What year was the Korean War? The conflict between North and South Korea: essence, cause, chronology

Until the mid-70s, the Soviet Union did not officially recognize its participation in the Korean War of 1950-1953. The award lists and death notices spoke of “a particularly important task for the party and government.” And today few people know about this domestic page. But in the skies of Korea, for 3 years, Soviet and American pilots waged a real war for possession of the sky, figuring out “who is who.” The sky remained with the Soviet aces. This article is dedicated to the memory of Soviet pilots who fought and died in Korea.

"Hot" episodes of the Cold War

After representatives of Japan signed the act of surrender on September 2, 1945, the USSR and the USA again became rivals. The confrontation between the two world superpowers and the economic and military blocs they led remained in history as the Cold War. But the war was not always “cold”. Often the confrontation turned into a “hot” phase. Numerous military conflicts in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East were based on the desire of the USSR or the USA to establish their control, their hegemony in a certain point of the world. The territories of many countries became testing grounds where the USSR and the USA tested their military equipment, tested new methods of warfare in practice, where officers acquired and improved their combat experience.

Korean "mess"

On June 25, 1950, the North Korean army crossed the 38th parallel, the former border between the two Koreas, and began to rapidly advance south. By mid-August, about 90% of the territory of South Korea was under the control of North Korean troops. The American military decided that this was a very suitable occasion for conducting large-scale military field exercises in conditions as close as possible to combat. In order to provide political cover, the United States “pushed” through the UN a resolution on the introduction of peacekeeping forces into Korea, and already on July 1, the first American military units landed on the Korean peninsula. To the great surprise of the American military, North Korean troops broke through the defenses of their 24th Infantry Division and stormed the city of Cheonan, which it defended. The division, which did not have time to retreat, was surrounded and soon ceased to exist; its commander, Major General Dean, surrendered.

"Peacemakers"

The United States began to urgently increase the number of peacekeepers in Korea. Soon the American military was joined by combat units from Canada, Australia, Great Britain and other countries. 15 states sent their military contingents to Korea. By September 1, the number of “blue helmets” in Korea exceeded 180 thousand, half of them were Americans. On September 15, this entire colossus, twice the size of the DPRK army, went on the offensive and literally crushed the North Korean army into powder. The superiority of the “peacekeepers” in weapons, military equipment and, above all, aviation played a decisive role in the success of the offensive.

B-29

UN troops against the DPRK army

The strike force of the “UN peacekeepers” was the B-29 strategic bombers – “Flying Fortresses”, inaccessible to anti-aircraft artillery, capable of carrying up to 9 tons of bomb load. They were covered by F-80 Shooting Star jet fighters. 835 aircraft of the 5th Air Force of the US Air Force were opposed by 200 piston LA-9, LA-11 and IL-10 attack aircraft. The North Korean Air Force was doomed. By September 20, only 20 attack aircraft and 1 fighter remained, and they survived simply by miracle. In this situation, American pilots, “showing courage and selfless courage,” began the methodical destruction of the North Korean armed forces from the air, dropping tons of bombs on them, thereby ensuring the success of ground tactical operations. By October 1950, UN troops were already approaching the Chinese border.
North Korean leaders turned to China and the USSR for help. China sent 270 thousand “volunteers” to help its southern neighbor, and the USSR took over air cover for the troops.

Chinese pilots Li Si Qing and Wang Yu Shin

At the end of October 1950, the first pilots arrived in Korea from the USSR. They were dressed in Chinese military uniforms and given documents with new names, without photographs. This is where the origins of jokes about Chinese pilots with the surnames Li Xi Qing and Wang Yu Shin (Lisitsyn, Vanyushin) come from. MIG-15 jet fighters arrived along with the pilots. The planes bore North Korean or Chinese markings. In the air it was prescribed to conduct negotiations only in Chinese. The pilots wrote down the texts of the main commands in Russian letters and fastened these pieces of paper on their knees, but in the very first battle they switched to Russian, widely using profanity. The management very soon realized the absurdity of the order and canceled it. The group was called the 64th Fighter Corps.

The air group was commanded by Three Times Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Kozhedub. On November 8, the pilots for the first time “tested their teeth” with American pilots, who proudly called themselves “knights of the sky.” The meeting ended with the Yankees losing one F-80 fighter. The peacekeepers' air force began to suffer serious losses. To establish parity, the United States sent the latest F-86 Saber fighters to Korea.

