Australia in the Korean War
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Following failed attempts at unification, North Korea invaded South Korea on 25 June, 1950[2] which caused the United Nations (UN) to call a resolution to protect South Korea from further aggression and occupation. The Liberal government of Australia, led by Prime Minister Robert Menzies, immediately responded to the resolution by offering military assistance. About 17,000 Australians served in Korea in between 1950 and 1953, with casualties numbering about 339 dead and 1200 wounded.[3]
Background
Soviet forces entered the Korean peninsula on 10 August 1945, followed a few weeks later by the American forces who entered through
- all hostilities to end and North Korea to withdraw to the 38th Parallel;
- a UN Commission on Korea to be formed to monitor the situation and report to the Security Council;
- all UN members to support the United Nations in achieving this, and refrain from providing assistance to the North Korean authorities.
With the commitment of Australian forces to the Korean War, the Australian government called for 1000 men who had prior military experience in World War II to enlist in the army for three years, with one year of overseas service in Korea, to be called Korean Force or K-Force.[6][7] A portion of the force was to be recruited in Great Britain.[8] At the end of their enlistment, personnel recruited from the United Kingdom could elect to be discharged in Australia, or to return to the UK.[9] Their previous military experience in the Second World War would facilitate rapid deployment to Korea.
When the Korean People's Army crossed into South Korea on 25 June 1950, they advanced for Seoul, which
No. 77 Squadron converted to
History
Australia's involvement
By the time 3 RAR arrived in Pusan on 28 September, the KPA was in retreat. Under UN Supreme Commander, General
By 21 October, the US 24th Infantry Division, with the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade leading, crossed the Taedong River at Pyongyang and headed north. The next day the Australians of 3 RAR took the lead in the advance, and C Company was the leading company.
Battle of Yongyu
At 07:00 on 22 October 1950, C Company, 3 RAR advanced with 7 Platoon leading, mounted on tanks of D Company, US 89th Tank Battalion, followed by the rest of the company in motorized transport. At 09:00 and 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Yongyu, C Company came under fire from an apple orchard on the slopes of Hill 163 in YD 2354 (map grid location). It became apparent that C Company had driven into KPA which was in the process of forming up an attack on the Americans. At 09:30, 7 and 8 Platoons attacked the high ground east of the road, with 9 Platoon in reserve holding the road and northern flank.[citation needed]
The attacking platoons advanced uphill through the apple trees and, although outnumbered, the Australians pressed their attack. The platoons continued on to their objective, which was the vital ground. The KPA outposts were captured with comparatively little resistance, with the KPA'sr attention directed north around efforts to break out past the American forces. Thereafter, with the KPA's focus elsewhere, the advance by C Company was met with disorganized resistance.[citation needed]
The Australians reported approximately 150 KPA killed, 239 wounded, and 200 captured as a result of the action at a cost of seven wounded. The operations in
Chinese entry
There were increasing concerns from the Chinese that the UN offensive would continue past the Yalu River, and cross into China. There were some deliberations in the UN forces, including General MacArthur, that war with China would be necessary and that since KPA troops were being supplied by bases in China, those supply depots should be bombed. However, US President Harry Truman and the other leaders disagreed, and MacArthur was ordered to be very cautious when approaching the Chinese border. Except on some rare occasions, UN bombers remained out of Manchuria during the war.[10][citation needed]
On 8 October 1950, the day after American troops crossed the 38th Parallel, the threat eventuated when Chairman Mao Zedong ordered the People's Liberation Army's North East Frontier Force to be reorganised into the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.[11] He then subsequently ordered the army to move to the Yalu River. Soviet aid was requested and the intervention was delayed while waiting for the requested help from the Soviets, with the planned attack postponed from 13 to 19 October. However, Soviet assistance was limited to providing air support no nearer than 60 miles (97 km) from the battlefront. [citation needed]
The PVA
The PVA began a new
Battle of Kapyong
PVA forces of the
Australian troops from 3 RAR, and Canadian troops from Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were ordered to halt this PVA advance. The mission of the men of the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade was to block the two approaches to Kapyong. In only a few hours, they managed to prepare defensive positions.[citation needed]
The PVA 118th Division engaged their two forward battalions on 23 April. In the early part of the battle the 1st Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment and the 16th Field Regiment of the
The initial PVA attack at Kapyong engaged 3 RAR on Hill 504. The PVA then struck at the Canadian front. Continued assaults by PVA troops kept up the attack throughout the night of 23 April. After a night of fierce fighting,
