Korean War (1950 – 1953) in Real Time

[lordroel]

Day 150 of the Korean War, November 20th 1950

Commander in Chief, Far East (CINCFE) issue orders regarding the etiquette for U.N. forces at the border. Its sanctity was to be meticulously preserved; only small elements will be advanced to its immediate neighborhood; the hydroelectric plants, which served both North Korea and Manchuria, would be kept in uninterrupted operation.

United States Army, Edward Almond commanding officer of X Corps (United States), acting on instructions from United States Army, General MacArthur, warns his command that minimum forces only were to advance to the immediate vicinity of Korea's northern border. No troops or vehicles were to go beyond the boundary into Manchuria or the USSR, and no fire was to be exchanged with, or air strikes brought down on, forces north of the northern boundary. Damage, destruction, and disruption of power plants are to be avoided.

Air operations - Korean peninsula

Combat Cargo Command air-dropped rations and gasoline at Kapsan, some 20 miles south of the Yalu River, to supply the 7th Infantry Division (United States), the US ground unit advancing the farthest north during the war.

United States

"Recent reports seem to indicate," MacArthur's staff informs Washington, "that the enemy is organizing the ground to take advantage of rough terrain, but it is still not clear as to just what this general limited withdrawal activity may portend." These officers note that similar withdrawals by the enemy in the past had preceded offensive actions. "On the other hand," they point but to Army officials in Washington, "the sudden reversal coupled with limited withdrawals and considerable activity in the vicinity of strong defensive points may indicate a high level decision to defend from previously selected and prepared positions."

United States Army, General Bolte pointed out to Chief of Staff of the United States Army, United States Army, General Collins that the State Department is seriously considering a "buffer state" or neutralized zone as a means of stopping the military action in Korea and decreasing the possibility of world conflict. This idea, according to General Bolte, is being pushed within the Department of State with considerable vigor, to the extent that specific proposals by which the policy would be presented were being drawn up. The British Government has reportedly suggested that such an approach should be considered by the United Nations. Bolte leaves no doubt as to where he stands. He tells Collins that he was is unalterably opposed to a buffer zone concept as is United States Army, General MacArthur. Bolte faels that any buffer zone offer by the United States can seriously restrict the United Nations (and the United States) militarily without any resulting gain. He recommended strongly that General MacArthur's missions and directives not be changed.

[lordroel]

Day 151 of the Korean War, November 21st 1950

Land operations - Korean peninsula

Troops of the 17th Infantry, 7th Division (United States), reach the Yalu River at Hyesanjin. United States Army, General MacArthur immediately congratulates United States Army, General Almond, who, in turn, commended the 7th Division for "an outstanding military achievement." Almond's message ends on an optimistic note when he tel United States Army, Major General David G. Barr, "The 7th Division has reached its objective and I am confident that you will hold it." Almond meanwhile orders a plan made for a westward advance along the Hagaru-ri-Mup'yong-ni axis. He directs that the road to the Changjin Reservoir be developed as a corps supply road and that an RCT of the 7th Division be assigned to seize Changjin town and to protect the east flank of the 1st Marine Division (United States). The two objectives, Changjin and Mup'yong-ni, are too widely separated to be assigned to a single division. General Almond also directs that the planners take into consideration that extreme winter temperatures of 30 to 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit will severely restrict both friendly and enemy operations.

Eighth Army (United States) advises I Corps (United States) and IX Corps (United States) and the ROK that H-hour for the army attack is 10:00 November 24th. Word of the attack hour has reached the front-line units on this day. The army front is generally quiet. Patrols are out several thousand yards in front of the line with little PVA/KPA contact. Nearly everywhere the PVA/KPA seems to have withdrawn during the past week, leaving behind light outpost and covering positions. At no place does UN forces uncover what can be considered a main line of resistance. At the start of the offensive UN ground forces number 423,000 while it is estimated that the KPA strength is approximately 97,000 and the PVA strength approximately 70,000.

