Canada in the Korean War
The
Background
Japan's defeat in
The Soviet forces entered the Korean Peninsula on 10 August 1945, followed a few weeks later by the American forces who entered through Incheon. U.S. Army Lieutenant-General John R. Hodge formally accepted the surrender of Japanese forces south of the 38th Parallel on 9 September 1945 at the Government House in Seoul.[2]
Although both rival factions tried initially to diplomatically reunite the divided nation, the Northern faction eventually tried to do so with military force. The North hoped that they would be able to unify the peninsula via insurgency, but the success of South Korea (Republic of Korea: ROK) in suppressing insurgency brought about the realization for the North that they would require military force. North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea: DPRK) had expanded their army and Korean volunteers fighting in Manchuria in the Chinese Civil War had given their troops battle experience.[3] The North expected to win with the war in a matter of days. Troops from North's Korean People's Army (KPA) crossed the 38th parallel on 25 June 1950 beginning a civil war.
The invasion of South Korea came as a surprise to the United Nations. The day the war began, the United Nations immediately drafted UNSC Resolution 82, which called for:[4]
- 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.
When the Korean People's Army crossed into South Korea on 25 June 1950, they advanced for the capital Seoul, which fell in less than a week.
Canadian Army involvement
Special Force
Lieutenant-General
Recruits for the Special Force were enlisted for a period of eighteen months with recruits coming from both the Active Force, World War II veterans and adventure seeking young men. The normal recruitment standards were lowered since "the army would not wish to retain the 'soldier of fortune' type of personnel on a long term basis'". Units of the Special Force would be second battalions of the existing three Permanent Force regiments.[5]
On 15 August 1950, the 2nd Battalion was created within
Special Force Second Battalions of the Royal Canadian Regiment[8] and Royal 22nd Regiment[9] were formed and sent to Korea in 1951.
By spring 1951, 8500 Canadians troops were supporting the United Nations, alongside 12,500 British, 5000 Filipino troops and 5000 Turkish troops.[10]
Area of operations
From the summer of 1951 to the end of the war, most of the Canadian involvement centered on a small area north of Seoul "between the 38th parallel on the south and the town of
Operation Killer
Operation Killer was a counter-offensive by the United Nations forces to push Communist Chinese and North Korean armies back behind the Han River and recover the South Korean capital.[13] The operation began on February 21, 1951.[14] The 900 Canadians of the 2PPCLI set off to the front on 15 February, 240 km away. It was cold and men sat in trucks for 48 hours before arriving. They suffered frostbite and numbed limbs, and the lubricants on their weapons froze during the journey.
The Canadians arrived 17 February at 3:00pm. Their goal was to advance toward Hill 404. On their way, they were flanked on both sides but managed to continue up to the hill to have the high ground on the enemy for Operation Killer. On 21 February, the Patricias left the small village of Sangsok and headed north to their assigned objective of a new hill called Hill 419. This hill was defended by the Chinese. The Patricias D Company led by Captain J. G. Turnbull were to attack but the ridge of the hill gave an easy line of sight for the Chinese. The Canadians took fire from every direction from cannons, rockets and small arms fire. They were under intense fire. Their attack was postponed for 36 hours but they kept up aggressive patrols and eventually the Australians gained control of Hill 619. The Australians taking Hill 619 made the Chinese leave Hill 419 and the Canadians took the hill without serious opposition. From 21 to 28 February, the Patricias suffered 10 killed and more than 21 wounded.[clarification needed][15] The operation ended on 6 March 1951.