US Air Force Black Thursday

But the real test of who was worth what was the battle of April 12, 1951, which went down in the history of the US Air Force as “Black Thursday.” On this day, 48 B-29 bombers, accompanied by 80 F-86 fighters, flew to bomb the railway bridge over the Yalu River, through which the entire flow of military supplies flowed from China to Korea. 44 Soviet MIG-15s flew out to intercept. The fighters were met by a dense fire curtain from B-29s and F-86s. Soviet pilots, many of whom had also shot down Luftwaffe pilots, went straight into the fire. Subsequently, up to several dozen holes were counted on each of these fighters. Breaking through the wall of fire, the MIGs attacked the B-29s. In less than 20 minutes, the US Air Force lost 10 bombers and 4 fighters. The 64th Fighter Wing returned to the airfield that day without losses. The US Air Force declared a week of mourning for the victims. For three months, the bombers of the “UN peacekeepers” did not take to the skies. All subsequent time, the fearless Yankees preferred to fly out for bombing missions at night. After April 12, Soviet pilots christened “flying fortresses” into “flying barns.”

The American Truth

In an effort to “save face,” the American press wrote about the “superior forces of the enemy,” increasing the number of MIGs participating in the battles by 2-3 times, and cited exorbitantly inflated data on losses among Soviet pilots. Even then, this caused violent indignation among Soviet pilots, direct participants in the battles. So, if you want to know the truth about those events, you should not look for it based on American sources - it is not there.

Results

Over almost three years, pilots of the 64th Fighter Wing shot down 1,525 aircraft, 170 of them B-29s. 52 Soviet pilots returned from Korea as aces. E. Pepelyaev, who shot down 23 aircraft in the skies of Korea, is considered ace No. 1, followed by N. Sutyagin, who has 21 victories. Many returned home with orders and medals, and the chest of 35 pilots was decorated with the Golden Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union. In total, about 1,200 pilots passed the test of the Korean War.

As in any war, there were losses. American pilots were by no means cowards, and were not afraid to engage in battle. The air corps lost 319 aircraft over three years of fighting, and 120 pilots died in battle. Almost all of them are buried in the Chinese city of Dalian (formerly Dalny), in a Russian cemetery, next to the defenders of Port Arthur.
Eternal memory to them!

Start of negotiations. Having realized the impossibility of the “no alternative to victory” once declared by MacArthur in the Korean conflict, the Americans began to probe the possibilities of a compromise resolution of the situation. Negotiations began with the involvement of all interested parties, including not only the Koreans, who professed different theories of development, but also the USSR and the PRC. However, getting out of the trap turned out to be more difficult than getting into it. Moscow was well aware of its own benefit; the Americans, mired in the conflict, were losing people, money, and authority several times faster than their geopolitical opponent. Demands were formulated that could not be the basis for a compromise.

Stop fighting. The negotiations dragged on for almost 2 years and were completed when the supreme power changed in both Moscow and Washington. Eisenhower, who replaced Truman, being a competent military specialist, correctly assessed the possible consequences of continuing the war as destructive for the United States. The White House decided to make concessions. In Moscow, the group that led after Stalin’s death, in turn, considered it necessary to end the conflict. The least acceptable demands that offended the Americans were removed. On July 27, 1953, the fire ceased, the troops were separated, and the war ended in the same place where it began, at the 38th parallel, which became the current border of the two Korean states. With it came the end of the permanent air war, which did not promise victory for either side.

General results of the conflict. The overall results of the conflict looked sad. According to terrible and far from accurate estimates, the people of both Koreas lost about 8-9 million people, over 80% of whom were civilians. The losses of the Chinese “volunteers” were calculated more accurately, but the information was immediately classified. The “limited war” cost the Americans 54 thousand dead, without taking into account those people who were lost by contingents of other participants in the UN mission. Since the USSR did not formally participate in the conflict, not only information about losses, but even mentions of the 64th Corps and its combat activities did not exist for a long time. They started talking about them quite late, and reliable information appeared only in the late 1980s. However, even today the figures regarding our deaths range from 200 to 1,500 thousand people.

Classification error. Classifying the fact of Soviet participation in the war turned out to be a serious mistake. The Americans, realizing what was happening, used the enemy’s silence to their advantage. Their information policy made it possible in the eyes of the world to turn a failure in the air into a serious propaganda victory with important significance. When comparing assessments of military-political competitors, the role of the “air factor” is always especially high. This makes sense: aviation concentrates everything that the people who created it are proud of. The plane is a bundle of intelligence and the highest technologies, the latest scientific discoveries, and finally, just the concept put into it by its creators. He is the embodiment of the power of the country that created him. Those who serve in aviation personify the image of a nation or a national conglomerate; these are its best representatives. According to American data, military pilots have, on average, the highest “intelligence quotient.” The Americans still have certain reasons to put pilots at the top of the podium.