United States

A meeting between the representatives of the Department of Defense and the Department of State to discuss the possibility of negotiating with the Chinese Communists to end the fighting in Korea by establishing a demilitarized zone on one or both sides of the Korean-Manchurian frontier happens. United States Army, General Bolte addressed the Chief of Staff on the matter and expressed strong feelings against any such method of curtailing military operations in Korea. "In light not only of the United Nations objectives in Korea," Bolte says, "but also of our national objectives world-wide, and until such time as CINCUNC indicates that he is unable to continue the action against the Chinese Communists, his directives . . . should not be changed, and a decision to halt the action in Korea short of the Korean frontier should not be made on military grounds." The Army's top planning officer felt that the only grounds on which MacArthur should be ordered to halt his advance would be that further offensive action would cause too great a risk of global war and conversely that cessation of the offensive would tend to minimize that risk. In General Bolte's opinion, a continuation of the action would not, of itself, engender risk of general war nor would a cessation of the action lessen such a risk. He held a rather optimistic view of the United Nations Command's combat potential, saying, "It is not envisaged that the Chinese Communists can succeed in driving presently committed United Nations forces from Korea, unless materially assisted by Soviet ground and air power." He believed that MacArthur had sufficient strength to hold any line in North Korea "in light of circumstances now prevailing." Bolte admitts that the drive to the border would no doubt increase the tenseness of the situation to some extent. But he emphasized that the decision to cross the 38th Parallel is based on the consideration that all of Korea should be cleared of Communist forces, and that attack from Manchuria would be recognized as an open act of military aggression. Further, the United Nations would actually have a better chance of localizing the conflict by driving all Communist forces from North Korea. A show of strength might well discourage further aggression where weakness would encourage it. General Bolte urges that if the Secretary of State suggested ". . . a new United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a demilitarized zone in North Korea to be administered by a United Nations body with Chinese Communist representation," the Defense Department oppose it. He concluded, prophetically, that ". . . history has proved that negotiating with Communists is as fruitless as it is repulsive. The present case is no exception."

Canada

The Canoe River train happens near Valemount in eastern British Columbia when a westbound troop train carrying 23 officers and 315 men of 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (RCHA) for deployment to the Korean War and the eastbound Canadian National Railway (CNR) Continental Limited collided head-on. The collision killed 21 people: 17 Canadian soldiers and the two-man locomotive crew of each train.

[lordroel]

Day 152 of the Korean War, November 22nd 1950

South Korea

United States Navy, Commander Weymouth flew to Seoul to confer with Fifth Air Force (United States) on the desired employment of the air groups of the remaining two fast carriers. This is not much. No close support is wanted, whether for Eighth Army (United States) or for X Corps (United States). Seventh Fleet aircraft, with those of FEAF’s Bomber Command, are to concentrate their efforts on bridges and communications within a 15-mile strip along the Yalu.

Photo: A U.S. Navy Douglas AD-4N Skyraider (BuNo 1241420) of Composite Squadron 3 (VC-3) Det.D "Blue Nemesis" at Yonpo Airfield (K-27) Korea, 22 November 1950. It carried U.S. Secretary of the Navy Francis P. Matthews and accompanying staff to Yonpo airfield. VC-3 Det. D was assigned to Carrier Air Group 11 (CVG-11) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) for a deployment to Korea from 5 July 1950 to 26 May 1951



North Korea

Under a truce flag, the Chinese Army released 27 wounded American prisoners of war, delivering them to the U.S. Army at a location north of Yongbyon, North Korea.

Japan

United States Army, General Douglas MacArthur tells visiting members of the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea that he expects that the Korean War will be over by the end of the year. He also described plans for holding elections in North Korea in 1951 for 100 seats in a 310-seat Korean parliament.

[lordroel]

