The former location in Mesa is actually the second HoHoKam Park; the first was built in 1976 as the spring-training home of the Oakland Athletics who left the park in 1979. Apart from HoHoKam Park and Sloan Park the Cubs also have another Mesa training facility called Fitch Park, this complex provides 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2) of team facilities, including major league clubhouse, four practice fields, one practice infield, enclosed batting tunnels, batting cages, a maintenance facility, and administrative offices for the Cubs.

Where was the former location in Mesa?

the second HoHoKam Park

How many square feet does Fitch Park provide?

25,000 square feet

When was the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics built?


Jack Brickhouse manned the Cubs radio and especially the TV booth for parts of five decades, the 34-season span from 1948 to 1981. He covered the games with a level of enthusiasm that often seemed unjustified by the team's poor performance on the field for many of those years. His trademark call "Hey Hey!" always followed a home run. That expression is spelled out in large letters vertically on both foul pole screens at Wrigley Field. "Whoo-boy!" and "Wheeee!" and "Oh, brother!" were among his other pet expressions. When he approached retirement age, he personally recommended his successor.

Who manned the Cubs radio and TV booth for parts of five decades?

Jack Brickhouse

What was Jack Brickhouse's trademark call?

Hey Hey!

What did Jack Brickhouse do when he approached his retirement age?

he personally recommended his successor


Harry Caray's stamp on the team is perhaps even deeper than that of Brickhouse, although his 17-year tenure, from 1982 to 1997, was half as long. First, Caray had already become a well-known Chicago figure by broadcasting White Sox games for a decade, after having been a St Louis Cardinals icon for 25 years. Caray also had the benefit of being in the booth during the NL East title run in 1984, which was widely seen due to WGN's status as a cable-TV superstation. His trademark call of "Holy Cow!" and his enthusiastic singing of "Take me out to the ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch (as he had done with the White Sox) made Caray a fan favorite both locally and nationally.

How long was Harry Caray's tenure  with the Cubs?

How did Caray become a well-known Chicago figure?

by broadcasting White Sox games for a decade

How long had Caray been a St Louis Cardinals icon?

25 years


Caray had lively discussions with commentator Steve Stone, who was hand-picked by Harry himself, and producer Arne Harris. Caray often playfully quarreled with Stone over Stone's cigar and why Stone was single, while Stone would counter with poking fun at Harry being "under the influence." Stone disclosed in his book "Where's Harry" that most of this "arguing" was staged, and usually a ploy developed by Harry himself to add flavor to the broadcast. The Cubs still have a "guest conductor", usually a celebrity, lead the crowd in singing "Take me out to the ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch to honor Caray's memory.

Who did Harry hand-pick himself?

Steve Stone

Who did Caray often playfully quarrel with?

Stone

Why did Caray often playfully quarrel with Stone?

over Stone's cigar

What does the crowd sing during the 7th inning to honor Caray's memory?

Take me out to the ballgame


In 1981, after 6 decades under the Wrigley family, the Cubs were purchased by Tribune Company for $20,500,000. Tribune, owners of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, WGN Television, WGN Radio and many other media outlets, controlled the club until December 2007, when Sam Zell completed his purchase of the entire Tribune organization and announced his intention to sell the baseball team. After a nearly two-year process which involved potential buyers such as Mark Cuban and a group led by Hank Aaron, a family trust of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts won the bidding process as the 2009 season came to a close. Ultimately, the sale was unanimously approved by MLB owners and the Ricketts family took control on October 27, 2009.

What company purchased the  Cubs in 1981?

Tribune Company

How much did Tribune Company purchase the Cubs for?

How long were the Cubs ran under the Wrigley family?

6 decades


"Baseball's Sad Lexicon," also known as "Tinker to Evers to Chance" after its refrain, is a 1910 baseball poem by Franklin Pierce Adams. The poem is presented as a single, rueful stanza from the point of view of a New York Giants fan seeing the talented Chicago Cubs infield of shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny Evers, and first baseman Frank Chance complete a double play. The trio began playing together with the Cubs in 1902, and formed a double play combination that lasted through April 1912. The Cubs won the pennant four times between 1906 and 1910, often defeating the Giants en route to the World Series.

What was "Baseball's Sad Lexicon" also known as?

"Tinker to Evers to Chance"

Who wrote "Baseball's Sad Lexicon"?

Franklin Pierce Adams

What poem did Franklin Pierce Adams write?

"Baseball's Sad Lexicon,


The official Cubs team mascot is a young bear cub, named Clark, described by the team's press release as a young and friendly Cub. Clark made his debut at Advocate Health Care on January 13, 2014, the same day as the press release announcing his installation as the club's first ever official physical mascot. The bear cub itself was used in the clubs since the early 1900s and was the inspiration of the Chicago Staleys changing their team's name to the Chicago Bears, due to the Cubs allowing the football team to play at Wrigley Field in the 1930s.

What is the official Cubs team mascot?

a young bear cub

What is the official Cubs team mascot's name?

Clark

When did Clark make his debut?

January 13, 2014


The Cubs had no official physical mascot prior to Clark, though a man in a 'polar bear' looking outfit, called "The Bear-man" (or Beeman), which was mildly popular with the fans, paraded the stands briefly in the early 1990s. There is no record of whether or not he was just a fan in a costume or employed by the club. Through the 2013 season, there were "Cubbie-bear" mascots outside of Wrigley on game day, but none are employed by the team. They pose for pictures with fans for tips. The most notable of these was "Billy Cub" who worked outside of the stadium until for over 6 years until July 2013, when the club asked him to stop. Billy Cub, who is played by fan John Paul Weier, had unsuccessfully petitioned the team to become the official mascot.

What did "The Bear-man" wear as an outfit?

'polar bear' looking outfit

During what season were "cubbie-bear" mascots outside of Wrigley on game day?

2013 season

Who played Billy Cub?

John Paul Weier


Another unofficial but much more well-known mascot is Ronnie "Woo Woo" Wickers who is a longtime fan and local celebrity in the Chicago area. He is known to Wrigley Field visitors for his idiosyncratic cheers at baseball games, generally punctuated with an exclamatory "Woo!" (e.g., "Cubs, woo! Cubs, woo! Big-Z, woo! Zambrano, woo! Cubs, woo!") Longtime Cubs announcer Harry Caray dubbed Wickers "Leather Lungs" for his ability to shout for hours at a time. He is not employed by the team, although the club has on two separate occasions allowed him into the broadcast booth and allow him some degree of freedom once he purchases or is given a ticket by fans to get into the games. He is largely allowed to roam the park and interact with fans by Wrigley Field security.

What is another unofficial well-known mascot?

Ronnie "Woo Woo" Wickers

What is Ronnie known for to Wrigley Field visitors?

idiosyncratic cheers at baseball games

What did Harry Caray dub Wickers?

"Leather Lungs


Located in Chicago's Lake View neighborhood, Wrigley Field sits on an irregular block bounded by Clark and Addison Streets and Waveland and Sheffield Avenues. The area surrounding the ballpark is typically referred to as Wrigleyville. There is a dense collection of sports bars and restaurants in the area, most with baseball inspired themes, including Sluggers, Murphy's Bleachers and The Cubby Bear. Many of the apartment buildings surrounding Wrigley Field on Waveland and Sheffield Avenues have built bleachers on their rooftops for fans to view games and other sell space for advertisement. One building on Sheffield Avenue has a sign atop its roof which says "Eamus Catuli!" which is Latin for "Let's Go Cubs!" and another chronicles the time since the last Division title, pennant, and World Series championship. The 02 denotes two years since the 2008 NL Central title, 65 years since the 1945 pennant and 102 years since the 1908 World Series championship. On game days, many residents rent out their yards and driveways to people looking for parking spots. The uniqueness of the neighborhood itself has ingrained itself into the culture of the Chicago Cubs as well as the Wrigleyville neighborhood, and has led to being used for concerts and other sporting events, such as the 2010 NHL Winter Classic between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, as well as a 2010 NCAA men's football game between the Northwestern Wildcats and Illinois Fighting Illini.

Where is Wrigley Field located?

Chicago's Lake View neighborhood

What is the area surrounding the ballpark typically referred to?

Wrigleyville

What have many apartment buildings  surrounding Wrigley Field built on their rooftops?

bleachers


In 2013, Tom Ricketts and team president Crane Kenney unveiled plans for a five-year, $575 million privately funded renovation of Wrigley Field. Called the 1060 Project, the proposed plans included vast improvements to the stadium's facade, infrastructure, restrooms, concourses, suites, press box, bullpens, and clubhouses, as well as a 6,000-square foot jumbotron to be added in the left field bleachers, batting tunnels, a 3,000-square-foot video board in right field, and, eventually, an adjacent hotel, plaza, and office-retail complex. In previously years mostly all efforts to conduct any large-scale renovations to the field had been opposed by the city, former mayor Richard M. Daley (a staunch White Sox fan), and especially the rooftop owners.

When did Tom Ricketts and Crane Kenney unveil plans for a five-year funded renovation of Wrigley Field?