And so, having silenced the participation of Soviet aviation in the Korean conflict, which everyone in the world knew about without exception, the Soviet leadership gave up the propaganda field to the Americans without a fight. Those, sensing impunity in the information space, had a blast. A lurid figure for the loss ratio began to circulate in the works of American researchers. Some out of guile, and others out of ignorance, replicated data on 802 downed MiGs and 56 Sabers, limiting all military statistics to this information.

Crazy numbers. This figure found its way into domestic research precisely in this form, sometimes more politely - in this case it was about 792 MiGs for 78 sabers. This is a lie, and a blatant one at that. Firstly, it is already clear to everyone that in the Chinese Air Force and the 64th Corps, MiGs were the only type of aircraft, not counting the Korean piston engines. Whereas in the American Air Force, completely modern materiel was divided, as they said, into 40 types, not counting British vehicles. With them there were more varieties. At the same time, we remember that Sabers were not the main object of hunting for MiGs. Obviously, other aircraft, which the 64th Corps was actually hunting for, also suffered losses. But only the most competent Westerners remember this, recognizing the death of another 200 or so aircraft. But this information is known to few people. And in the eyes of the majority, Russians look like “klutzes on coffins.” Which is not entirely true. Just look at the official report on the actions of the US Air Force in Korea, where it is written in white English that they destroyed 184,808 enemy soldiers. The unsophisticated like precise numbers. They are alarming to the interested amateur. He cannot understand how the Yankees managed to count all those they killed with an accuracy of 8 people. The guess suggests itself: “they lie and don’t blush.”

Soviet casualty data. According to Soviet data, aviation losses look completely different over the years: November 1950-December 1951 - 564 aircraft were shot down, 71 were lost. In 1952, 394 were shot down, 172 were lost. In 1953, the enemy lost 139, the 64th Corps - 92. In total, over 4 years, the Americans, that is, the UN, lost 1097 aircraft, not counting those shot down by Chinese and Korean pilots, as well as anti-aircraft gunners. According to the stories of our eyewitnesses, such figures are more consistent with the truth. However, there is no guarantee of accuracy in these calculations, partly for objective reasons. It happens that half the enemy’s wing is torn off, the plane is on fire, but it still makes it to the airfield. But they can also directly exaggerate, with official papers in the 20th century. this happens all the time. And no one has canceled or will cancel the Suvorov principle in military history.

“Why feel sorry for them, adversaries.” Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov is worthy of all respect and worship, but they say there was such an episode in his biography. Prince Italy compiled a report to the sovereign about the past battle together with his adjutant. And take it and ask: “Aren’t we writing a lot of killed enemies, Alexander Vasilyevich?” To which the truly brilliant commander replied: “Why feel sorry for them, adversaries”?! Whether this happened or not, historians have a saying: “He lies like an eyewitness.” And it’s not the person’s great fault, where the memoirist’s memory failed him, he didn’t notice something, but thought it through. That's not the point. To find out the truth, it is advisable to find some piece of information that is neutral and essentially independent.

Rescue statistics. For the Korean conflict, such a “nuance” was the number of sorties carried out by Air Force rescue service helicopters, of which, according to her report, there were about 2,500. The rescue service is American pride. Each pilot, leaving for a mission, had a miniature radio beacon in his pocket. When he got into trouble, the guy pressed the button, and his people knew where to look for him. Helicopters flew in and pulled their people out of the most remote and dangerous places. This means that the number of flights approximately corresponds to the number of pilots who found themselves on the ground against their own will, and mostly alive, since those who were unlucky did not use the beacon, and these are usually at least 10% of the total number of downed pilots, often more.

True, this figure is not accurate due to the fact that it is not known how many times the rescuers flew to Busan for beer, reporting the flight as a raid into the communist rear. But in any case, these 2,500 thousand flights give an indicator of American losses closer to Soviet estimates than to the brisk American information about 56-78 Sabers. There are other ways to reasonably disbelieve the Americans, but we won’t go into that for now.

21 victories of Sutyagin. One thing is clear, the 64th Corps in Korea fought fiercely and came out of the fight with honor, in no way inferior to those who considered themselves kings of the air. They have nothing to hide, but they can be proud. In any case, the most successful pilot of that war bore the Russian surname Sutyagin and had 21 victories. You can believe this, this was strictly monitored in the USSR. Sutyagin's American competitor, the already mentioned McDonnell, was well behind with his 16 points.