Day 153 of the Korean War, November 23rd 1950

Land operations - Korean peninsula

Map: Korean front line 23 November 1950



The UN Command acknowledges the presence of twelve Chinese infantry divisions when in fact there were nine armies with thirty infantry divisions. The VIII Army Group (Chinese People's Volunteers) six armies are located 15–25 km (10–15 mi) north of the Eighth Army (United States) front. The 50th and 66th Armies stand opposite I Corps in the west; the 39th and 40th Armies are centrally located north of IX Corps; the 38th and 42nd Armies are above ROK II Corps in the east. The 42nd Army earlier has opposed X Corps forces below the Chosin Reservoir but has shifted west into the Eighth Army zone after being relieved by the 20th Army of the IX Army Group. The latter group, also deploys with major units assembled behind screening forces, is now located above and west of the reservoir. 20th Army is deployed to the west and south of Yudam-ni, in the path of the X Corps' coming westward drive and has assembled the 26th and 27th Armies in the mountains to the north and northeast of the reservoir. This arrangement of forces follows a long-existing Chinese concept of mobile defense designed for operations against a superior force. Aimed not to hold ground but to destroy opposing forces in brief actions, the underlying strategy was to invite attack; fight a delaying action while allowing the attack force to penetrate deep; then, at a point of Chinese choice, counterattack suddenly while the opposing force was ill-prepared to receive the assault. It is because the Chinese deployed major forces well behind screening units that Eighth Army patrols and X Corps assault forces had encountered only outposts after mid-November. Showing little awareness of their adversary's doctrine, however, UN officials had assumed from the light contact that the PVA has withdrawn into position defenses far to the north, and they had interpreted the deep, voluntary withdrawal as further indication that the PVA were weak in numbers.

While United States Army, General Walker fully expects the Eighth Army to encounter Chinese when it moved north, the lack of revealing contact in his zone left him uncertain about the location of PVA/KPA positions. From a study of aerial reconnaissance and prisoner of war interrogations, his Intelligence Officer (G-2), United States Army, Lieutenant colonel James C. Tarkenton, traced two possible PVA/KPA defense lines. The nearer line curved from Chongju northeast through T’aech’on and Unsan above the western half of the army front, then extended almost due east into the mountains roughly 16 km (10 mi) above the eastern segment of the front. The second line started at Sonch’on, 32 km (20 mi) beyond Chongju, and ran northeast through Kusong, Onjong and Huich’on and into the Taebaeks as far as the northern end of the Chosin Reservoir. Colonel Tarkenton estimated that the Eighth Army would meet some 48,000 PVA and several KPA units defending important road centers along these lines.

Walker distributed assault forces evenly for the advance toward the suspected lines. In the west, I Corps comprised the 24th Infantry Division, the ROK 1st Division, and the 27th Commonwealth Brigade. At center, IX Corps included the 25th Infantry Division, the 2nd Infantry Division, and the brigade-size 1st Turkish Armed Forces Command, which had not yet seen combat in Korea. ROK II Corps, on the east, would operate with the ROK 6th, 7th and 8th Divisions. The 1st Cavalry Division and the British 29th Independent Infantry Brigade were Walker's immediate reserves. While in reserve the cavalry were to protect forward army supply points at Kunu-ri, located just below the Ch’ongch’on River in the IX Corps area, and at Sukch’on, 25 km (15 mi) south of the river on Route 1 behind I Corps. The British brigade, a recent arrival in Korea, was currently far to the south assembling temporarily at Kaesong, 50 km (30 mi) north of Seoul. Eighth Army units with no assignment in the attack included the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team and the Philippines 10th Battalion Combat Team, which were guarding supply installations in the Pyongyang-Chinnamp’o area, and ROK III Corps with four recently activated or reactivated ROK divisions (the 2nd, 5th, 9th and 11th) which was operating against guerrillas in central and southern Korea. The Thai Battalion had just finished processing at the UN Reception Center and was en route to Pyongyang on the eve of the advance. Replacing the Thais at the reception center was the Netherlands Battalion, which had reached Korea on this day and was to receive two weeks’ training before joining operations.

Air operations - Korean peninsula

Photo: A Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet fighter photographed during an air battle on 23 November 1950 in which a MiG-15 was shot down over North Korea by U.S. Navy Grumman F9F-2 Panthers of Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31) "Tomcatters". VF-31 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 3 (CVG-3) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Leyte (CV-32) for a deployment to the Western Pacific and Korea from 6 September 1950 to 3 February 1951. Note puff of smoke behind the MiG



Naval operations - Korean peninsula

East Coast Blockade and Patrol Task Group (TG 95.2) reverted to Operational Control of United Nations Blockading and Escort Task Force (TF 95).

[lordroel]

Day 154 of the Korean War, November 24th 1950

Land operations - Korean peninsula

The "Home-by-Christmas" Offensive is launched at 10:00 a.m. Korean time, by United States Army, General MacArthur as a final assault by United Nations forces to take all of North Korea up to the Yalu River border with China. At "H-Hour", the armies begin a drive northward.