2 PPCLI was completely surrounded.
During the withdrawal of the Australians, 4 men from B Company, 3RAR, formed a rearguard to hold off any
Despite their enormous advantage in numbers the PVA troops had been badly outgunned. Their courage and tenacity could not overcome the well-trained, well-disciplined and well-armed Australians and Canadians.[12]
For their conduct of this engagement,
Battle of Maryang San (Operation Commando)
The second major battle the Australians fought in 1951 was
By July 1951, 3 RAR had come under the control of the 1st Commonwealth Division. Objectives of the 1st Commonwealth Division during Operation Commando, including the Australians, were Hill 355 and Hill 317.
The attack began on 3 October 1951 with the US
The official historian for the Korean War, Robert O'Neill, wrote of this battle: "In this action 3RAR had won one of the most impressive victories achieved by any Australian battalion. In five days of heavy fighting 3RAR dislodged a numerically superior enemy from a position of great strength. The Australians were successful in achieving surprise on 3 and 5 October, the company and platoon showed high courage, tenacity and morale despite some very difficult situations, such as that of D company when the mist rose on 5 October and those of B and C Companies when the weight of enemy fire threatened their isolation of Hill 317 on 7 October ... The victory of Maryang San is probably the greatest single feat of the Australian Army during the Korean War".
Australian casualties during Operation Commando were 20 dead and 89 wounded.
Digging in
After 1951, both sides were in a type of combat comparable to the
As the war continued, several other nations grew less willing to contribute more ground troops. Australia, however, increased its troop strength in Korea,[18] by sending 1 RAR. This battalion arrived in Korea on 6 April 1952 and experienced its first major combat during Operation Blaze on 2 July.[19] In March 1953, they were replaced by 2 RAR.[20]
RAN in Korea
Royal Australian Navy vessels had been stationed in Japan following the Japanese surrender ending World War II. Following North Korea's invasion of the South, RAN vessels stationed in Japan were put on immediate alert.
On 29 June Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced that the frigate HMAS Shoalhaven, stationed in Japan, and the destroyer HMAS Bataan, in Hong Kong would be placed under UN command in Korea. On 1 July, one day after President Truman committed American ground forces to Korea, the first Australian operation in Korea took place; HMAS Shoalhaven moved from Japan to Pusan escorting an American ammunition ship. On 27 July 1950, the destroyer HMAS Warramunga was also deployed.
During the
RAAF in Korea
The
No. 77 Squadron was committed to action over Korea as part of the UN forces, and flew its first ground attack sorties on 2 July 1950, making it the first UN unit to see action.
No. 30 Communications Flight, No. 491 (Maintenance) Squadron, and No. 391 (Base) Squadron were attached to the UN Command in Korea and grouped into No. 91 (Composite) Wing in October 1950. No. 91 Wing was based in Iwakuni, Japan.
No. 77 Squadron fully deployed to Korea in October to support the UN advance into North Korea but was withdrawn to Pusan in November in response to the PVA counter-attack.
The Squadron was withdrawn to Japan in April 1951 to re-equip with
Following heavy losses from MiG-15 fighters, No. 77 Squadron operated in the ground attack role from December 1951 until the end of the war; it remained in South Korea on garrison duties until returning to Australia in November 1954.
Battle of Sunchon
The Battle of Sunchon was an air battle fought near the city of
Airfields used
- Taegu
- Pohang10/50 11/50
- Yonpo Airfield, North Korea 11/50 12/50
- Pusan East (K-9) Air Base 12/50 04/51
- Kimpo 7/51 03/54
- Kunsan 3/54 10/54
Cessation of hostilities
On 29 November 1952, US President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower fulfilled a campaign promise by going to Korea to find out what could be done to end the conflict. The Korean Armistice Agreement was signed on 27 July 1953, by the UN, North Korea, and China, President of South Korea Syngman Rhee refused to sign the agreement.[22] When the Armistice Agreement was signed and the ceasefire came into effect the front line was back on approximately the 38th Parallel. Under the terms of the armistice a demilitarised zone (DMZ) was established along the front line, presently defended by North Korean troops on one side and by South Korean, American, and UN troops on the other. The DMZ runs north of the parallel towards the east, and to the south as it travels west.