In terms of military experience, Korea brought closer estimates of air power, which the Soviet Union finally considered a decisive factor. The geostrategic outcome forced the West to recognize the USSR as a militarily comparable superpower. Although the methods for achieving this parity did not yet guarantee equality of opportunity, the balance of power became more discernible. The presence of a force comparable to the American one did not harm the cause of world peace at all.

The most tragic event in Korean history of the twentieth century was the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953. This was the first clash between the countries that won World War II without the use of nuclear weapons. Despite this, the losses from this clash on the small Korean Peninsula were enormous. The result of this war was the result that we are still seeing today - Korea is divided into two states hostile to each other.

From the beginning of the 20th century until 1945, Korea was a Japanese colony. After the end of the war and the defeat of the Land of the Rising Sun, Korea was divided along the 38th parallel. North Korea fell into the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union, and the south of the peninsula came under the influence of the United States. Both sides had plans for the peaceful reunification of the country, but at the same time, both camps did not hide the fact that they were preparing for active military action.

To briefly describe the Korean War, it can be divided into four stages.

The first period lasted from June 25 to mid-September 1950. Each side of the conflict insists that the enemy started the hostilities. One way or another, the North Korean army quickly advanced to the south of the peninsula with rapid strikes.

The command of the North Korean army believed that it would advance 10 kilometers every day. The South Korean armed forces were simply unable to repel the iron tank wedges of their “neighbors,” so US President Truman signed an order to support the South Korean army on the second day of the war. However, this did not greatly affect the offensive - by mid-September 1950, most of the South Korean territories were under the control of the Korean army.

The second period of hostilities was characterized by the active participation of UN troops. The second stage lasted from September 16 to October 24, 1950. American troops carried out, for the most part, not an offensive, but the capture of large strategic points by landing. As a result, large KPA groups remained in the rear of the “attackers,” cut off from leadership and supplies, and continued to resist, including as partisan detachments. One way or another, soon UN troops and South Koreans liberated their territories and took up positions in the northern part of the peninsula - from where a direct route to China opened.

Since October 25, volunteers from China, in fact, professional Chinese military personnel, have joined the fighting. This third period of action is characterized by an abundance of large and bloody operations. The nature of the ferocity of the fighting can be characterized by the fact that as a result of the indirect intervention of the USSR, 569 American aircraft were destroyed by Soviet pilots and anti-aircraft gunners in less than a month - and this is according to Western media reports. But by June the situation became a stalemate - the North Koreans had an advantage in manpower, and their opponents outnumbered them in the amount of equipment. An offensive by either side would lead to a senseless massacre, the expansion of the conflict into Chinese territory, and with an ever-increasing likelihood would lead to the Third World War.

Thus, General D. MacArthur, the commander-in-chief of the UN coalition, who insisted on expanding hostilities, was removed from his post, and the USSR representative to the UN came up with a proposal to cease fire and withdraw troops away from the 38th parallel.
This, the fourth and final period of the war, lasted from June 30, 1951 to July 27, 1953. Peace negotiations were constantly interrupted. During this time, the combined army of the UN and South Korea managed to carry out four attacks on northern territory. The northern side launched three successful counteroffensives. Both the offensives and counter-offensives on both sides were so destructive that as a result, both belligerents came to the final conclusion that a truce was necessary.

The ceasefire agreement was signed on July 27, 1953. However, it did not bring the long-awaited peace. And today, the DPRK and the Republic of Korea are not ready to recognize each other, and consider the entire peninsula to be their territory. Formally, the war continues to this day, because an agreement to end the war was never signed.

Throughout its history, Korea has often been forced to depend on its more powerful neighbors. So, back in 1592-1598, the country waged a war with Japan, as a result of which the Koreans still managed to defend their independence, albeit with the help of the Ming Empire. However, already in the 17th century, after a series of Manchu invasions, the country became a tributary of the Ming Empire.

By the middle of the 19th century, Korea was considered a formally independent state, but the backwardness of the economy and general weakness made it seriously dependent on the Qing Empire. At the same time, there was a revolutionary movement in the country, the goal of which was to bring the country out of the stagnation caused by the presence of deeply conservative forces in power. In this regard, the Korean leadership turned to the Qing Empire for help, which sent troops into the country. In response, Japan sent troops to Korea, thereby starting a war. As a result of this war, the Qing Empire suffered a heavy defeat, and Korea became a protectorate of Japan.

Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 had a very serious impact on the situation in Korea. During this war, Japanese troops, under the guise of necessity, occupied the territory of the country and after its end they were no longer withdrawn. Thus, Korea actually became part of the Japanese Empire. However, the formal annexation of the country took place only in 1910. Japanese rule here lasted exactly 35 years.