Air operations - Korean peninsula

To support the UN offensive beginning this day, B-29s attacked North Korean communications and supply centers and Yalu River bridges, while 5th Air Force fighters intensified close air support missions, and Combat Cargo Command air-dropped ammunition to front-line troops.

Naval operations - Korean peninsula

Carriers of Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 77) begin supporting the Eighth Army (United States) drive to Yalu River.

Japan

United States Army, General MacArthur claims that Walker's advance has forced the Chinese to attack prematurely, theorizing that the Chinese originally planned to launch their offensive in the spring of 1951 when better weather and greater supply and troop resources would be at hand. But even if his claim were correct, the Chinese attack gave MacArthur no real advantage. For he was finding it increasingly difficult, and so admitted to Washington, to interdict enemy routes of reinforcement and resupply from Manchuria because the Yalu River was now freezing hard enough to permit the Chinese to cross without using bridges. Furthermore: It is quite evident that our present strength of force is not sufficient to meet this undeclared war by the Chinese with the inherent advantages which accrue thereby to them. The resulting situation presents an entire new picture which broadens the potentialities to world-embracing considerations beyond the sphere of decision by the Theater Commander.

UNC headquarters released a special communique setting forth the objectives and the general nature of the planned operation, as follows: The United Nations massive compression envelopment of North Korea against the new Red Armies operating there is now approaching its decisive effort. The isolating component of the pincer, our Air Forces of all types, have, for the past three weeks,. . . successfully interdicted enemy lines o Y support from the north so that further reinforcement therefrom has been sharply curtailed and essential supplies markedly limited. The eastern sector of the pincer.. . has steadily advanced in a brilliant tactical movement and has now reached a commanding envelop in position, cutting in two the northern reaches of the enemy’s geography potential. This morning the western sector of the pincer moves forward in a general assault in an effort to complete the compression and close the vise. If successful this should for all practical purposes end the war, restore peace and unity to Korea, enable the prompt withdrawal of United Nations military forces, and permit the camp Pete assumption by the Korean people and nation of full sovereignty and international equality. It is that for which we fight.

[lordroel]

Day 155 of the Korean War, November 25th 1950

Land operations - Korean peninsula

The Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River began at dusk, Peng and the Chinese Army opened their "Second Phase Offensive", with the 180,000 troops of the Thirteenth Army Corps (Chinese People's Volunteer Army) now blocking the advance of the United Nations troops, and cutting off the retreat by the American troops in I Corps (United States) and IX Corps (United States).

3rd Battalion, 7th Marines - 1st Marine Division (United States) secured Yudam-Ni.

Air operations - Korean peninsula

American bombers made a raid on Pyongyang. Among the casualties of the destruction of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army headquarters is Mao Anying, eldest son of Mao Zedong and Yang Kaihui. Mao's commanding general, Peng Dehuai narrowly missed being killed in the attack.

The Royal Hellenic air force detachment, a C-47 transport unit representing Greece’s airpower contribution to the war, arrive in the Far East and was attached to FEAF.

[lordroel]

Day 156 of the Korean War, November 26th 1950

YouTube (The Eagle Versus the Dragon)



Air operations - Korean peninsula

The B-29 bombers from the 19th and 307th Bombardment Groups targeted and successfully demolished two bridges spanning the Yalu River near Manpo and Ch’ongch’on.

USAF B-26s flew their first close air support night missions under TACP direction. The 3rd Bombardment Groups flew 67 B-26 missions along Eighth Army (United States) bomb line in a five-hour period. Still, the enemy drove Eighth Army (United States) in northwest Korea and X Corps (United States) in northeast Korea southward.

Japan

G-2 at GHQ of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP), United States Army, Major general Willoughby forecast confidently that "Should the enemy persist in his present non-aggressive attitude and withdraw, he may find sanctuary behind the Yalu River." But in terms more prophetic than he knew, he added that "Should the enemy elect to fight in the interior valleys, a slowing down of the United Nations offensive may result."

Far East Command intelligence officers changed the predicted order of enemy courses of action, placing reinforcement from outside Korea at the top of the list, and the conduct of offensive operations in second place. But again MacArthur received contradictory estimates of Chinese intentions when he was told: Although too early for concrete evaluation, there are some indications of a withdrawal of Chinese Communist forces to the Yalu or across the border into Manchuria. . . On the other hand, there are many reports of Chinese Communist plans to strengthen their intervention forces now in Korea and all indications point to a heavy troop buildup in Northeast China and Manchuria. . . . Also there are many indications that the Chinese Communists will stubbornly defend reservoir and power installations along the Yalu....