The Canadians learned a strong lesson about the People's Volunteer Army during this Operation. They were told by British intelligence that there "was nothing surprising about the enemy: the concealment, mobility, poor marksmanship and stamina".[attribution needed][16] The Canadians learned during the operation that the Chinese were very good at concealing automatic weapons along approach lines. Finally, the operation was successful in the objective that it had set with the United Nations forces.[17]
Battle of Kapyong
In April 1951, Chinese forces of the
The
On 22 April 1951 the Chinese advanced towards Kapyong Valley defeating the ROK positions in their way. The 2 PPCLI became aware of the Chinese advance from two regiments of the 6th ROK who were retreating past their positions. As one Canadian[who?] recalled it, "[W]e looked out and all we could see were South Korean troops flying past us along with all these monstrous American Vehicles they were supplied with".[19] With this overwhelming alarm, the Canadians started digging trenches and positioning themselves on Hill 677. They also put positions on the mile-long ridge that was connected to it. Hill 677 for the Canadians was positioned on the west side of the Kapyong River. On Hill 504, dug in were the 3 RAR which was on the other side of Hill 677 and who were also ready for the Chinese attack.[12]
The
The initial Chinese attack at Kapyong engaged 3 RAR on Hill 504. The Chinese then struck at the Canadian front. Waves of massed Chinese troops kept up the attack throughout the night of 23 April. After a night of fierce fighting
The Chinese had managed to infiltrate the brigade position by the morning of 23 April. The Australians and Canadians were facing the whole of the Chinese 118th Division. Throughout 24 April the battle was unrelenting. It devolved on both fronts into hand-to-hand combat with bayonet charges. The Australians, facing encirclement, were ordered to make an orderly fall back to new defensive positions late in the day of 24 April.
2 PPCLI was completely surrounded.
The 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, also managed to withdraw and link up with the U.S. Army's 72nd Heavy Tank Battalion. These units provided close heavy gun support.
Canada lost 10 soldiers killed (out of allied losses of 47) and 23 wounded at this battle.
Patrols and skirmishes
On May 25, 1951, the 2nd Battalion PPCLI was transferred to the
Three Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) destroyers were dispatched as Canada's initial response to the United Nations' call for assistance during the Korean War, and were sent to Korean waters to join other UN naval forces. The eight Canadian ships' duties included shore bombardments and the destruction of North Korean trains and railway lines. Initially dispatched in 1950, Canadian destroyers maintained a presence off the Korean peninsula until 1955.[24]
The ships were first under fire during the bombardment of Inchon in the middle of January 1951. The coastal defence fire was inaccurate, and the ships doubled back and silenced the guns.[25] Another bombardment at Inchon two days later was also successful, without damage. The only Canadian naval casualties of the Korean War occurred on 2 October 1952 during an inshore patrol by Iroquois on the east coast, inflicted by a coastal defence battery: 3 sailors died and 10 were wounded.[25] Canadian ships destroyed 8 of the 28 trains destroyed by United Nations forces, and Crusader alone hit 3 trains.
The first dispatch was
Royal Canadian Air Force in Korea
In 1950, the
The RCAF was not involved with a combat role since no jet fighter squadrons capable of the type of combat required in Korea were yet in service, and capable fighter squadrons that later did become operational were allocated to NATO duty in Europe. Twenty-two RCAF fighter pilots, however, flew the North American F-86 Sabre on exchange duty with the United States Air Force (USAF) in Korea so that they could gain combat experience. Between them, these pilots were credited with nine Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15s destroyed, two probable kills, and ten damaged in the course of 1036 sorties. They were awarded seven Distinguished Flying Crosses, one Commonwealth Distinguished Flying Cross, and four Air Medals. One was shot down and captured due to friendly fire.[26] One Canadian famously known for being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross was Ernie Glover. He was also a World War II veteran who flew Hurricane fighter planes. He was known for shooting down three enemy planes in less than two days and contributing a major effort to the South Korean air support throughout the war. During the war, the United Nations had air dominance, giving them an advantage in air to ground offences.[12]
When the USAF experienced a shortage of F-86s, Canada supplied sixty Canadair Sabres.[citation needed]
Cessation of hostilities
On 29 November 1952, U.S. President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower fulfilled a campaign promise by going to Korea to find out what could be done to end the conflict. With the UN's acceptance of India's proposal for a Korean armistice, a cease-fire was established on 27 July 1953, by which time the front line was back around the 38th parallel, and so a demilitarised zone (DMZ) was established around it, 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. The site of the peace talks, Kaesong, the old capital of Korea, was part of the South before hostilities broke out but is currently a special city of the North. North Korea and the United States signed the Armistice Agreement, which Syngman Rhee refused to sign.[27]
After the war ended, Canadians remained in Korea for three years as military observers.