How much money has been funded to the renovation of Wrigley Field?

$575 million

How big is the jumbotron going to be?

6,000-square foot


The "Bleacher Bums" is a name given to fans, many of whom spend much of the day heckling, who sit in the bleacher section at Wrigley Field. Initially, the group was called "bums" because it referred to a group of fans who were at most games, and since those games were all day games, it was assumed they did not work. Many of those fans were, and are still, students at Chicago area colleges, such as DePaul University, Loyola, Northwestern University, and Illinois-Chicago. A Broadway play, starring Joe Mantegna, Dennis Farina, Dennis Franz, and James Belushi ran for years and was based on a group of Cub fans who frequented the club's games. The group was started in 1967 by dedicated fans Ron Grousl, Tom Nall and "mad bugler" Mike Murphy, who was a sports radio host during mid days on Chicago-based WSCR AM 670 "The Score". Murphy alleges that Grousl started the Wrigley tradition of throwing back opposing teams' home run balls. The current group is headed by Derek Schaul (Derek the Five Dollar Kid). Prior to the 2006 season, they were updated, with new shops and private bar (The Batter's Eye) being added, and Bud Light bought naming rights to the bleacher section, dubbing them the Bud Light Bleachers. Bleachers at Wrigley are general admission, except during the playoffs. The bleachers have been referred to as the "World's Largest Beer Garden." A popular T-shirt (sold inside the park and licensed by the club) which says "Wrigley Bleachers" on the front and the phrase "Shut Up and Drink Your Beer" on the reverse fuels this stereotype.

What nickname has been given to the fans who sit in the bleacher section at Wrigley Field?

Bleacher Bums

Who heads the current group?

Derek Schaul

What did Bud Light dub the bleacher section?

the Bud Light Bleachers


In 1975, a group of Chicago Cubs fans based in Washington, D.C. formed the Emil Verban Society. The society is a select club of high profile Cub fans, currently headed by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin which is named for Emil Verban, who in three seasons with the Cubs in the 1940s batted .280 with 39 runs batted in and one home run. Verban was picked as the epitome of a Cub player, explains columnist George Will, because "He exemplified mediocrity under pressure, he was competent but obscure and typifying of the work ethics." Verban initially believed he was being ridiculed, but his ill feeling disappeared several years later when he was flown to Washington to meet President Ronald Reagan, also a society member, at the White House. Hillary Clinton, Jim Belushi, Joe Mantegna, Rahm Emanuel, Dick Cheney and many others have been included among its membership.

What year did a group of Chicago Cubs fans form the Emil Verban Society?

Where were the Emil Verban Society founders based in?

Washington, D.C

Who currently heads the Emil Verban Society?

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin


During the summer of 1969, a Chicago studio group produced a single record called "Hey Hey! Holy Mackerel! (The Cubs Song)" whose title and lyrics incorporated the catch-phrases of the respective TV and radio announcers for the Cubs, Jack Brickhouse and Vince Lloyd. Several members of the Cubs recorded an album called Cub Power which contained a cover of the song. The song received a good deal of local airplay that summer, associating it very strongly with that bittersweet season. It was played much less frequently thereafter, although it remained an unofficial Cubs theme song for some years after.

What year was the single "Hey Hey! Holy Mackerel! (The Cubs Song)" produced?

What was the name of the album several members of the cubs recorded?

Cub Power

What did The Cubs Song incorporate?

the catch-phrases of the respective TV and radio announcers


An album entitled Take Me Out to a Cubs Game was released in 2008. It is a collection of 17 songs and other recordings related to the team, including Harry Caray's final performance of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" on September 21, 1997, the Steve Goodman song mentioned above, and a newly recorded rendition of "Talkin' Baseball" (subtitled "Baseball and the Cubs") by Terry Cashman. The album was produced in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Cubs' 1908 World Series victory and contains sounds and songs of the Cubs and Wrigley Field.

When was Take Me Out to a Cubs game released?

How many songs are on the Take Me Out to a Cubs Game album?

17 songs

When was Harry Caray's final performance of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"?

September 21, 1997


The 1989 film Back to the Future Part II depicts the Chicago Cubs defeating a baseball team from Miami in the 2015 World Series, ending the longest championship drought in all four of the major North American professional sports leagues. In 2015, the Miami Marlins failed to make the playoffs and were able to make it to the 2015 National League Wild Card round and move on to the 2015 National League Championship Series by October 21, 2015, the date where protagonist Marty McFly traveled to the future in the film. However, it was on October 21 that the Cubs were swept by the New York Mets in the NLCS.

What film depicts the Chicago Cubs defeating a baseball team from Miami in the 2015 World Series?

Back to the Future Part II

What team failed to make it to the playoffs in 2015?

Miami Marlins

What day were the Cubs swept by the New York Mets in the NLCS?

October 21


The Korean War (in South Korean Hangul: 한국전쟁, Hanja: 韓國戰爭, Hanguk Jeonjaeng, "Korean War"; in North Korean Chosungul: 조국해방전쟁, Joguk Haebang Jeonjaeng, "Fatherland Liberation War"; 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953)[a] was started when North Korea invaded South Korea. The United Nations, with United States as the principal force, came to aid of South Korea. China, along with assistance from Soviet Union, came to aid of North Korea. The war arose from the division of Korea at the end of World War II and from the global tensions of the Cold War that developed immediately afterwards.

In what year did the Korean War begin?

What caused the start of the Korean War?

North Korea invaded South Korea

What country was divided at the end of World War II?

Korea

Which country aided South Korea during the war?

United States

When did the Korean War end?

27 July 1953


Korea was ruled by Japan from 1910 until the closing days of World War II. In August 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and—by agreement with the United States—occupied Korea north of the 38th parallel. U.S. forces subsequently occupied the south and Japan surrendered. By 1948, two separate governments had been set up. Both governments claimed to be the legitimate government of Korea, and neither side accepted the border as permanent. The conflict escalated into open warfare when North Korean forces—supported by the Soviet Union and China—invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950. On that day, the United Nations Security Council recognized this North Korean act as invasion and called for an immediate ceasefire. On 27 June, the Security Council adopted S/RES/83: Complaint of aggression upon the Republic of Korea and decided the formation and dispatch of the UN Forces in Korea. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the defense of South Korea, with the United States providing 88% of the UN's military personnel.

What nation ruled Korea in 1910?

Japan

What part of Korea did the Soviet Union occupy?

north of the 38th parallel

Who occupied Korea south of the 38th parallel?

U.S. forces

What United Nation's committee considered the invasion of Korea to be an act of aggression?

United Nations Security Council

How many countries assisted in the defense of South Korea?

Twenty-one


After the first two months of the conflict, South Korean forces were on the point of defeat, forced back to the Pusan Perimeter. In September 1950, an amphibious UN counter-offensive was launched at Inchon, and cut off many of the North Korean attackers. Those that escaped envelopment and capture were rapidly forced back north all the way to the border with China at the Yalu River, or into the mountainous interior. At this point, in October 1950, Chinese forces crossed the Yalu and entered the war. Chinese intervention triggered a retreat of UN forces which continued until mid-1951. After these dramatic reversals of fortune, which saw Seoul change hands four times, the last two years of conflict became a war of attrition, with the front line close to the 38th parallel. The war in the air, however, was never a stalemate. North Korea was subject to a massive bombing campaign. Jet fighters confronted each other in air-to-air combat for the first time in history, and Soviet pilots covertly flew in defense of their Communist allies.

At the beginning of the conflict, where were South Korean forces pushed back to?

Pusan Perimeter

In 1950, what country got involved in the war?

China

How many times did the control of Seoul change?

four

On land, where was the last two years of the war fought?

close to the 38th parallel

What type of combat was seen for the first time in the history of war?

air-to-air combat


In China, the war is officially called the "War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea" (simplified Chinese: 抗美援朝战争; traditional Chinese: 抗美援朝戰爭; pinyin: Kàngměiyuáncháo zhànzhēng), although the term "Chaoxian (Korean) War" (simplified Chinese: 朝鲜战争; traditional Chinese: 朝鮮戰爭; pinyin: Cháoxiǎn zhànzhēng) is also used in unofficial contexts, along with the term "Korean Conflict" (simplified Chinese: 韩战; traditional Chinese: 韓戰; pinyin: Hán Zhàn) more commonly used in regions such as Hong Kong and Macau.

In, China what is the war officially called?

War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea

What did Macau and Hong Kong call the Korean War?

Korean Conflict

When is the term 'Chaoxian War' used as a name for the Korean War?

unofficial contexts


Korea was considered to be part of the Empire of Japan as an industrialized colony along with Taiwan, and both were part of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. In 1937, the colonial Governor-General, General Jirō Minami, commanded the attempted cultural assimilation of Korea's 23.5 million people by banning the use and study of Korean language, literature, and culture, to be replaced with that of mandatory use and study of their Japanese counterparts. Starting in 1939, the populace was required to use Japanese names under the Sōshi-kaimei policy. Conscription of Koreans for labor in war industries began in 1939, with as many as 2 million Koreans conscripted into either the Japanese Army or into the Japanese labor force.