[lordroel]

Day 157 of the Korean War, November 27th 1950

YouTube (China Enters the Korean War)



Land operations - Korean peninsula

Three days after the United Nations Command has launched its "Home by Christmas Offensive" with 110,000 troops surging northward, the People's Republic of China launched a massive counterattack with 300,000 soldiers. The 25th Infantry Division (United States) was one of the first to report fierce resistance, near Unsan. Chinese attacks began with bugle calls and whistles, followed by thousands of soldiers charging forward. The 25th Infantry Division (United States) and the 2nd Infantry Division Division (United States) began retreating back across the Ch'ongch'on River and toward the frozen Chosin Reservoir. At the Chosin Reservoir the 1st Marine Division (United States), British Royal Commandos, and U.S. Army infantry also came under heavy attack.

Turkey fights its first real combat action since its War of Independence when it attempts to delay the Chinese advance in the Battle of Wawon.

United Nations

A special emissary from Communist China meets with the United Nations Security Council for discussion related to the Korea, along with the status of Taiwan.

[lordroel]

Day 158 of the Korean War, November 28th 1950

Air operations - Korean peninsula

Combat Cargo Command began a two-week airlift of supplies to US troops, whom the Chinese had surrounded in the Changjin Reservoir area. From Yonpo, North Korea, the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron flew intense close air support missions for the encircled forces.

For the first time, B-26s, using a more accurate radar than previously, bombed within 1,000 yards of the front line.

A small Communist aircraft bombed US-held Pyongyang airfield, badly damaging 11 P-51 Mustangs on the ground.

South Korea

United States Navy, Admiral Doyle, Commander Amphibious Group ONE, and Commander Task Force NINETY arrives at Eleungnam aboard his flagship, the Mount McKinley-class command ship, USS Mount McKinley (AGC-7), in time to receive an alert from United States Navy, Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy, Commander Naval Forces, Far East that there was a possibility of a general emergency.

Japan

Five days after telling reporters that American troops would be able to be "home by Christmas" from Korea, United States Army, General MacArthur released a statement in Tokyo declaring that "We face an entirely new war", and estimated Chinese forces in Korea to be at least 200,000 men. "This has shattered the high hope we had that the intervention of the Chinese was only of a token nature on a volunteer and individual basis as publicly announced", he added.

United States Army, General MacArthur reported to the Joint Chiefs of Staff the complete collapse of the UN offensive in the following words: The developments resulting in from our assault movements have now assumed a clear definition. All hope of Localization of the Korean conflict to enemy forces composed of North Korean troops with alien token elements can now be completely abandoned. The Chinese military forces are committed in North Korea in great and ever increasing strength. No pretext of minor support under the guise of volunteerism or other subterfuge now has the slightest validity. We face an entirely new war. .

In Tokyo, United States Army, General MacArthur summoned his two field commanders, Generals Walker and Almond, for a “council of war.” Their discussion eventuated in a decision that Eighth Army should withdraw as far as necessary to keep from being outflanked by the Chinese forces, and that X Corps should be withdrawn into the Hamhung-Hungnam area. A westward strike from Wonsan by the 3d Division, against the Chinese operating on the right flank of Eighth Army, was briefly considered but rejected because of the unfavorable terrain and weather.

United States

United States House of Representatives from South Carolina, L. Mendel Rivers was one of several members of Congress who urged that General MacArthur should be given authority to use the atomic bomb to end the Korean War. "If there ever was a time to use the A-bomb", Rivers told reporters, "it is now." He added that he had sent a telegram to President Truman recommending that an ultimatum be served on China to either withdraw its troops, or face "relentless atomic warfare".

[lordroel]

Day 159 of the Korean War, November 29th 1950

Land operations - Korean peninsula

The Battle of Wawon ended in Chinese tactical victory, but Turkish strategic victory, when the Chinese advance was halted long enough for United Nations forces to withdraw without taking heavy casualties.

