As early as July 1950, General Douglas MacArthur had conceived of a plan to launch a UN amphibious assault at Inchon harbor, located 27 kilometers southwest of Seoul on the central west coast. The success of such an operation would have the strategic effect of destabilizing the North Korean supply lines to the south, and threaten the North Korean forces fighting in the Pusan Perimeter. The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) initially were skeptical about the operation because of the risks involved, but soon gave its approval when General MacArthur expressed unwavering optimism in the feasibility of his plan. U.S. forces then prepared to launch an amphibious landing on Inchon.
On September 15, 1950, preceded by days of heavy air attacks and naval artillery bombardment, some 75,000 U.S. and South Korean troops (of the newly reconstituted U.S. X Corps) in 260 naval vessels were amphibiously landed north and south of Inchon, taking the city where they met only light resistance from the small North Korean garrison.
The unexpected UN landing at Inchon dealt a psychological blow to North Korean forces at the Pusan Perimeter. Already weakened by shortages of food and ammunitions, and rising casualties, by the third week of September 1950, North Korean resistance collapsed, with whole military units breaking down, and tens of thousands of troops fleeing north or to the mountains, or surrendering en masse. For the North Korean Army, its defeat at the Pusan Perimeter was catastrophic: some 65,000 (over 60%) of its 98,000 troops were lost; it had lost nearly all its tanks and artillery pieces; and most crucially, it ceased to be a force capable of stopping the UN forces which now began to steamroll northward.
By September 23, 1950, UN forces, comprising largely of the Eighth U.S. Army, had broken out of the Pusan Perimeter, and advanced north some 100 miles, on September 27 linking up with X Corps units from the Inchon landings at Osan. However, the UN forces’ aim of linking their units rather than actively pursuing the enemy allowed some 30,000 retreating North Korean soldiers from the Pusan Perimeter to escape and eventually cross the 38th parallel into North Korea, where they soon were reorganized into new fighting units. Other North Korean units that took to the mountains in the south also formed small militias that engaged in guerilla warfare.
UN forces at Inchon soon recaptured Kimpo airfield. There, U.S. planes began to conduct air strikes on North Korean positions in and around Seoul. UN ground forces then launched a three-pronged attack on the capital. They met heavy North Korean resistance at the perimeter but soon captured the heights overlooking the city. On September 25, 1950, UN forces entered Seoul, and soon declared the city liberated. Even then, house-to-house fighting continued until September 27, when the city was brought under full UN control. On September 29, 1950, UN forces formally turned over the capital to President Syngman Rhee, who reestablished his government there. And by the end of September 1950, with remnants of the decimated North Korean Army retreating in disarray across the 38th parallel, South Korean and UN units gained control of all pre-war South Korean territory.
On October 1, 1950, the South Korean Army crossed the 38th parallel into North Korea along the eastern and central regions; UN forces, however, waited for orders. Four days earlier, on September 27, 1950, President Truman sent a top-secret directive to General MacArthur advising him that UN forces could cross the 38th parallel only if the Soviet Union or China had not sent or did not intend to send forces to North Korea.
Earlier, the Chinese government had stated that UN forces crossing the 38th parallel would place China’s national security at risk, and thus it would be forced to intervene in the war. Chairman Mao Zedong also stated that if U.S. forces invaded North Korea, China must be ready for war with the United States.
At this stage of the Cold War, the United States believed that its biggest threat came from the Soviet Union, and that the Korean War may very well be a Soviet plot to spark an armed conflict between the United States and China. This would force the U.S. military to divert troops and resources to Asia, and leave Western Europe open to a Soviet invasion. But after much deliberation, the Truman administration concluded that China was “bluffing” and would not really intervene in Korea, and that its threats merely were intended to undermine the UN. Furthermore, General MacArthur also later (after UN forces had crossed the 38th parallel) expressed full confidence in the UN (i.e. U.S.) forces’ military superiority – that Chinese forces would face the “greatest slaughter” if they entered the war.
On October 7, 1950, the UNGA adopted Resolution 376 (V) which declared support for the restoration of stability in the Korean Peninsula, a tacit approval for the UN forces to take action in North Korea. Two days later, October 9, UN forces, led by the Eighth U.S. Army, crossed the 38th parallel in the west, with General MacArthur some days earlier demanding the unconditional surrender of the North Korean Army. UN forces met only light resistance during their advance north. On October 15, 1950, Namchonjam fell, followed two days later by Hwangju.