Along with Taiwan, what empire was Korea considered to be apart of?

Empire of Japan

Who was the colonial Governor-General that mandated cultural assimilation of Korea's people?

General Jirō Minami

What language were the Korean people forced to learn?

Japanese

What policy forced Koreans to change their names to Japanese names?

Sōshi-kaimei policy

In 1939, what caused nearly 2 million Koreans to be forced into the labor force or the army?

Conscription


During World War II, Japan used Korea's food, livestock, and metals for their war effort. Japanese forces in Korea increased from 46,000 soldiers in 1941 to 300,000 in 1945. Japanese Korea conscripted 2.6 million forced laborers controlled with a collaborationist Korean police force; some 723,000 people were sent to work in the overseas empire and in metropolitan Japan. By 1942, Korean men were being conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army. By January 1945, Koreans made up 32% of Japan's labor force. At the end of the war, other world powers did not recognize Japanese rule in Korea and Taiwan.

How many Japanese forces were in Korea in 1945?

Where were 723,000 Koreans sent to work?

overseas empire and in metropolitan Japan

Who did Japan collaborate with to help control the citizens of Korea?

Korean police force

By 1945, what percentage of Koreans made up the Japanese labor force?

What army were Korean men conscripted into?

Imperial Japanese Army


On the night of 10 August in Washington, American Colonels Dean Rusk and Charles H. Bonesteel III were tasked with dividing the Korean Peninsula into Soviet and U.S. occupation zones and proposed the 38th parallel. This was incorporated into America's General Order No. 1 which responded to the Japanese surrender on 15 August. Explaining the choice of the 38th parallel, Rusk observed, "even though it was further north than could be realistically reached by U.S. forces, in the event of Soviet disagreement...we felt it important to include the capital of Korea in the area of responsibility of American troops". He noted that he was "faced with the scarcity of US forces immediately available, and time and space factors, which would make it difficult to reach very far north, before Soviet troops could enter the area". As Rusk's comments indicate, the Americans doubted whether the Soviet government would agree to this. Stalin, however, maintained his wartime policy of co-operation, and on 16 August the Red Army halted at the 38th parallel for three weeks to await the arrival of U.S. forces in the south.

What job were Colonels Dean Rusk and Charles H. Bonesteel III given?

dividing the Korean Peninsula

What two areas was Korea divided into?

Soviet and U.S. occupation zones

What order was the division of Korea included in?

General Order No. 1

Who had to agree to the US's decision to divide Korea at the 38th parallel?

Stalin

What was a factor in deciding where to divide the occupation zones?

the capital of Korea


On 8 September 1945, U.S. Lt. Gen. John R. Hodge arrived in Incheon to accept the Japanese surrender south of the 38th parallel. Appointed as military governor, General Hodge directly controlled South Korea as head of the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK 1945–48). He established control by restoring to power the key Japanese colonial administrators, but in the face of Korean protests he quickly reversed this decision. The USAMGIK refused to recognize the provisional government of the short-lived People's Republic of Korea (PRK) because it suspected it was communist.

Who accepted Japan's surrender?

Gen. John R. Hodge

What was General Hodge appointed the head of?

United States Army Military Government in Korea

What government was not recognized by the U.S. Army Military Government in Korea?

People's Republic of Korea

Why was the People's Republic of Korea not recognized?

it was communist

Who did General Hodge restore power to, resulting in protests?

Japanese colonial administrators


On 23 September 1946, an 8,000-strong railroad worker strike began in Pusan. Civil disorder spread throughout the country in what became known as the Autumn uprising. On 1 October 1946, Korean police killed three students in the Daegu Uprising; protesters counter-attacked, killing 38 policemen. On 3 October, some 10,000 people attacked the Yeongcheon police station, killing three policemen and injuring some 40 more; elsewhere, some 20 landlords and pro-Japanese South Korean officials were killed. The USAMGIK declared martial law.

What is the civil disobedience caused by the railroad worker's strike called?

the Autumn uprising

When was the Daegu Uprising?

How many people attacked the Yeongcheon police station?

When did the Pusasn railroad strike begin?

23 September 1946

How did the USAMGIK respond to the uprisings?

declared martial law


Citing the inability of the Joint Commission to make progress, the U.S. government decided to hold an election under United Nations auspices with the aim of creating an independent Korea. The Soviet authorities and the Korean Communists refused to co-operate on the grounds it would not be fair, and many South Korean politicians also boycotted it. A general election was held in the South on 10 May 1948. It was marred by terrorism and sabotage resulting in 600 deaths. North Korea held parliamentary elections three months later on 25 August.

What did the Joint Commission's lack of progress cause the US government to do?

hold an election

Why did the Korean Communists and the Soviets refuse to cooperate in the elections and creation of independent Korea?

it would not be fair

When was the South Korean general election held?

10 May 1948

What problems did the elections face?

terrorism and sabotage

Who held parliamentary elections on August 25, 1948?

North Korea


The resultant South Korean government promulgated a national political constitution on 17 July 1948, and elected Syngman Rhee as President on 20 July 1948. The Republic of Korea (South Korea) was established on 15 August 1948. In the Russian Korean Zone of Occupation, the Soviet Union established a Communist North Korean government led by Kim Il-sung. President Rhee's régime excluded communists and leftists from southern politics. Disenfranchised, they headed for the hills, to prepare for guerrilla war against the US-sponsored ROK Government.

When was South Korea's constitution created?

Who was elected president of South Korea on July 20, 1948?

Syngman Rhee

What year was the Republic of Korea established?

Who led the Russian Koran Zone of Occupation?

Kim Il-sung

What two groups were excluded from the South Korean political process?

communists and leftists


With the end of the war with Japan, the Chinese Civil War resumed between the Chinese Communists and the Chinese Nationalists. While the Communists were struggling for supremacy in Manchuria, they were supported by the North Korean government with matériel and manpower. According to Chinese sources, the North Koreans donated 2,000 railway cars worth of matériel while thousands of Koreans served in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) during the war. North Korea also provided the Chinese Communists in Manchuria with a safe refuge for non-combatants and communications with the rest of China.

Who supported the Chinese Communists during the civil war in Manchuria?

North Korean government

What two groups were fighting in the Chinese Civil War?

Chinese Communists and the Chinese Nationalists

What did the Chinese Communists want?

supremacy in Manchuria

What army did North Koreans serve in during the civil war?

Chinese People's Liberation Army

How much material did the North Koreans give to the Chinese communists?

2,000 railway cars worth


The North Korean contributions to the Chinese Communist victory were not forgotten after the creation of the People's Republic of China in 1949. As a token of gratitude, between 50,000 and 70,000 Korean veterans that served in the PLA were sent back along with their weapons, and they later played a significant role in the initial invasion of South Korea. China promised to support the North Koreans in the event of a war against South Korea. The Chinese support created a deep division between the Korean Communists, and Kim Il-sung's authority within the Communist party was challenged by the Chinese faction led by Pak Il-yu, who was later purged by Kim.

What country helped North Korea invade South Korea?

China

When was the People's Republic of China created?

What caused a problem within the Korean Communist Party?

Chinese support

Who led the faction that challenged Kim-Il-sung?

Pak Il-yu

Who did China pledge to support if a conflict should occur between North and South Korea?

the North Koreans


After the formation of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese government named the Western nations, led by the United States, as the biggest threat to its national security. Basing this judgment on China's century of humiliation beginning in the early 19th century, American support for the Nationalists during the Chinese Civil War, and the ideological struggles between revolutionaries and reactionaries, the Chinese leadership believed that China would become a critical battleground in the United States' crusade against Communism. As a countermeasure and to elevate China's standing among the worldwide Communist movements, the Chinese leadership adopted a foreign policy that actively promoted Communist revolutions throughout territories on China's periphery.

What country did China see as a threat to the People's Republic of China?

Western nations

Where was it believed that that fight against Communism would take place?

China

To show their strength in the international Communist movement, what did China do?

promoted Communist revolutions

Who did America support during the Chinese Civil War?

the Nationalists


By spring 1950, Stalin believed the strategic situation had changed. The Soviets had detonated their first nuclear bomb in September 1949; American soldiers had fully withdrawn from Korea; the Americans had not intervened to stop the communist victory in China, and Stalin calculated that the Americans would be even less willing to fight in Korea—which had seemingly much less strategic significance. The Soviets had also cracked the codes used by the US to communicate with the US embassy in Moscow, and reading these dispatches convinced Stalin that Korea did not have the importance to the US that would warrant a nuclear confrontation. Stalin began a more aggressive strategy in Asia based on these developments, including promising economic and military aid to China through the Sino–Soviet Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance Treaty.

When did the Soviets first detonate a nuclear bomb?

What treaty did Stalin and China enter into?

Sino–Soviet Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance Treaty

What country did not prevent a Communist victory in China?

US

Who was convinced that the US did was no longer interested in Korea?