Air operations - Korean peninsula

As the scope of the Chinese offensive was becoming apparent, the Fifth Air Force (United States) sent a message shifting attack priority for USAF and USN aircraft from the Yalu River bridges to direct support of Eighth Army and X Corps (a classic, “no kidding, Sherlock” message). This message was actually at the instigation of TF-77 Commander, United States Navy, Rear Admiral Edward Ewen, who had quickly recognized the changed tactical situation. Stopping the supplies over the Yalu River was pointless when the whole ground force was in imminent danger of being cut off, surrounded, and overrun.

United States

The Joint Chiefs of Staff tell United States Army, General MacArthur to put aside any previous directives in conflict with his current plan to defend. After calling attention to the need for coordinating 8th Amy (United States) and X Corps (United States), the Joint Chiefs suggest that MacArthur should close the gap, more than thirty airline miles in width in the beginning and now widening, between Walker and Almond and form a continuous defense line across the peninsula. But MacArthur differed with the Joint Chiefs. According to him, X Corps units "geographically threatened" the main supply lines of enemy forces bearing down upon the right flank of the Eighth Army. He maintained that the Chinese had been forced to commit an estimated eight divisions to ward off X Corps thrusts against their supply lines, thus depriving them of eight divisions to throw against the Eighth Army. So long as the X Corps stayed in this position, MacArthur insisted, the Chinese could not, with any degree of safety or assurance of success, penetrate to the south through the existing corridor. He pointed out also the great difficulties of closing the gap:

Any concept of actual physical combination of the forces of the Eighth Army and X Corps in a practically continuous line across the narrow neck of Korea is quite impracticable due to the length of this line, the numerical weakness of our forces, and the logistical problems created by the mountainous divide which splits such a front from north to south.

As to the immediate situation within the X Corps, General MacArthur informed his superiors that he had ordered Almond to pull his forces into the Hamhung-Hungnam sector. Almond had been specifically warned against allowing any piecemeal isolation and trapping of his forces. These forces were already fighting their way out of isolation and entrapment. MacArthur believed that, while the X Corps might seem overextended, the terrain conditions would make it extremely difficult for the Chinese Army to take any advantage of this fact.

In a second message a few hours later, MacArthur gloomily predicts that the Eighth Army would not be able to make a stand in the foreseeable future and would ". . . successively have to replace to the rear." He had now concluded that the Chinese intended to destroy the U.N. forces completely and to secure all of Korea.

[lordroel]

Day 160 of the Korean War, November 30th 1950

Land operations - Korean peninsula

Because of critical ground situation, immediate deployment of all units of Amphibious Task Force (TF 90) to Korea ordered.

5th Marine Regiment (United States) and 7th Marines Marine Regiment (United States) commenced joint movement from Yudam-Nl to Hagaru-Ri to rejoin elements of let Marine Division (United States) for further movement to Hungnam.

8th Army (United States) and X Corps (United States) now split apart with enemy pouring down the middle. Our own forces withdrew into beachhead areas as Wonsan and Hungnam.

Naval operations - Korean peninsula

Photo: U.S. Navy crewmen use a power brush and shovels to remove ice and snow from the flight deck of the escort carrier USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), during operations off the Korean coast, 30 November 1950



South Korea

The Army of France entered the Korean War with the arrival of the 1,100-man Battaillon de Coree (Battalion of Korea), generally referred to as the French Battalion. The three companies of men (1st Company from colonial troops, 2nd Company from the France and its Metropolitan area, and the 3rd company from the Foreign Legion and paratroopers) were assigned to the 23rd Infantry Regiment of the Second U.S. Infantry. Earlier in the year, a crew of 143 French Navy men patrolled off the coast on the Bougainville-class aviso RFS La Grandiere, from July 29 to November 23.

Japan

Photo: Four U.S. Navy minesweepers (AMS) tied up at Yokosuka, Japan, following mine clearance activities off Korea, on 30 November 1950. The four ships, all units of Mine Division 31, are (from left to right): USS Merganser (AMS-26), USS Osprey (AMS-28), USS Chatterer (AMS-40) and USS Mockingbird (AMS-27). The ship in the extreme left background is the high-speed transport USS Wantuck (APD-125)



United Nations

A special emissary from Communist China meeting with that began on November 27th with the United Nations Security Council came to a end, when the Council decisively defeated two resolutions sponsored by the Soviet representative condemning the United States for allegedly interfering in both Korea and Taiwan. Next the members voted on the six-nation resolution introduced several weeks earlier, assuring Communist China that its interests would be protected and asking it not to aid North Korea. Although this resolution received nine favorable votes (with India abstaining), it was defeated by a Soviet veto.