World War II and the division of the country

In 1937, Japan's war against China began. In this war, Korea was a very convenient base for supplying the Japanese army and transferring troops to China. Also, thanks to its advantageous geographical location, Korea became a very convenient place for placing Japanese air and naval bases.

In the country itself, the situation of the population worsened every year. This was primarily due to the Japanese policy of assimilation, which pursued the goal of making Korea as an integral part of Japan as, for example, the island of Hokkaido. In 1939, a decree was issued according to which Koreans could change their names to Japanese ones. However, this was only formally permitted; in fact, it was highly recommended. Those who did not change were condemned and even discriminated against. As a result, by 1940, approximately 80% of the Korean population was forced to receive new, Japanese names. Koreans were also subject to conscription into the Japanese army.

As a result, by 1945 the situation in Korea was quite close to an uprising. However, the proximity of a powerful Japanese group in Manchuria (the Kwantung Army) and the presence of large Japanese military bases on the territory of the country itself made a potential uprising almost doomed.

On August 8, 1945, the USSR entered the war against Japan. Troops of the 1st Far Eastern Front entered Korean territory and, overcoming the resistance of Japanese troops, landed troops in Pyongyang by August 24. By this time, the Japanese leadership realized the futility of further resistance, and the capitulation of Japanese units began in Manchuria, China and Korea.

By the end of World War II, the territory of Korea was divided between the USSR and the USA along the 38th parallel. The zones of occupation of the two countries were designated only temporarily, since the unification of the country was expected in the near future. However, as a result of the cooling of relations between the Soviet Union and yesterday's allies and the beginning of the Cold War, the prospects for unification became increasingly foggy and uncertain.

Already in 1946, a Provisional Government was formed in North Korea, consisting of communist pro-Soviet forces. This government was headed by Kim Il Sung. At the same time, in the south of Korea, in contrast to the communist government, a government based on the United States was formed. It was led by Syngman Rhee, the leader of the anti-communist movement.

On September 9, 1948, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was proclaimed in the north. In the south, the Republic of Korea did not formally declare independence, as it was believed that the country was simply liberated from Japanese occupation. Soviet and American troops were withdrawn from Korea in 1949, thereby leaving both parts of the country to decide on issues of unification.

However, relations between the northern and southern parts of Korea were far from cordial. This consisted, first of all, in the fact that Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee did not at all hide their intentions to unite Korea precisely under their authority. Thus, the unification of the country through peaceful means became almost impossible. Having exhausted peaceful means to achieve their goals, both Korean governments resorted to armed provocations on the border.

A large number of violations and shootings on the border led to the fact that the situation at the 38th parallel quickly became tense. By 1950, the PRC leadership was closely monitoring the Korean conflict, rightly believing that destabilization of the situation in Korea could also affect the situation in China.

Formally, preparations for the invasion began in North Korea back in 1948, when it became clear that the country could not unite peacefully. At the same time, Kim Il Sung turned to J.V. Stalin with a request to provide military assistance during a possible invasion, but was refused. The Soviet leadership was not interested in a possible clash with the United States, which, moreover, had nuclear weapons.

However, by the summer of 1950, the conflict in Korea was practically complete and was ready to break out. Both the northern and southern sides were determined to unite the country under their control, including through military means. However, the northern side was more determined. The situation was also clarified by the statement of US Secretary of State Dean Acheson that Korea is not within the sphere of vital US interests. Clouds have gathered over Korea...

Beginning of the war (June 25 – August 20, 1950)

Early in the morning of June 25, 1950, the DPRK army launched an invasion of South Korean territory. Border fighting began, which turned out to be very short-lived.

Initially, the size of the North Korean group was approximately 175 thousand people, about 150 tanks, including the T-34, transferred by the Soviet Union, and approximately 170 aircraft. The South Korean group opposing them numbered approximately 95 thousand people and had virtually no armored vehicles or aircraft.

Already in the first days of the war, the advantage of the DPRK army over the enemy became obvious. Having defeated the South Korean troops, it rushed deeper into the country. Already on June 28, the capital of the Republic of Korea, Seoul, was taken. South Korean troops retreated south in disarray.

On June 25, the UN Security Council was urgently convened. The resolution adopted at the meeting decided to condemn the North Korean side of the conflict and allowed UN troops to enter the war on the side of South Korea. The resolution caused a negative reaction among the countries of the socialist camp. However, its implementation began immediately.

In July-August 1950, during the Daejeon and Naktong operations, North Korean troops managed to defeat a number of divisions of the South Korean army and the United States and push enemy forces back to a small bridgehead in Busan. This piece of land, 120 km wide and approximately 100 km deep, became the last stronghold for South Korean and UN troops. All attempts by the DPRK army to break through this perimeter ended in failure.