Stalin

Where did Stalin engage in an aggressive political strategy?

Asia


In April 1950, Stalin gave Kim permission to invade the South under the condition that Mao would agree to send reinforcements if they became needed. Stalin made it clear that Soviet forces would not openly engage in combat, to avoid a direct war with the Americans. Kim met with Mao in May 1950. Mao was concerned that the Americans would intervene but agreed to support the North Korean invasion. China desperately needed the economic and military aid promised by the Soviets. At that time, the Chinese were in the process of demobilizing half of the PLA's 5.6 million soldiers. However, Mao sent more ethnic Korean PLA veterans to Korea and promised to move an army closer to the Korean border. Once Mao's commitment was secured, preparations for war accelerated.

Who had to agree to send reinforcements for Stalin to give permission for the invasion of Korea?

Mao

Who did the Soviets not want to engage in conflict?

the Americans

What concern did Mao have about the South Korean invasion?

the Americans would intervene

Who needed Soviet financial and military aid?

China

What did Mao's assistance allow North Korea to accelerate?

preparations for war


Soviet generals with extensive combat experience from the Second World War were sent to North Korea as the Soviet Advisory Group. These generals completed the plans for the attack by May. The original plans called for a skirmish to be initiated in the Ongjin Peninsula on the west coast of Korea. The North Koreans would then launch a "counterattack" that would capture Seoul and encircle and destroy the South Korean army. The final stage would involve destroying South Korean government remnants, capturing the rest of South Korea, including the ports.

Who did the Soviets send to North Korea?

Soviet generals

Where did the conflict in South Korea begin?

Ongjin Peninsula

What were the generals sent to North Korea collectively called?

the Soviet Advisory Group

When did the generals finalize their attack strategy?

May


On 7 June 1950, Kim Il-sung called for a Korea-wide election on 5–8 August 1950 and a consultative conference in Haeju on 15–17 June 1950. On 11 June, the North sent three diplomats to the South, as a peace overture that Rhee rejected. On 21 June, Kim Il-Sung revised his war plan to involve general attack across the 38th parallel, rather than a limited operation in the Ongjin peninsula. Kim was concerned that South Korean agents had learned about the plans and South Korean forces were strengthening their defenses. Stalin agreed to this change of plan.

Who called for Korean elections in 1950?

Kim Il-sung

Who rejected the peace gesture?

Rhee

What did Kim Il-Sung do after the peace overture was rejected?

revised his war plan

Why did Kim's war plan need revising?

South Korean agents had learned about the plans

When did Kim Il-Sung call for the Haeju conference?


While these preparations were underway in the North, there were frequent clashes along the 38th parallel, especially at Kaesong and Ongjin, many initiated by the South. The Republic of Korea Army (ROK Army) was being trained by the U.S. Korean Military Advisory Group (KMAG). On the eve of war, KMAG's commander General William Lynn Roberts voiced utmost confidence in the ROK Army and boasted that any North Korean invasion would merely provide "target practice". For his part, Syngman Rhee repeatedly expressed his desire to conquer the North, including when American diplomat John Foster Dulles visited Korea on 18 June.

Who primarily initiated the clashes along the 38th parallel?

the South

What group trained the Republic of Korea army?

U.S. Korean Military Advisory Group

What general had a lot of confidence in the Republic of Korea's army?

General William Lynn Roberts

Who wanted to take over North Korea?

Syngman Rhee

Who was the diplomat that visited Korea?

John Foster Dulles


At dawn on Sunday, 25 June 1950, the Korean People's Army crossed the 38th parallel behind artillery fire. The KPA justified its assault with the claim that ROK troops had attacked first, and that they were aiming to arrest and execute the "bandit traitor Syngman Rhee". Fighting began on the strategic Ongjin peninsula in the west. There were initial South Korean claims that they had captured the city of Haeju, and this sequence of events has led some scholars to argue that the South Koreans actually fired first.

Who provoked a conflict by crossing the 38th parallel?

Korean People's Army

Where did the fighting begin?

Ongjin peninsula

Who claimed to have taken control of Haeju?

the South Koreans

Who questioned the claim that South Korean did not provoke the KPA?

scholars

Who was the Korean People's Army trying to execute?

Syngman Rhee


On 27 June, Rhee evacuated from Seoul with some of the government. On 28 June, at 2 am, the South Korean Army blew up the highway bridge across the Han River in an attempt to stop the North Korean army. The bridge was detonated while 4,000 refugees were crossing the bridge, and hundreds were killed. Destroying the bridge also trapped many South Korean military units north of the Han River. In spite of such desperate measures, Seoul fell that same day. A number of South Korean National Assemblymen remained in Seoul when it fell, and forty-eight subsequently pledged allegiance to the North.

Who, along with members of the South Korean government, fled South Korea?

Rhee

What bridge were refugees attempting to cross when it was blown up by the South Korean Army?

Han River

How many South Korean National Assemblyman pledged their allegiance to Seoul?

forty-eight

What did South Korea do to cause members of the South Korean military unit to become trapped near the Han River?

blew up the highway bridge

What day was the city of Seoul captured?

28 June


One facet of the changing attitude toward Korea and whether to get involved was Japan. Especially after the fall of China to the Communists, U.S. East Asian experts saw Japan as the critical counterweight to the Soviet Union and China in the region. While there was no United States policy that dealt with South Korea directly as a national interest, its proximity to Japan increased the importance of South Korea. Said Kim: "The recognition that the security of Japan required a non-hostile Korea led directly to President Truman's decision to intervene... The essential point... is that the American response to the North Korean attack stemmed from considerations of US policy toward Japan."

What country was believed to provide a counterbalance to China's and the Soviet Union's involvement in Korea?

Japan

Which President decided to intervene after realizing that Japan's security would be affected by the hostility in Korea?

President Truman

Why was South Korea important to the US?

US policy toward Japan

What affected America's response to the situation in South Korea?

US policy toward Japan


A major consideration was the possible Soviet reaction in the event that the US intervened. The Truman administration was fretful that a war in Korea was a diversionary assault that would escalate to a general war in Europe once the United States committed in Korea. At the same time, "[t]here was no suggestion from anyone that the United Nations or the United States could back away from [the conflict]". Yugoslavia–a possible Soviet target because of the Tito-Stalin Split—was vital to the defense of Italy and Greece, and the country was first on the list of the National Security Council's post-North Korea invasion list of "chief danger spots". Truman believed if aggression went unchecked a chain reaction would be initiated that would marginalize the United Nations and encourage Communist aggression elsewhere. The UN Security Council approved the use of force to help the South Koreans and the US immediately began using what air and naval forces that were in the area to that end. The Administration still refrained from committing on the ground because some advisers believed the North Koreans could be stopped by air and naval power alone.

What was the Truman administration concerned about that was preventing them from getting involved in the Korean conflict?

Soviet reaction

What agency approved the use of force in South Korea?

The UN Security Council

Why did the US not send in ground troops after the United Nations approved the use of force?

advisers believed the North Koreans could be stopped by air and naval power

Who believed that if the issues in Korea were not dealt with the communist aggression would spread?

Truman

What resources did the US devote to South Korea after the Security Council approved engaging in an armed conflict?

air and naval forces


On 25 June 1950, the United Nations Security Council unanimously condemned the North Korean invasion of the Republic of Korea, with UN Security Council Resolution 82. The Soviet Union, a veto-wielding power, had boycotted the Council meetings since January 1950, protesting that the Republic of China (Taiwan), not the People's Republic of China, held a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. After debating the matter, the Security Council, on 27 June 1950, published Resolution 83 recommending member states provide military assistance to the Republic of Korea. On 27 June President Truman ordered U.S. air and sea forces to help the South Korean regime. On 4 July the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister accused the United States of starting armed intervention on behalf of South Korea.

Who condemned the actions of North Korea?

United Nations Security Council

Which permanent member of the UN Security Council boycotted council meetings in protest of Taiwan's seat in the United Nations?

Soviet Union

What resolution encouraged Security Council Members to send military assistance to the Republic of Korea?

Resolution 83

Who accused the United States of beginning an armed intervention in South Korea?

the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister

What did UN Security Council Resolution 82 accomplish?

condemned the North Korean invasion of the Republic of Korea


The Soviet Union challenged the legitimacy of the war for several reasons. The ROK Army intelligence upon which Resolution 83 was based came from U.S. Intelligence; North Korea was not invited as a sitting temporary member of the UN, which violated UN Charter Article 32; and the Korean conflict was beyond the UN Charter's scope, because the initial north–south border fighting was classed as a civil war. Because the Soviet Union was boycotting the Security Council at the time, legal scholars posited that deciding upon an action of this type required the unanimous vote of the five permanent members.

What country challenged the legitimacy of the Korean War?

Soviet Union

Where did the intelligence information that led to the passage of Resolution 83 come from?

U.S. Intelligence

What type of vote is required for the Security Council to commit to military action in Korea.

unanimous vote

How many permanent members did the UN Security Council have?

five

What charter did the US believe was violated by intervening in the Korean conflict?