United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Warren Austin suggests to his British and French colleagues that a much stronger resolution, condemning Communist China as an aggressor, be put before the General Assembly. “Both reacted vigorously against this,” reported Mr. Austin. They strenuously opposed any action that might commit the United Nations to a fight against Communist China and leave Europe wide open to Soviet attack. While there was “general and widespread concern” about the situation in Korea, according to the Ambassador, the major allied countries felt that a defensive military position should be established before further UN action was taken. Some delegations from Asia and Latin America made it clear that public opinion in their countries would not support a war with Communist China. Mr. Austin felt that the infrequency of reports from the UN Command was making it harder to hold the principal allies together. Moreover, the British idea of a buffer zone was gaining some support, adding to the general impression of disunity.

United States

The collapse of General MacArthur’s offensive is producing serious diplomatic and political problems. “There is no doubt that confidence in General Douglas MacArthur, even on Capitol Hill, has been shaken badly as a result of the events of the last few days,” wrote a well-known correspondent, James Reston, in the New York Times. “Similarly, there is no doubt that United States leadership in the Western world has been damaged by President Truman’s acceptance of the bold MacArthur offensive.“

At a press conference, U.S. President Truman frightened many when he answered reporters following up on his statement that the United States would "take whatever steps are necessary to meet the military situation in Korea". When Jack Dougherty of the Daily News of New York asked, "Will that include the atomic bomb?", Truman replied, "That includes every weapon that we have." Paul R. Leach of the Chicago Daily News then asked, "Does that mean that there is active consideration of the use of the atomic bomb?", and Truman said, "There has always been active consideration of its use." A third reporter, Merriman Smith of United Press, asked Truman "Did we understand you clearly" about active consideration of atomic weapons in Korea, and the President reaffirmed that it "always has been. It is one of our weapons."Concern was so strong that Prime Minister Attlee of the United Kingdom flew to Washington for an emergency meeting with the President.

In an effort to provide other nations with a greater sense of participation, the United States initiate a series of informal conferences in Washington, in which Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Dean Rusk or one of his colleagues met with the ambassadors of those nations contributing forces for Korea and explained the situation from the US viewpoint. The first such meeting took place today. Eventually this informal group grew into a “Committee of Sixteen,” which met regularly and was given intelligence briefings as well as summaries of current military operations. The Joint Chiefs of Staff were apparently not consulted when this practice was begun.

South Korea

In reaction to the rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground, the Commander of Task Force 90, United States Navy, Rear Admiral James H. Doyle, began to deploy his ships to Korea, originally divided 50/50 between east coast and west coast, with four attack transports and two attack cargo ships sent to Inchon on the west coast and Wonsan on the east coast. During the “lull” between the Chinese First Phase and Second Phase Offensive, Navy planners at Commander Naval Forces Far East headquarters had the foresight to develop an emergency evacuation plan (Operation Plan 116-50, issued on 13 November) which was put to good use.

The Task Group (90.1) ordered to Inchon, after a series of confusing orders, actually went in to the port of Chinnampo in North Korea despite the imminent danger of it falling to the rapid Chinese advance. It turned out there were relatively few friendly personnel left in Chinnampo and much of the transport capacity was not needed. The bulk of the Eighth Army (United States) had already pulled out to the south. The transport group took out 1,700 port logistics personnel and 6,000 Korean military, police, and government personnel in addition to 3,000 Korean refugees. Protected by several British and Australian destroyers, the transports made the difficult transit down the channel just in time. The destroyers then bombarded the harbor cranes, oil storage, and railway gear to keep them from falling into Chinese hands.

Japan

United States Army, General MacArthur’s headquarters deems the situation on the ground to be “critical” and ordered the immediate reconstitution and deployment of all Task Force 90 (the amphibious force for the Wonsan landings in October) to prepare for evacuation of X Corps (United States) from Hungnam and Wonsan on the east coast of North Korea, and evacuation of elements of the Eighth Army (United States) from Chinnampo on the west coast of North Korea.