However, the result of almost two months of fighting was the operational victory of the DPRK: about 90% of all of Korea was in the hands of the communists, and South Korean and American troops suffered heavy losses. However, the South Korean troops were not completely destroyed and retained their potential, and the fact that the DPRK had in its camp the United States, which had a very high military and industrial potential, practically deprived North Korea of ​​any chance of winning the war.

Turning point in the war (August - October 1950)

In August and early September, fresh units of UN and US troops, as well as military equipment, were urgently transferred to the Busan bridgehead. This operation was the largest since World War II in terms of the volume of troops and equipment transported.

As a result, by September 15, 1950, the troops of the so-called “Southern Alliance” had 5 South Korean and 5 American divisions, one British brigade, approximately 1,100 aircraft and about 500 tanks on the Busan bridgehead. The North Korean forces opposing them had 13 divisions and about 40 tanks.

On September 15, American troops unexpectedly landed troops in the area of ​​​​the city of Incheon, which is about 30 kilometers west of Seoul. Operation Chromite began. During it, a joint American-South Korean-British landing force captured Incheon and, having broken through the weak defenses of North Korean troops in this area, began moving inland with the goal of connecting with coalition troops operating on the Busan bridgehead.

For the leadership of the DPRK, this landing came as a complete surprise, which led to the need to transfer part of the troops from the perimeter of the Busan bridgehead to the landing site in order to localize it. However, this was almost impossible to do. The units covering the Busan bridgehead by this time were drawn into heavy defensive battles and suffered serious losses.

At this time, both groups of the “southern coalition”, advancing from the Busan and Incheon bridgeheads, began an offensive towards each other. As a result, they managed to meet on September 27 near Yesan County. The combination of two coalition groups essentially created a catastrophic situation for the DPRK, since the 1st Army Group was thus encircled. However, in the area of ​​the 38th parallel and to the north of it, defensive lines were feverishly created, which, ultimately, could not delay the troops of the “southern coalition” for any long time due to the lack of funds and time for their equipment.

On September 28, Seoul was liberated by UN troops. By this time, the front line was moving more and more confidently towards the 38th parallel. At the beginning of October, border battles broke out here, but, as in June, they were short-lived, and soon the troops of the “southern coalition” rushed towards Pyongyang. Already on the 20th of the month, the capital of the DPRK was taken thanks to a ground offensive and airborne assault.

Entry of the PRC into the war (November 1950 – May 1951)

The Chinese leadership, just recovering from the recently ended civil war, watched with alarm the successes of the “Southern Coalition” in Korea. The emergence of a new capitalist state close to China as a result of the defeat of the DPRK was extremely undesirable and even harmful for the resurgent PRC.

It is for this reason that the PRC leadership has repeatedly stated that the country will enter the war if any non-Korean forces cross the 38th parallel line. However, the troops of the “southern coalition” crossed the border already in mid-October and, developing the offensive, continued to advance. Another factor was the fact that President Truman did not really believe in the possibility of China entering the war, believing that it would limit itself only to blackmailing the UN.

However, on October 25, China nevertheless entered the war. A 250-thousand-strong group under the command of Peng Dehuai defeated part of the UN troops, but was then forced to retreat to the mountains in North Korea. At the same time, the USSR sent its planes into the skies of Korea, which, however, did not approach the front line closer than 100 kilometers. In this regard, the activity of the American Air Force in the skies of Korea sharply decreased, since the Soviet MiG-15 turned out to be technically more advanced compared to the F-80 and inflicted significant damage on the enemy in the very first days. The situation in the sky was somewhat leveled out by the new American F-86 fighters, which could fight on approximately equal terms with Soviet aircraft.

In November 1950, a new offensive by Chinese forces began. During it, the Chinese, together with North Korean troops, managed to defeat the UN forces and pin a large enemy group to the shore of the Sea of ​​Japan in the Hungnam area. However, the low combat capability of the Chinese army, combined with the patterns of massive offensive that were used during the Civil War of 1946-1949, did not allow the destruction of this “Southern Coalition” group.

However, the course of the war turned again. Now the “northern coalition” was on the offensive, pursuing the retreating UN troops. On January 4, 1951, Seoul was captured. At the same time, the situation became so critical for the “southern coalition” that the US leadership seriously thought about the possibility of using nuclear weapons against China. However, by the end of January, the Chinese offensive was stopped on the Pyeongtaek-Wonju-Yongwol-Samcheok line by UN troops. The main reason for this stop was both the fatigue of the Chinese troops, the transfer of new UN forces to Korea and the desperate efforts of the leadership of the “southern coalition” to stabilize the front. In addition, the overall level of training of the command staff of the UN troops was disproportionately higher than that of the leadership of the Chinese and North Korean troops.