UN Charter Article 32


By mid-1950, North Korean forces numbered between 150,000 and 200,000 troops, organized into 10 infantry divisions, one tank division, and one air force division, with 210 fighter planes and 280 tanks, who captured scheduled objectives and territory, among them Kaesong, Chuncheon, Uijeongbu, and Ongjin. Their forces included 274 T-34-85 tanks, 200 artillery pieces, 110 attack bombers, some 150 Yak fighter planes, 78 Yak trainers, and 35 reconnaissance aircraft. In addition to the invasion force, the North KPA had 114 fighters, 78 bombers, 105 T-34-85 tanks, and some 30,000 soldiers stationed in reserve in North Korea. Although each navy consisted of only several small warships, the North and South Korean navies fought in the war as sea-borne artillery for their in-country armies.

How many infantry divisions did N. Korea have engaged in the war?

What was the maximum number of North Korean troops engaged in the war?

How many reserve soldiers did North Korea have?

What type of naval ships did the South and North Koreans have?

small warships


In contrast, the ROK Army defenders were relatively unprepared and ill-equipped. In South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu (1961), R.E. Appleman reports the ROK forces' low combat readiness as of 25 June 1950. The ROK Army had 98,000 soldiers (65,000 combat, 33,000 support), no tanks (they had been requested from the U.S. military, but requests were denied), and a 22-piece air force comprising 12 liaison-type and 10 AT6 advanced-trainer airplanes. There were no large foreign military garrisons in Korea at the time of the invasion, but there were large U.S. garrisons and air forces in Japan.

What was the problem with the ROK Army?

Army defenders were relatively unprepared and ill-equipped

Who declined the ROK's request for tanks?

U.S. military

In what country did the US maintain air forces and garrisons?

Japan

Who reported that South Korea's military was not ready for combat?

R.E. Appleman


On Saturday, 24 June 1950, U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson informed President Truman that the North Koreans had invaded South Korea. Truman and Acheson discussed a U.S. invasion response and agreed that the United States was obligated to act, paralleling the North Korean invasion with Adolf Hitler's aggressions in the 1930s, with the conclusion being that the mistake of appeasement must not be repeated. Several U.S. industries were mobilized to supply materials, labor, capital, production facilities, and other services necessary to support the military objectives of the Korean War. However, President Truman later acknowledged that he believed fighting the invasion was essential to the American goal of the global containment of communism as outlined in the National Security Council Report 68 (NSC-68) (declassified in 1975):

Which Secretary of State did President Truman hold discussions about how the US would respond to the invasion of South Korea?

Dean Acheson

The North Korean invasion of South Korea was compared to what event?

Adolf Hitler's aggressions

What did the US not want to see repeated?

the mistake of appeasement

The US involvement in the Korean War was important to achieving what goal?

the global containment of communism

What report discussed the United States's goals for containing communism?

National Security Council Report 68


As an initial response, Truman called for a naval blockade of North Korea, and was shocked to learn that such a blockade could be imposed only 'on paper', since the U.S. Navy no longer had the warships with which to carry out his request. In fact, because of the extensive defense cuts and the emphasis placed on building a nuclear bomber force, none of the services were in a position to make a robust response with conventional military strength. General Omar Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was faced with re-organizing and deploying an American military force that was a shadow of its World War II counterpart. The impact of the Truman administration's defense budget cutbacks were now keenly felt, as American troops fought a series of costly rearguard actions. Lacking sufficient anti-tank weapons, artillery or armor, they were driven back down the Korean peninsula to Pusan. In a postwar analysis of the unpreparedness of U.S. Army forces deployed to Korea during the summer and fall of 1950, Army Major General Floyd L. Parks stated that "Many who never lived to tell the tale had to fight the full range of ground warfare from offensive to delaying action, unit by unit, man by man ... [T]hat we were able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat ... does not relieve us from the blame of having placed our own flesh and blood in such a predicament."

Why was the US naval blockade not feasible?

U.S. Navy no longer had the warships

Why was the US not able to provide an adequate response to the Korean invasion?

defense budget cutbacks

Who was tasked with reorganization and deploying of the US military?

General Omar Bradley

Who was forced to retreat back to the Pusan Peninsula due to unpreparedness?

American troops

Who stated that winning the war does not excuse putting US troops into a bad situation?

Major General Floyd L. Parks


Acting on State Secretary Acheson's recommendation, President Truman ordered General MacArthur to transfer matériel to the Army of the Republic of Korea while giving air cover to the evacuation of U.S. nationals. The President disagreed with advisers who recommended unilateral U.S. bombing of the North Korean forces, and ordered the US Seventh Fleet to protect the Republic of China (Taiwan), whose government asked to fight in Korea. The United States denied ROC's request for combat, lest it provoke a communist Chinese retaliation. Because the United States had sent the Seventh Fleet to "neutralize" the Taiwan Strait, Chinese premier Zhou Enlai criticized both the UN and U.S. initiatives as "armed aggression on Chinese territory."

What general provided material to the Republic of Korea and evacuated US nationals?

General MacArthur

Who disagreed with the idea of unilaterally bombing the North Korean military?

President Truman

What fleet was sent to the Taiwan Strait?

US Seventh Fleet

Fearing the provocation of Communist China, what country's request for combat troops did the US deny?

Republic of China

Who is the Chinese premier that called the actions of the US and the United Nations an act of aggression?

Zhou Enlai


The Battle of Osan, the first significant American engagement of the Korean War, involved the 540-soldier Task Force Smith, which was a small forward element of the 24th Infantry Division which had been flown in from Japan. On 5 July 1950, Task Force Smith attacked the North Koreans at Osan but without weapons capable of destroying the North Koreans' tanks. They were unsuccessful; the result was 180 dead, wounded, or taken prisoner. The KPA progressed southwards, pushing back the US force at Pyongtaek, Chonan, and Chochiwon, forcing the 24th Division's retreat to Taejeon, which the KPA captured in the Battle of Taejon; the 24th Division suffered 3,602 dead and wounded and 2,962 captured, including the Division's Commander, Major General William F. Dean.

What battle is considered the US's first significant fight in the Korean War?

Battle of Osan

Which infantry division was involved in the Battle of Osan?

24th Infantry Division

Where was the 24th Division forced to retreat to what location?

Taejeon

At what Battle did the 24th Infantry Division suffer major losses?

Battle of Taejon

In what country is the US's Task Force Smith located?

Japan


By August, the KPA had pushed back the ROK Army and the Eighth United States Army to the vicinity of Pusan in southeast Korea. In their southward advance, the KPA purged the Republic of Korea's intelligentsia by killing civil servants and intellectuals. On 20 August, General MacArthur warned North Korean leader Kim Il-sung that he was responsible for the KPA's atrocities. By September, the UN Command controlled the Pusan perimeter, enclosing about 10% of Korea, in a line partially defined by the Nakdong River.

How did the KPA hurt the Republic of Korea's intellectual core?

by killing civil servants and intellectuals

Who was held responsible for the actions of the KPA?

Kim Il-sung

Where did the Eighth United States and ROK get pushed back to?

southeast Korea

What body of water provided a natural border to the UN command-controlled Pusan perimeter?

Nakdong River

How much of Korea was under the control of the United Nations?


Although Kim's early successes had led him to predict that he would end the war by the end of August, Chinese leaders were more pessimistic. To counter a possible U.S. deployment, Zhou Enlai secured a Soviet commitment to have the Soviet Union support Chinese forces with air cover, and deployed 260,000 soldiers along the Korean border, under the command of Gao Gang. Zhou commanded Chai Chengwen to conduct a topographical survey of Korea, and directed Lei Yingfu, Zhou's military advisor in Korea, to analyze the military situation in Korea. Lei concluded that MacArthur would most likely attempt a landing at Incheon. After conferring with Mao that this would be MacArthur's most likely strategy, Zhou briefed Soviet and North Korean advisers of Lei's findings, and issued orders to Chinese army commanders deployed on the Korean border to prepare for American naval activity in the Korea Strait.

Why did Zhou Enlai want a commitment the Soviet Union to commit to supporting the Chinese troops?

To counter a possible U.S. deployment

Where did North Korea predict that MacArthur would enter Korea?

Incheon

Who helped North Korea prepare for war by surveying the country?

Chai Chengwen

Where did the Chinese military deploy troops in preparation for the arrival of US troops?

the Korean border

Even though it was predicted that the Korean War would end in August, who was less than optimistic about the prediction?

Chinese leaders


In the resulting Battle of Pusan Perimeter (August–September 1950), the U.S. Army withstood KPA attacks meant to capture the city at the Naktong Bulge, P'ohang-dong, and Taegu. The United States Air Force (USAF) interrupted KPA logistics with 40 daily ground support sorties that destroyed 32 bridges, halting most daytime road and rail traffic. KPA forces were forced to hide in tunnels by day and move only at night. To deny matériel to the KPA, the USAF destroyed logistics depots, petroleum refineries, and harbors, while the U.S. Navy air forces attacked transport hubs. Consequently, the over-extended KPA could not be supplied throughout the south. On 27 August, 67th Fighter Squadron aircraft mistakenly attacked facilities in Chinese territory and the Soviet Union called the UN Security Council's attention to China's complaint about the incident. The US proposed that a commission of India and Sweden determine what the US should pay in compensation but the Soviets vetoed the US proposal.