Altogether, more than 26,000 Canadians served in the Korean conflict from 1950 to 1953 — and another 7,000 Canadians served in the Korean theatre between the cease-fire of 1953 and the end of 1955. 516 died, due to enemy action, illness or accident.
War crimes
Canadian forces committed a small number of atrocities during the Korean War. Several soldiers were convicted by Canadian military courts for murder, rape, manslaughter, robbery, and attempted murder. However, upon their return to Canada, many of those convicted were released from prison within a year or two. Historian Chris Madsen concluded that, "Once the immediate need of providing a deterrent for other soldiers contemplating such behaviour was fulfilled and the general public lost interest, the Department of National Defence quietly returned the disgraced soldiers back to civilian life as quickly as possible."[30] Brent Byron Watson found that Canadian military commanders exercised correct military discipline and acted quickly to punish their men for atrocities. However, the Canadian government would regularly release the perpetrators upon their return to Canada, where they were supposed to serve out their sentences.[31]
Suffice it to say that very few men who were actually found guilty of these crimes served their full sentences after being returned to Canada; in fact, most were released within a year or two. This travesty of justice was yet another example of the institutional racism that seems to have permeated the upper echelons of the Department of National Defence. Yet the failure of Canadian military justice at the highest levels can hardly be blamed on Canadian field commanders. The evidence clearly indicates that they immediately took the appropriate disciplinary action in cases involving serious criminal offences, whether perpetrated against civilians or fellow soldiers.
Timeline of Canadian involvement in Korea
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See also
- United Nations Forces in the Korean War
- Medical support in the Korean War
- Korean War Memorial Wall (Canada)
- Korean War in popular culture
- List of Korean War weapons
- Military history of Australia during the Korean War
- United Kingdom in the Korean War
- Australia in the Korean War
- New Zealand in the Korean War
References
- ^ "Canada Remembers The Korean War Historical Sheet – Korean War – History – Veterans Affairs Canada". Veterans.gc.ca. Retrieved 2014-12-27.
- ISBN 0-16-001918-4. CMH Pub 20–2–1. Archived from the originalon 2014-02-07. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- ISBN 978-0742567160.
- ^ 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 2010-01-02. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
- ^ pp342-343 Marteinson, John We Stand on Guard An Illustrated History of the Canadian Army 1992 Ovale Publications
- ^ "Chapter 2" (PDF), Regimental Manual (complete official history of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry), pp. 2–7/18, archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2011, retrieved February 23, 2011
- ]
- ^ "2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment - History". Canadian Army. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ "Royal 22e Régiment". canadiansoldiers.com. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ Seth, Michael. History of Korea. p. 324.
- ^ John Melady, Korea Canada's Forgotten War Second Ed ( Toronto: Dundurn, 2011),213
- ^ a b c John Melady, Korea Canada's Forgotten War Second Ed ( Toronto: Dundurn , 2011)
- ^ David Bercuson, Blood on the Hills The Canadian Army in the Korean War (Toronto: Dundurn, 1999), 83
- ^ David Bercuson, Blood on the Hills The Canadian Army in the Korean War (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999), 83
- ^ David Bercuson, Blood on the Hills The Canadian Army in the Korean War (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999, 91
- ^ David Bercuson, Blood on the Hills The Canadian Army in the Korean War (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999), 91
- ^ David Bercuson, Blood on the Hills The Canadian Army in the Korean War (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999)
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7748-4106-1.