After the front line was relatively stabilized, the command of the “southern coalition” launched a series of operations with the aim of counterattacking and liberating areas south of the 38th parallel. Their result was the defeat of Chinese troops and the liberation of Seoul in mid-March 1951. By April 20, the front line was in the area of ​​the 38th parallel and almost repeated the pre-war border.

Now it’s the turn for the “Northern Coalition” troops to attack. And such an offensive began on May 16. However, if during the first days the Chinese troops managed to occupy a number of territories and reach the distant approaches to Seoul, then on May 20-21 this offensive was finally stopped. The subsequent counter-offensive of the Southern troops forced the fairly exhausted Chinese troops to retreat again to the line of the 38th parallel. Thus, the May offensive of the “northern coalition” failed.

Positional stage and end of the war

In June 1951, it finally became clear that neither side would be able to achieve a decisive victory. Both the “northern” and “southern” coalitions had about a million soldiers, which made their formations very dense on the relatively narrow stretch of land on the Korean Peninsula. This excluded any possibility for a quick breakthrough and maneuver. It became clear that the war had to be ended.

The first negotiations on a peace settlement were made in the city of Kaesong in July 1951, but then nothing could be agreed upon. And the demands of the UN, China, and the DPRK coincided: the border between the two Koreas had to return to the pre-war one. However, inconsistency in details led to the fact that the negotiations dragged on for two whole years, and even during them, both sides carried out bloody offensive operations that did not lead to any noticeable results.

On July 27, 1953, a ceasefire agreement was signed in Kaesong. This agreement provided for some changes in the borders between the two parts of Korea, the creation of a demilitarized zone between the two states and the end of hostilities. It is noteworthy that the city of Kaesong itself, being part of South Korea before the war, came under the rule of the DPRK after the conflict. With the signing of the ceasefire agreements, the Korean War was practically over. However, the peace treaty has not been formally signed, and, therefore, legally the war continues.

Consequences and results of the Korean War

Neither side can definitely be called victorious in the war. In fact, we can say that the conflict ended in a draw. However, it is still worth mentioning the goals that the parties pursued in order to understand who was able to achieve the goal. The goal of the DPRK, like the Republic of Korea, was to unite the country under its rule, which was never achieved. Both parts of Korea ultimately failed to achieve their goals. China's goal was to prevent the emergence of a capitalist state on its borders, which was achieved. The UN's goal was to preserve both parts of Korea (after 1950), which was also achieved. Thus, China and the UN achieved their goals while being allies of the main warring parties.

The losses of the parties vary greatly according to various estimates. A particular difficulty in calculating losses is not only the fact that many military personnel from third countries took part in the war, but also the fact that in the DPRK, for example, loss figures are classified. It is worth noting that, according to the most reliable data, the troops of the “northern coalition” lost about one million people, of which approximately 496 thousand were killed or died from wounds and diseases. As for the “southern coalition,” its losses were somewhat less - approximately 775 thousand people, of which the number of those killed was about 200 thousand. It is definitely worth adding to the military losses the one million dead Korean civilians from the DPRK and the Republic of Korea.

The Korean War was a real humanitarian disaster for the country. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes due to the fighting. The country suffered enormous damage, which significantly slowed down its development in the next decade. The political situation also leaves much to be desired. The hostility between the two states, which was the root of the Korean War, has not essentially gone away, even despite a number of steps taken by the governments of North and South Korea to de-escalate tensions. Thus, in April 2013, the crisis almost led to a full-scale war. This, along with nuclear and missile tests in the DPRK, does not at all contribute to the normalization of the situation and adequate dialogue between states. However, the leaders of both countries still hope for unification in the future. What will happen next - time will tell.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

The second half of the twentieth century is a time of great confrontation between two military-political blocs. On the one hand, this is NATO, and on the other hand, the Department of Internal Affairs. The forerunner of this confrontation was the Korean War of 1950-1953.

Beginning of confrontation

The Second World War allowed countries with different views on the socio-political system and economic development to unite. All this was done for the sake of victory over the common enemy - fascism. However, then the paths of the former allies diverged. During the war years, the USSR strengthened significantly in all respects, and other countries, primarily the United States, were forced to reckon with this. The final stage of the war took place in the Far East. Here, American and Soviet troops inflicted a crushing defeat on the Imperial Japanese Army. The consequence of this was the liberation of Korea from Japanese troops - and at the same time the occupation of this country by allied forces at that time. The north of the peninsula was controlled by Soviet and Chinese troops, and its southern part came under the rule of American authorities.

