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thedrifter
06-25-04, 11:50 AM
This Day In History | Cold War

June 25

1950 Korean War begins


Armed forces from communist North Korea smash into South Korea, setting off the Korean War. The United States, acting under the auspices of the United Nations, quickly sprang to the defense of South Korea and fought a bloody and frustrating war for the next three years.

Korea, a former Japanese possession, had been divided into zones of occupation following World War II. U.S. forces accepted the surrender of Japanese forces in southern Korea, while Soviet forces did the same in northern Korea. Like in Germany, however, the "temporary" division soon became permanent. The Soviets assisted in the establishment of a communist regime in North Korea, while the United States became the main source of financial and military support for South Korea.

On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces surprised the South Korean army (and the small U.S. force stationed in the country), and quickly headed toward the capital city of Seoul. The United States responded by pushing a resolution through the U.N.'s Security Council calling for military assistance to South Korea. (Russia was not present to veto the action as it was boycotting the Security Council at the time.) With this resolution in hand, President Harry S. Truman rapidly dispatched U.S. land, air, and sea forces to Korea to engage in what he termed a "police action." The American intervention turned the tide, and U.S. and South Korean forces marched into North Korea. This action, however, prompted the massive intervention of communist Chinese forces in late 1950. The war in Korea subsequently bogged down into a bloody stalemate. In 1953, the United States and North Korea signed a cease-fire that ended the conflict. The cease-fire agreement also resulted in the continued division of North and South Korea at just about the same geographical point as before the conflict.

The Korean War was the first "hot" war of the Cold War. Over 55,000 American troops were killed in the conflict. Korea was the first "limited war," one in which the U.S. aim was not the complete and total defeat of the enemy, but rather the "limited" goal of protecting South Korea. For the U.S. government, such an approach was the only rational option in order to avoid a third world war and to keep from stretching finite American resources too thinly around the globe. It proved to be a frustrating experience for the American people, who were used to the kind of total victory that had been achieved in World War II. The public found the concept of limited war difficult to understand or support and the Korean War never really gained popular support.


http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/tdih.jsp?category=coldwar&month=10272958&day=10272990


Ellie


Salute to all who served.

MillRatUSMC
06-25-04, 01:47 PM
http://www.geocities.com/millrat_99/korea.html
The Korean War part of my site on the Community Veteran's Memorial.
After the outbreak of hostiles in Korea, the Commandant ordered the 1st Marine Divison to get ready for action in Korea.
Dued to the cuts made by the government.
The 1st Marine Divison found itself way under strenght, it had to draw from other units and called some reserves.
The 1st Marine Brigade was the first Marine unit to engage the North Koreans.
The rest is history of a war some have forgotten.
But as long as there a Marine Corps, the actions of the Marines of all those years will live in history.

http://www.geocities.com/millrat_99/index.html

"The saddest part of the job that I have undertaken is that the armed services by their nature, represent the last resort,
when rational solutions to the country's problems have failed."
~ Lt. Cmdr. Harry Mossman US Navy ~
Remains recover in 1992 and indentified recently.

"A man or woman is measured
by the footprint,
he or she leaves behind".

"They were the best you had, America,
and you turned your back on them".
~ Joe Galloway ~ Speaking about Vietnam Veterans

"The price of Freedom is buried in the ground."
~ Author Unknown ~

TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
THAT OTHERS MAY SAY PROUDLY
I AM A MARINE

Semper Fidelis/Semper Fi
Ricardo

Alicia Boos
07-03-04, 07:30 AM
I am looking for any information any Marine may have on my dad, David James Collins who retired in 1958 after 20 years in the Marines. I believe he was a trainer of new recruits. I was born in Parris Island, S.C. We lived in Camp LeJeune from 1954-1958. He served in Korea & Japan. This is all I know. He didn't talk about his days in the service at home. My sister and I would like to know anything anyone may remember or info. anyone may have about him.