- ^ John Melady, Korea Canada's Forgotten War Second Ed (Toronto: Dundurn, 2011),117
- ISBN 978-0-19-285333-2.
- ^ "Kapyong – 23–24 April 1951". 2008. Archived from the original on 2007-12-29. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
- ^ "Kap'yong". 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
- ISBN 978-1-56619-206-4.
- ^ Thor Thorgrimsson and E.C. Russell, Canadian Naval Operations in Korean Waters, 1950–1955 Archived 2018-07-12 at the Wayback Machine, (Ottawa: Queen's Printer, 1965). Retrieved 9 May 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Air And Naval Support – Canadians In Korea – Korean War – History – Veterans Affairs Canada". Veterans.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15. Retrieved 2013-05-08.
- ISBN 9781551251165.
- ^ "Syngman Rhee Biography: Rhee Attacks Peace Proceedings". Korean War Commemoration Biographies. Archived from the original on 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
- ^ "Page Three – Veterans Affairs Canada". Veterans.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- ^ "UN Memorial Cemetery (Official)". Archived from the original on 2019-06-30. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
- ISBN 978-0-7748-0719-7.
- ISBN 978-0-7735-2372-2.
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 2023-07-09 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 2023-06-05 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 2023-07-09 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 2023-06-28 at the Wayback Machine
- The Korean War and the UN Forces - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2015 (E-BOOK) Archived 2023-07-09 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 2023-07-09 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 2023-07-09 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The Statistics of the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 2014 (PDF) Archived 2021-01-11 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 2023-07-09 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 2023-07-09 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- The Summary of the Korean War - ROK Ministry of National Defense Institute for Military History, 1986 (PDF) Archived 2023-07-09 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 2023-06-24 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 2023-06-05 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- David J. Bercuson (1 April 2002). Blood on the Hills: The Canadian Army in the Korean War. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0-8020-8516-0.
- Dan Bjarnason (2 April 2011). Triumph at Kapyong: Canada's Pivotal Battle in Korea. Dundurn Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1-55488-872-6.
- Johnston, William Cameron (2003). A war of patrols: Canadian Army operations in Korea. Canadian War Museum UBC Press. ISBN 0-7748-1008-4.
- Meyers, Edward c (1992). Thunder in the Morning Calm: The Royal Canadian Navy in Korea 1950–1955. Vanwell Publishing, Limited. ISBN 978-0-920277-71-3.
- Melady, John (2011). Korea: Canada's Forgotten War. Toronto: Dundurn. ISBN 9781459701328.
- Peate, Les (2005). The War That Wasn't: Canadians in Korea. Ottawa: Esprit de Corps. ISBN 1895896347.
- Official accounts – National Defence and the Canadian Forces
- Historical Section General Staff, Army Headquarters (1956) Canada's Army in Korea: The United Nations Operations, 1950–53, and Their Aftermath Archived 2013-05-22 at the Wayback Machine Queen's Printer (Downloadable PDF)
- Wood, F.W (1966) Official History of the Canadian Army in Korea: Strange Battleground Archived 2013-05-22 at the Wayback Machine Queen's Printer, Ottawa (Downloadable PDF)
- Thorgrimmson, E.C. Russell (1956) Canadian Naval Operations in Korean Waters, 1950–1955 Archived 2018-07-12 at the Wayback Machine Naval Historical Section, Canadian Forces Headquarters, Ottawa (Downloadable PDF)
External links
- "The Korean War - History - Veterans Affairs Canada". Archived from the original on 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Veterans Affairs Canada - Canadians in Korea Archived 2013-05-11 at the Wayback Machine – Korea Veterans Association of Canada
- Forgotten Heroes: Canada and the Korean War – CBC Digital Archives
- The Korean War 1950–1953 at the Wayback Machine (archived June 9, 2014). The Royal Canadian Regiment