Which army was trying to capture Teague and the Naktong Bulge?

KPA

What did the US Air Force's daytime attacks cause the KPA to do?

to hide in tunnels by day and move only at night

Why did the Soviet Union complain about the action of the US to the UN Security Council?

aircraft mistakenly attacked facilities in Chinese territory

Along with India, what other nation was to determine the how much the US would have to compensate China?

Sweden

Why did India and Sweden never determine how much the US would compensate China?

the Soviets vetoed the US proposal


Meanwhile, U.S. garrisons in Japan continually dispatched soldiers and matériel to reinforce defenders in the Pusan Perimeter. Tank battalions deployed to Korea directly from the U.S. mainland from the port of San Francisco to the port of Pusan, the largest Korean port. By late August, the Pusan Perimeter had some 500 medium tanks battle-ready. In early September 1950, ROK Army and UN Command forces outnumbered the KPA 180,000 to 100,000 soldiers. The UN forces, once prepared, counterattacked and broke out of the Pusan Perimeter.

Where in the United States was the tank battalion located?

San Francisco

What is Korea's largest port?

the port of Pusan

Besides the United States, what other country sent military personnel to Korea?

Japan

Who had the fewest number of troops in Korea?

KPA

Who was able to counterattack and move the KPA away from the Pusan Perimeter?

UN forces


Against the rested and re-armed Pusan Perimeter defenders and their reinforcements, the KPA were undermanned and poorly supplied; unlike the UN Command, they lacked naval and air support. To relieve the Pusan Perimeter, General MacArthur recommended an amphibious landing at Inchon (now known as Incheon), near Seoul and well over 100 miles (160 km) behind the KPA lines. On 6 July, he ordered Major General Hobart R. Gay, Commander, 1st Cavalry Division, to plan the division's amphibious landing at Incheon; on 12–14 July, the 1st Cavalry Division embarked from Yokohama, Japan to reinforce the 24th Infantry Division inside the Pusan Perimeter.

Why did General MacArthur suggest an amphibious landing at Inchon?

To relieve the Pusan Perimeter

Who did General MacArthur ask to plan the amphibious attack?

Major General Hobart R. Gay

Where did the 1st Infantry deploy from?

Yokohama, Japan

Why were KPA forces unable to adequately defend themselves against UN forces?

the KPA were undermanned and poorly supplied


Soon after the war began, General MacArthur had begun planning a landing at Incheon, but the Pentagon opposed him. When authorized, he activated a combined U.S. Army and Marine Corps, and ROK Army force. The X Corps, led by General Edward Almond, Commander, consisted of 40,000 men of the 1st Marine Division, the 7th Infantry Division and around 8,600 ROK Army soldiers. By 15 September, the amphibious assault force faced few KPA defenders at Incheon: military intelligence, psychological warfare, guerrilla reconnaissance, and protracted bombardment facilitated a relatively light battle. However, the bombardment destroyed most of the city of Incheon.

Who initially opposed General MacArthur's landing plan?

the Pentagon

What Corps included 40,000 men from the 1st Marine Division?

The X Corps

Who coordinated the efforts of the ROK Army, Marine Corps and the US Army to stage a successful battle?

General Edward Almond


After the Incheon landing, the 1st Cavalry Division began its northward advance from the Pusan Perimeter. "Task Force Lynch" (after Lieutenant Colonel James H. Lynch), 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, and two 70th Tank Battalion units (Charlie Company and the Intelligence–Reconnaissance Platoon) effected the "Pusan Perimeter Breakout" through 106.4 miles (171.2 km) of enemy territory to join the 7th Infantry Division at Osan. The X Corps rapidly defeated the KPA defenders around Seoul, thus threatening to trap the main KPA force in Southern Korea.

Whose nickname was 'Task Force Lynch'?

Lieutenant Colonel James H. Lynch

What was the 106 mile push through enemy territory called?

the "Pusan Perimeter Breakout"

Who was defeated near Seoul, Korea?

the KPA


On 18 September, Stalin dispatched General H. M. Zakharov to Korea to advise Kim Il-sung to halt his offensive around the Pusan perimeter and to redeploy his forces to defend Seoul. Chinese commanders were not briefed on North Korean troop numbers or operational plans. As the overall commander of Chinese forces, Zhou Enlai suggested that the North Koreans should attempt to eliminate the enemy forces at Inchon only if they had reserves of at least 100,000 men; otherwise, he advised the North Koreans to withdraw their forces north.

Who was sent to Korea to act as an advisor to Kim Il-Sung?

General H. M. Zakharov

Why did Kim Il-Sung redeploy his military troops?

to defend Seoul

Who was not being briefed on the operational plans or the number of troops in combat?

Chinese commanders

When was it advised for North Koreans to attempt to defeat the opposing forces at Inchon?

if they had reserves of at least 100,000 men


On 25 September, Seoul was recaptured by South Korean forces. American air raids caused heavy damage to the KPA, destroying most of its tanks and much of its artillery. North Korean troops in the south, instead of effectively withdrawing north, rapidly disintegrated, leaving Pyongyang vulnerable. During the general retreat only 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers managed to rejoin the Northern KPA lines. On 27 September, Stalin convened an emergency session of the Politburo, in which he condemned the incompetence of the KPA command and held Soviet military advisers responsible for the defeat.

What emergency session was called by Stalin?

Politburo

How many troops made it back to the KPA lines after retreating?

25,000 to 30,000

Who was held responsible for the defeat of North Korean troops?

Soviet military advisers

Who reclaimed the Seoul?

South Korean forces.

What city was left vulnerable by North Korea's quick retreat?

Pyongyang


On 27 September, MacArthur received the top secret National Security Council Memorandum 81/1 from Truman reminding him that operations north of the 38th parallel were authorized only if "at the time of such operation there was no entry into North Korea by major Soviet or Chinese Communist forces, no announcements of intended entry, nor a threat to counter our operations militarily..." On 29 September MacArthur restored the government of the Republic of Korea under Syngman Rhee. On 30 September, Defense Secretary George Marshall sent an eyes-only message to MacArthur: "We want you to feel unhampered tactically and strategically to proceed north of the 38th parallel." During October, the ROK police executed people who were suspected to be sympathetic to North Korea, and similar massacres were carried out until early 1951.

What memorandum stated the circumstances for engaging in conflict above the 38th parallel?

National Security Council Memorandum 81/1

Who controlled the newly restored government of the Republic of Korea?

Syngman Rhee

Who sent a message to MacArthur giving him the authority to proceed past the 38th parallel?

Defense Secretary George Marshall

Who executed people who were believed to be loyal to North Korea?

ROK police

What year did the executions stop?


On 30 September, Zhou Enlai warned the United States that China was prepared to intervene in Korea if the United States crossed the 38th parallel. Zhou attempted to advise North Korean commanders on how to conduct a general withdrawal by using the same tactics which had allowed Chinese communist forces to successfully escape Chiang Kai-shek's Encirclement Campaigns in the 1930s, but by some accounts North Korean commanders did not utilize these tactics effectively. Historian Bruce Cumings argues, however, the KPA's rapid withdrawal was strategic, with troops melting into the mountains from where they could launch guerrilla raids on the UN forces spread out on the coasts.

Who vowed to intervene if the US was to engage in conflict North of the 38th parallel?

China

The tactics Zhou Enlai advised the North Koreans to use during their withdrawal was the same the Chinese used to escape event?

Chiang Kai-shek's Encirclement Campaigns

Who believes that the North Koreans only appeared to fail to effective execute their withdrawal plan?

Bruce Cumings

What may have been North Korea's goal in the way they rapidly withdrew from South Korea?

launch guerrilla raids

Who's control did the Chinese Communists escape in the 1930's?

Chiang Kai-shek


By 1 October 1950, the UN Command repelled the KPA northwards past the 38th parallel; the ROK Army crossed after them, into North Korea. MacArthur made a statement demanding the KPA's unconditional surrender. Six days later, on 7 October, with UN authorization, the UN Command forces followed the ROK forces northwards. The X Corps landed at Wonsan (in southeastern North Korea) and Riwon (in northeastern North Korea), already captured by ROK forces. The Eighth U.S. Army and the ROK Army drove up western Korea and captured Pyongyang city, the North Korean capital, on 19 October 1950. The 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team ("Rakkasans") made their first of two combat jumps during the Korean War on 20 October 1950 at Sunchon and Sukchon. The missions of the 187th were to cut the road north going to China, preventing North Korean leaders from escaping from Pyongyang; and to rescue American prisoners of war. At month's end, UN forces held 135,000 KPA prisoners of war. As they neared the Sino-Korean border, the UN forces in the west were divided from those in the east by 50–100 miles of mountainous terrain.

