Koh-rea

Another 'forgotten' war.  Like WWI.  Forgotten as in, "why did it turn out the way it did?"

I had a better handle on this as a bald faced boy than I did the Great War.  But because M*A*S*H was on it felt like the war probably took forever, too.  Not really.  Three years.  And all the action was in the first 6 months.  Fast fast.

June 1950, the NORKS come down the peninsula, and allied forces (mostly US) are forced down to the southern tip.  Pusan Perimeter.

July 1950, UN says ok.  Mess of folks head on over in boats.

September 1950, landing and Inchon, the Norks are on their heels.  Steadily the allies push and take northern territory.

October 1950, the CHICOMS start sneaking across the Yalu.

November 1950, forces pushed back by about a bajillion Chinese.  Battle for Chosin Reservoir

December 1950, the Marines and some Army guys have pulled back to Hungnum harbor on the east coast.  And are evacuated.  Sorta like Dunkirk, but the Marines took all their stuff back with them.  A long hard slog.

January 1950, things sorta start to settle around the original border.  There is static trench warfare for two and a half years where folks just suffer and die for no visable result.  Then both sides quit fighting for 65 years.  So far.

But as you can see, just 6 months of dynamic action.

I told all that because I've been watching this, and thought it interesting.



Michael Caine fought in Korea. If you haven't seen him in Zulu then I don't know if we can still be friends.