"Appetites" of Korean leaders

According to the Allied plans, the division into zones of occupation was a temporary phenomenon. In the near future it was planned to combine both parts into a single whole. However, both the American and Soviet sides took advantage of the opportunity and began to hastily strengthen their influence in the parts of the peninsula allotted to them. In the south, with the support of the occupation administration, elections were held and Korean authorities were organized, headed by Syngman Rhee. He adhered to authoritarian methods of management. Moreover, his political views were reactionary. He was one of the initiators of the events that later became known as the Korean War. Its second direct initiator was the protege of the Soviet-Chinese forces, Kim Il Sung. Both sides announced the need to unite, but each wanted to do it under its own leadership. But no matter how strong these desires were, the real reason for this confrontation was the gradual deterioration of relations between the USSR and the USA.

Geopolitical puzzle

On the part of the Soviet Union, there were fears that the United States, by subjugating Korea, would thereby pose a direct threat to the Far Eastern borders. After all, the peninsula had a land border with the USSR, and the Soviets did not want to have a hostile state at their side. The Americans, in turn, expressed alarm about the unification of Korea under the leadership of the “North,” since this threatened their interests in Asia and, in addition, drove the United States out of the Sea of ​​Japan. Therefore, these two superpowers were the true orchestrators of events on the peninsula. Of course, we cannot ignore the contradictions between Korean leaders. But they were of a secondary nature. As the Soviet-American contradictions intensified, including at the UN negotiation platforms, the rhetoric of the leaders of the “North” and “South” became increasingly harsh. They did not mince words. At the same time, each side threatened to unite the country with bayonets. The Korean War was approaching at alarming speed.

On the verge of confrontation

The government of Syngman Rhee had a very modest military potential and, without American reinforcement, could not resist the northerners. To avoid a direct clash between American and Soviet troops, in 1948 they were completely withdrawn from the peninsula. Only military advisers remained in the relevant parts of the country. While the southerners were verbally threatening Kim Il Sung, he was intensively preparing for a clash. Since 1948, the number of North Korean troops has gradually increased. The USSR helped with military equipment. However, Stalin rejected the request to provide assistance to the “North” with manpower, fearing the start of a new global conflict. For two years - from 1948 to 1950 - there were intensive consultations between Moscow and Pyongyang, the climax of which was Kim Il Sung's visit to the USSR. Similar actions were taking place between Seoul and Washington. The contradictions reached such intensity that the outbreak of hostilities was only a matter of time.

Korean War 1950-1953

At the end of June 1950, the northern troops went on the offensive. The Korean War began, which lasted almost three years. The first stage of hostilities is marked by the complete superiority of the North. Within a few months, his troops penetrated deeply into the territory of the south of the peninsula. The government and senior officials left Seoul in a hurry. By the end of the year 1950, the war in Korea acquired global significance. The Americans understood that it was necessary to provide urgent assistance to the southerners. A number of decisions were carried out through the UN, which the countries of the socialist bloc sharply condemned. Despite this, the United States insisted on its own, and under the auspices of the United Nations began urgently supporting Seoul. American and British troops, as well as military equipment, began to arrive in Korea. Soon the successful offensive of the North was stopped, and South Korean troops, with the support of UN forces, launched a counteroffensive.

Military pendulum of luck

The war in South Korea under these conditions became a threat to the defeat of the “North”. The USSR and China could not allow this. Therefore, the Soviet Union sent military specialists and a large amount of equipment to help the northerners. China, in turn, began sending mass “volunteers” to the Korean front, the number of which reached a million people.

The war in Korea became protracted. Neither side of the conflict could achieve a military victory. Both Washington and Moscow began to understand this. Throughout 1951-1952, fighting took place with varying degrees of success. Confidence grew in the futility of solving the problem by military means.

The change of leadership in the USA and the USSR was of no small importance for ending the war. Eisenhower, who became president at the end of 1952, took active steps to end the conflict, and in March 1953, J.V. Stalin died. The Presidium of the Central Committee spoke in favor of ending the war.

Fragile world

After intense negotiations, a ceasefire and prisoner exchange was agreed upon in July 1953, but the US war in Korea did not end there. To this day, the American military guards the borders of the Republic of Korea. The result of the agreement was the separation of the warring parties along the 38th parallel, i.e., the “status quo” that existed before the start of the war was achieved. The DPRK and South Korea have still not signed a peace treaty, and clashes on the border are not uncommon these days.