict have been commemorated in a new memorial on Anzac Parade in Canberra, the National Korean War Memorial.
Sources:
Australian War Memorial “Out in the Cold: Australia’s involvement in the Korean War
Encyclopaedia Brittanica: Korean War