Who issued a statement calling for North Korea's unconditional surrender?

MacArthur

Who authorized giving troops the ability to follow the North Korean forces north?

the UN

How did the 187 Airborne Regimental Combat Team prevent North Korean leaders from fleeing?

cut the road north going to China

How many North Korean prisoners of war were held by UN forces?


On 27 June 1950, two days after the KPA invaded and three months before the Chinese entered the war, President Truman dispatched the United States Seventh Fleet to the Taiwan Strait, to prevent hostilities between the Nationalist Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). On 4 August 1950, with the PRC invasion of Taiwan aborted, Mao Zedong reported to the Politburo that he would intervene in Korea when the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Taiwan invasion force was reorganized into the PLA North East Frontier Force. China justified its entry into the war as a response to "American aggression in the guise of the UN".

What did President Truman do to prevent hostilities between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan?

dispatched the United States Seventh Fleet to the Taiwan Strait

What year did China decide to enter the war?

What provoked China to join the war?

American aggression in the guise of the UN

Where did Mao Zedong declare that he would intervene in the Korean conflict?

the Politburo


In a series of emergency meetings that lasted from 2–5 October, Chinese leaders debated whether to send Chinese troops into Korea. There was considerable resistance among many leaders, including senior military leaders, to confronting the U.S. in Korea. Mao strongly supported intervention, and Zhou was one of the few Chinese leaders who firmly supported him. After Lin Biao politely refused Mao's offer to command Chinese forces in Korea (citing his upcoming medical treatment), Mao decided that Peng Dehuai would be the commander of the Chinese forces in Korea after Peng agreed to support Mao's position. Mao then asked Peng to speak in favor of intervention to the rest of the Chinese leaders. After Peng made the case that if U.S. troops conquered Korea and reached the Yalu they might cross it and invade China the Politburo agreed to intervene in Korea. Later, the Chinese claimed that US bombers had violated PRC national airspace on three separate occasions and attacked Chinese targets before China intervened. On 8 October 1950, Mao Zedong redesignated the PLA North East Frontier Force as the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA).

What was discussed at the emergency talks held by Chinese leaders?

whether to send Chinese troops into Korea

Who was a proponent for intervening in Korea?

Mao

Who was Lin Biao replaced with when he declined to lead the Chinese troops in Korea?

Peng Dehuai

Who convinced the Chinese leaders who were against entering the war that it was a good idea?

Peng

What did Mao Zedong's reinvented PLA North East Frontier Force become?

People's Volunteer Army


In order to enlist Stalin's support, Zhou and a Chinese delegation left for Moscow on 8 October, arriving there on 10 October at which point they flew to Stalin's home at the Black Sea. There they conferred with the top Soviet leadership which included Joseph Stalin as well as Vyacheslav Molotov, Lavrentiy Beria and Georgi Malenkov. Stalin initially agreed to send military equipment and ammunition, but warned Zhou that the Soviet Union's air force would need two or three months to prepare any operations. In a subsequent meeting, Stalin told Zhou that he would only provide China with equipment on a credit basis, and that the Soviet air force would only operate over Chinese airspace, and only after an undisclosed period of time. Stalin did not agree to send either military equipment or air support until March 1951. Mao did not find Soviet air support especially useful, as the fighting was going to take place on the south side of the Yalu. Soviet shipments of matériel, when they did arrive, were limited to small quantities of trucks, grenades, machine guns, and the like.

Where did Zhou travel with a Chinese delegation to convince Stalin to support China?

the Black Sea

How long did the Soviet air force need to prepare to assist

two or three months

Where did Stalin say he would allow the Soviet air force to operate for a limited amount of time?

Chinese airspace

When did Stalin agree to send China any type of support?

March 1951

Where did the fighting take place that rendered Soviet air support useless to the Chinese?

the south side of the Yalu


UN aerial reconnaissance had difficulty sighting PVA units in daytime, because their march and bivouac discipline minimized aerial detection. The PVA marched "dark-to-dark" (19:00–03:00), and aerial camouflage (concealing soldiers, pack animals, and equipment) was deployed by 05:30. Meanwhile, daylight advance parties scouted for the next bivouac site. During daylight activity or marching, soldiers were to remain motionless if an aircraft appeared, until it flew away; PVA officers were under order to shoot security violators. Such battlefield discipline allowed a three-division army to march the 286 miles (460 km) from An-tung, Manchuria, to the combat zone in some 19 days. Another division night-marched a circuitous mountain route, averaging 18 miles (29 km) daily for 18 days.

What made seeing the PVA units difficult during the day?

their march and bivouac discipline

What were PVA troops told to do when planes flew by?

remain motionless

How many days did it take PVA forces to march 286 miles?

What were PVA officers supposed to do if troops disobeyed the security protocol?

shoot security violators

When would PVA forces march to minimize the chances of being seen?


Meanwhile, on 10 October 1950, the 89th Tank Battalion was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division, increasing the armor available for the Northern Offensive. On 15 October, after moderate KPA resistance, the 7th Cavalry Regiment and Charlie Company, 70th Tank Battalion captured Namchonjam city. On 17 October, they flanked rightwards, away from the principal road (to Pyongyang), to capture Hwangju. Two days later, the 1st Cavalry Division captured Pyongyang, the North's capital city, on 19 October 1950. Kim Il Sung and his government temporarily moved its capital to Sinuiju – although as UNC forces approached, the government again moved – this time to Kanggye.

Who did not capture the city of Namchonjam?

KPA

What was the capital city in the North?

Pyongyang

Where did Kim Il-Sung temporarily move the capital?

Sinuiju

What caused the North Koreans to move their capital for the second time?

UNC forces approached

When was Pyongyang captured?

October 1950


On 15 October 1950, President Truman and General MacArthur met at Wake Island in the mid-Pacific Ocean. This meeting was much publicized because of the General's discourteous refusal to meet the President on the continental United States. To President Truman, MacArthur speculated there was little risk of Chinese intervention in Korea, and that the PRC's opportunity for aiding the KPA had lapsed. He believed the PRC had some 300,000 soldiers in Manchuria, and some 100,000–125,000 soldiers at the Yalu River. He further concluded that, although half of those forces might cross south, "if the Chinese tried to get down to Pyongyang, there would be the greatest slaughter" without air force protection.

Where did President Truman and General MacArthur meet on October 15, 1950?

Wake Island

Who refused to meet on continental United States?

General MacArthur

What was President Truman told at this meeting?

little risk of Chinese intervention in Korea

Who was not concerned about the idea of Chinese troops moving south into Korea?

General MacArthur

What was believed would happen if the Chinese entered the conflict?

the greatest slaughter


After secretly crossing the Yalu River on 19 October, the PVA 13th Army Group launched the First Phase Offensive on 25 October, attacking the advancing UN forces near the Sino-Korean border. This military decision made solely by China changed the attitude of the Soviet Union. Twelve days after Chinese troops entered the war, Stalin allowed the Soviet Air Force to provide air cover, and supported more aid to China. After decimating the ROK II Corps at the Battle of Onjong, the first confrontation between Chinese and U.S. military occurred on 1 November 1950; deep in North Korea, thousands of soldiers from the PVA 39th Army encircled and attacked the U.S. 8th Cavalry Regiment with three-prong assaults—from the north, northwest, and west—and overran the defensive position flanks in the Battle of Unsan. The surprise assault resulted in the UN forces retreating back to the Ch'ongch'on River, while the Chinese unexpectedly disappeared into mountain hideouts following victory. It is unclear why the Chinese did not press the attack and follow up their victory.

Who initiated the First Phase offensive?

PVA 13th Army Group

Who did the First Phase offensive motivated to send more troops and resources to Korea?

Soviet Union

When did the Chinese and US military have their first confrontation in Korea?

1 November 1950

Where did UN forces retreat to when the PVA executed their sneak attack?

Ch'ongch'on River

What is unusual about the PVA's successful, surprise attack?

Chinese unexpectedly disappeared into mountain hideouts


On 25 November at the Korean western front, the PVA 13th Army Group attacked and overran the ROK II Corps at the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River, and then decimated the US 2nd Infantry Division on the UN forces' right flank. The UN Command retreated; the U.S. Eighth Army's retreat (the longest in US Army history) was made possible because of the Turkish Brigade's successful, but very costly, rear-guard delaying action near Kunuri that slowed the PVA attack for two days (27–29 November). On 27 November at the Korean eastern front, a U.S. 7th Infantry Division Regimental Combat Team (3,000 soldiers) and the U.S. 1st Marine Division (12,000–15,000 marines) were unprepared for the PVA 9th Army Group's three-pronged encirclement tactics at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, but they managed to escape under Air Force and X Corps support fire—albeit with some 15,000 collective casualties.

Whose retreat during the Korean war was the longest in the history of the US Army?

U.S. Eighth Army's

Whose actions helped the Eighth Army be able to retreat?

Turkish Brigade

How many casualties did the 1st Marines face at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir?

What tactics of the PVA were US and ROK troops not prepared to handle?