After the war ended, Australians remained in Korea for four years as military observers. Australia gained political and security benefits, the most important being the signing of the ANZUS Treaty with the United States and New Zealand.[23]
Of the 17,000 Australians who served in Korea, casualties numbered more than 1,500, of whom 339 were killed.
Timeline of Australian involvement in Korea
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1951 |
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1952 |
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See also
- Australia in the Korean War 1950–53
- Australian Army battle honours of the Korean War
- United Kingdom in the Korean War
- Canada in the Korean War
- New Zealand in the Korean War
- Korean War Memorial
- United Nations Forces in the Korean War
- Medical support in the Korean War
References
- ^ "Surrender of Japan (1945)". National Archives. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Korean War, 1950-53 | Australian War Memorial". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Korean War 1950–53: Epilogue". Australian War Memorial. 11 December 2021.
- ISBN 0-16-001918-4. CMH Pub 20–2–1. Archived from the originalon 18 October 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
- ^ President Harry S. Truman (25 June 1950). "Resolution, dated 25 June, from United Nations Security Council calling for North Korea to withdraw its forces to the 38th parallel and for hostilities between North and South Korea to cease". Truman Library. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2007.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ p.24 Forbes, Cameron The Korean War Macmillan Publishers Australia, 1 November 2010
- ^ "Korean Force". awm.gov.au.
- ^ p.70 Grey, Jeffrey A Soldier's Soldier: A Biography of Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Daly Cambridge University Press, 25 October 2012
- ^ "Australia's Involvement in Korea". Archived from the original on 13 February 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ^ Crocker, Harry Martin (2002). "Chinese intervention in the Korean War".
- ISBN 7-80137-390-1.
- ^ a b "Kapyong – 23–24 April 1951". 2008. Archived from the original on 29 December 2007. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ^ "Kap'yong". 2008. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ^ "No. 39233". The London Gazette. 22 May 1951. p. 2817.
- ^ "No. 39518". The London Gazette. 8 April 1952. p. 2113.
- ^ "No. 37442". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 January 1946. p. 646.
- ^ "No. 36972". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 March 1945. p. 1304.
- ^ "Korean War". 2008. Archived from the original on 8 November 2007. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ^ "1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ Royal Australian Regiment. "Royal Australian Regiment Standing Orders—Annex A to Chapter 1: 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment: A Brief History" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
- ^ Macdougall Pg. 321 – 323
- ^ "Syngman Rhee Biography: Rhee Attacks Peace Proceedings". Korean War Commemoration Biographies. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
- ^ "Australians in Korea". 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
Further reading
- The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War-2 (Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, United Kingdom) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1981 (E-BOOK) Archived 9 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine
- The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War-2 (Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, United Kingdom) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1981 (PDF) Archived 5 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine
- The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War-6 (Summary) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1977 (E-BOOK) Archived 9 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine
- The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War-6 (Summary) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1977 (PDF) Archived 28 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine
- The Korean War and the UN Forces - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2015 (E-BOOK) Archived 9 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The Korean War and the UN Forces - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2015 (PDF) Archived 9 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The Statistics of the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2014 (E-BOOK) Archived 9 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The Statistics of the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2014 (PDF) Archived 11 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1998 (E-BOOK) Archived 9 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The History of the UN Forces in the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1998 (PDF) Archived 9 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The Summary of the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1986 (PDF) Archived 9 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The History of the Korean War-10: The UN Forces (Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Netherlands) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1980 (E-BOOK) Archived 24 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The History of the Korean War-10: The UN Forces (Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Netherlands) - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1980 (PDF) Archived 5 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- S2CID 216222906.
- Brown, Colin H (1997). Stalemate in Korea and How We Coped:The Royal Australian Regiment in the Static War of 1952–1953. Loftus, NSW: Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 978-0-9586693-9-9.
- Forbes, Cameron (2010). The Korean War: Australia in the Giants' Playground. Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia. ISBN 978-1-4050-4001-3.
- ISBN 0-642-04329-9.
- O'Neill, Robert (1985). Australia in the Korean War 1950–53. Combat Operations. Vol. II. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian War Memorial. ISBN 0-642-04330-2.