As early as July 1950, General MacArthur had conceived of a plan to launch a UN amphibious assault at Inchon harbor, located 27 kilometers southwest of Seoul on the central west coast. The success of such an operation would have the strategic effect of destabilizing the North Korean supply lines to the south, and threaten the North Korean forces fighting in the Pusan Perimeter. The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) initially were skeptical about the operation because of the risks involved, but soon gave its approval when General MacArthur expressed unwavering optimism in the feasibility of his plan. U.S. forces then prepared to launch an amphibious landing on Inchon.
On September 15, 1950, preceded by days of heavy air attacks and naval artillery bombardment, some 75,000 U.S. and South Korean troops (of the newly reconstituted U.S. X Corps) in 260 naval vessels were amphibiously landed north and south of Inchon, taking the city where they met only light resistance from the small North Korean garrison.
The unexpected UN landing at Inchon dealt a psychological blow to North Korean forces at the Pusan Perimeter. Already weakened by shortages of food and ammunitions, and rising casualties, by the third week of September 1950, North Korean resistance collapsed, with whole military units breaking down, and tens of thousands of troops fleeing north or to the mountains, or surrendering en masse. For the North Korean Army, its defeat at the Pusan Perimeter was catastrophic: some 65,000 (over 60%) of its 98,000 troops were lost; it had lost nearly all its tanks and artillery pieces; and most crucially, it ceased to be a force capable of stopping the UN forces which now began to steamroll northward.
By September 23, 1950, UN forces, comprising largely of the Eighth U.S. Army, had broken out of the Pusan Perimeter, and advanced north some 100 miles, on September 27 linking up with X Corps units from the Inchon landings at Osan. However, the UN forces’ aim of linking their units rather than actively pursuing the enemy allowed some 30,000 retreating North Korean soldiers from the Pusan Perimeter to escape and eventually cross the 38th parallel into North Korea, where they soon were reorganized into new fighting units. Other North Korean units that took to the mountains in the south also formed small militias that engaged in guerilla warfare.
UN forces at Inchon soon recaptured Kimpo airfield. There, U.S. planes began to conduct air strikes on North Korean positions in and around Seoul. UN ground forces then launched a three-pronged attack on the capital. They met heavy North Korean resistance at the perimeter but soon captured the heights overlooking the city. On September 25, 1950, UN forces entered Seoul, and soon declared the city liberated. Even then, house-to-house fighting continued until September 27, when the city was brought under full UN control. On September 29, 1950, UN forces formally turned over the capital to President Syngman Rhee, who reestablished his government there. And by the end of September 1950, with remnants of the decimated North Korean Army retreating in disarray across the 38th parallel, South Korean and UN units gained control of all pre-war South Korean territory.
On October 1, 1950, the South Korean Army crossed the 38th parallel into North Korea along the eastern and central regions; UN forces, however, waited for orders. Four days earlier, on September 27, 1950, President Truman sent a top-secret directive to General MacArthur advising him that UN forces could cross the 38th parallel only if the Soviet Union or China had not sent or did not intend to send forces to North Korea.
Earlier, the Chinese government had stated that UN forces crossing the 38th parallel would place China’s national security at risk, and thus it would be forced to intervene in the war. Chairman Mao Zedong also stated that if U.S. forces invaded North Korea, China must be ready for war with the United States.
At this stage of the Cold War, the United States believed that its biggest threat came from the Soviet Union, and that the Korean War may very well be a Soviet plot to spark an armed conflict between the United States and China. This would force the U.S. military to divert troops and resources to Asia, and leave Western Europe open to a Soviet invasion. But after much deliberation, the Truman administration concluded that China was “bluffing” and would not really intervene in Korea, and that its threats merely were intended to undermine the UN. Furthermore, General MacArthur also later (after UN forces had crossed the 38th parallel) expressed full confidence in the UN (i.e. U.S.) forces’ military superiority – that Chinese forces would face the “greatest slaughter” if they entered the war.
On October 7, 1950, the UNGA adopted Resolution 376 (V) which declared support for the restoration of stability in the Korean Peninsula, a tacit approval for the UN forces to take action in North Korea. Two days later, October 9, UN forces, led by the Eighth U.S. Army, crossed the 38th parallel in the west, with General MacArthur some days earlier demanding the unconditional surrender of the North Korean Army. UN forces met only light resistance during their advance north. On October 15, 1950, Namchonjam fell, followed two days later by Hwangju.