PVA 9th Army Group's three-pronged encirclement tactics


By 30 November, the PVA 13th Army Group managed to expel the U.S. Eighth Army from northwest Korea. Retreating from the north faster than they had counter-invaded, the Eighth Army crossed the 38th parallel border in mid December. UN morale hit rock bottom when commanding General Walton Walker of the U.S. Eighth Army was killed on 23 December 1950 in an automobile accident. In northeast Korea by 11 December, the U.S. X Corps managed to cripple the PVA 9th Army Group while establishing a defensive perimeter at the port city of Hungnam. The X Corps were forced to evacuate by 24 December in order to reinforce the badly depleted U.S. Eighth Army to the south.

Who did the PVA 13th Army Group force out of northwest Korea?

the U.S. Eighth Army

Whose death was not a direct casualty of the war?

General Walton Walker

Why did the X Corps leave Hungnam?

to reinforce the badly depleted U.S. Eighth Army

What effect did the death of General Walton Walker have on the troops?

UN morale hit rock bottom


During the Hungnam evacuation, about 193 shiploads of UN Command forces and matériel (approximately 105,000 soldiers, 98,000 civilians, 17,500 vehicles, and 350,000 tons of supplies) were evacuated to Pusan. The SS Meredith Victory was noted for evacuating 14,000 refugees, the largest rescue operation by a single ship, even though it was designed to hold 12 passengers. Before escaping, the UN Command forces razed most of Hungnam city, especially the port facilities; and on 16 December 1950, President Truman declared a national emergency with Presidential Proclamation No. 2914, 3 C.F.R. 99 (1953), which remained in force until 14 September 1978.[b] The next day (17 December 1950) Kim Il-sung was deprived of the right of command of KPA by China. After that, the leading part of the war became the Chinese army. Following that, on 1 February 1951, United Nations General Assembly adopted a draft resolution condemning China as an aggressor in the Korean War.

What was the name of the ship responsible for undertaking the largest rescue operation by a single ship?

SS Meredith Victory

What did the Presidential Proclamation No. 2914, 3 1950 do?

declared a national emergency

What year was the Presidential Proclamation lifted?

Who was stripped of their commanding rights by China?

Kim Il-sung

What country was condemned for their participation in the conflict in Korea?

China


With Lieutenant-General Matthew Ridgway assuming the command of the U.S. Eighth Army on 26 December, the PVA and the KPA launched their Third Phase Offensive (also known as the "Chinese New Year's Offensive") on New Year's Eve of 1950. Utilizing night attacks in which UN Command fighting positions were encircled and then assaulted by numerically superior troops who had the element of surprise, the attacks were accompanied by loud trumpets and gongs, which fulfilled the double purpose of facilitating tactical communication and mentally disorienting the enemy. UN forces initially had no familiarity with this tactic, and as a result some soldiers panicked, abandoning their weapons and retreating to the south. The Chinese New Year's Offensive overwhelmed UN forces, allowing the PVA and KPA to conquer Seoul for the second time on 4 January 1951.

What is the Third Phase Offensive also known as?

Chinese New Year's Offensive

Why goals were accomplished the the KPA and PVA's use gongs during these attacks?

facilitating tactical communication and mentally disorienting the enemy

How did some UN troops react to the use of noise?

some soldiers panicked, abandoning their weapons and retreating to the south

What did the PVA and KPA gain by using the tactics during the Third Phase Offensive

Seoul

Who was commanding the U.S. Eight Army at the time of the Third Phase Offensive?

Lieutenant-General Matthew Ridgway


UN forces retreated to Suwon in the west, Wonju in the center, and the territory north of Samcheok in the east, where the battlefront stabilized and held. The PVA had outrun its logistics capability and thus were unable to press on beyond Seoul as food, ammunition, and matériel were carried nightly, on foot and bicycle, from the border at the Yalu River to the three battle lines. In late January, upon finding that the PVA had abandoned their battle lines, General Ridgway ordered a reconnaissance-in-force, which became Operation Roundup (5 February 1951). A full-scale X Corps advance proceeded, which fully exploited the UN Command's air superiority, concluding with the UN reaching the Han River and recapturing Wonju.

Why was the PVA unable to advance beyond Seoul?

The PVA had outrun its logistics capability

What caused General Ridgway to initiate Operation Roundup?

PVA had abandoned their battle lines

What facilitated the success of Operation Roundup?

UN Command's air superiority

What city was recaptured as a result of the Ridgway's operation?

Wonju

How was the PVA transporting supplies at one point?

on foot and bicycle


In early February, the South Korean 11th Division ran the operation to destroy the guerrillas and their sympathizer citizens in Southern Korea. During the operation, the division and police conducted the Geochang massacre and Sancheong-Hamyang massacre. In mid-February, the PVA counterattacked with the Fourth Phase Offensive and achieved initial victory at Hoengseong. But the offensive was soon blunted by the IX Corps positions at Chipyong-ni in the center. Units of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division and the French Battalion fought a short but desperate battle that broke the attack's momentum. The battle is sometimes known as the Gettysburg of the Korean War. The battle saw 5,600 Korean, American and French troops defeat a numerically superior Chinese force. Surrounded on all sides, the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division Warrior Division's 23rd Regimental Combat Team with an attached French Battalion was hemmed in by more than 25,000 Chinese Communist forces. United Nations forces had previously retreated in the face of large Communist forces instead of getting cut off, but this time they stood and fought at odds of roughly 15 to 1.

What to be achieved by the Sancheong-Hamyang and Geochang massacres in South Korea?

destroy the guerrillas and their sympathizer citizens in Southern Korea

Who's attack resulted in victory at Hoengseong?

the PVA

What is considered to be the the Korean War's equivalent to Gettysburg?

the Fourth Phase Offensive

What did the French Battalion's efforts do to the PVA forces?

broke the attack's momentum

How many PVA soldiers fought in this battle and lost?

more than 25,000


In the last two weeks of February 1951, Operation Roundup was followed by Operation Killer, carried out by the revitalized Eighth Army. It was a full-scale, battlefront-length attack staged for maximum exploitation of firepower to kill as many KPA and PVA troops as possible. Operation Killer concluded with I Corps re-occupying the territory south of the Han River, and IX Corps capturing Hoengseong. On 7 March 1951, the Eighth Army attacked with Operation Ripper, expelling the PVA and the KPA from Seoul on 14 March 1951. This was the city's fourth conquest in a years' time, leaving it a ruin; the 1.5 million pre-war population was down to 200,000, and people were suffering from severe food shortages.

What Operation was initiated after the successful Operation Roundup?

Operation Killer

What the the goal of the operation that followed Operation Roundup?

to kill as many KPA and PVA troops as possible

What signified the end of Operation Killer?

capturing Hoengseong

How many times was Seoul captured in a year?

This was the city's fourth conquest

Other than the drastic decrease in population, what other issue did the people in Seoul face?

severe food shortages


On 1 March 1951 Mao sent a cable to Stalin, in which he emphasized the difficulties faced by Chinese forces and the urgent need for air cover, especially over supply lines. Apparently impressed by the Chinese war effort, Stalin finally agreed to supply two air force divisions, three anti-aircraft divisions, and six thousand trucks. PVA troops in Korea continued to suffer severe logistical problems throughout the war. In late April Peng Dehuai sent his deputy, Hong Xuezhi, to brief Zhou Enlai in Beijing. What Chinese soldiers feared, Hong said, was not the enemy, but that they had nothing to eat, no bullets to shoot, and no trucks to transport them to the rear when they were wounded. Zhou attempted to respond to the PVA's logistical concerns by increasing Chinese production and improving methods of supply, but these efforts were never completely sufficient. At the same time, large-scale air defense training programs were carried out, and the Chinese Air Force began to participate in the war from September 1951 onward.

Why did Stalin send two air forces divisions and other assistance to the Chinese?

the Chinese war effort

What issues plagued the PVA throughout the war?

logistical problems

What was a great concern of many Chinese troops?

they had nothing to eat

What was Zhou's ineffective response to the issue plaguing the PVA?

increasing Chinese production and improving methods of supply

What did China introduce to the war in 1951?

the Chinese Air Force


On 11 April 1951, Commander-in-Chief Truman relieved the controversial General MacArthur, the Supreme Commander in Korea. There were several reasons for the dismissal. MacArthur had crossed the 38th parallel in the mistaken belief that the Chinese would not enter the war, leading to major allied losses. He believed that whether or not to use nuclear weapons should be his own decision, not the President's. MacArthur threatened to destroy China unless it surrendered. While MacArthur felt total victory was the only honorable outcome, Truman was more pessimistic about his chances once involved in a land war in Asia, and felt a truce and orderly withdrawal from Korea could be a valid solution. MacArthur was the subject of congressional hearings in May and June 1951, which determined that he had defied the orders of the President and thus had violated the U.S. Constitution. A popular criticism of MacArthur was that he never spent a night in Korea, and directed the war from the safety of Tokyo.

Who was relieved from his duties as Commander in Korea?

General MacArthur

Who did not have faith in MacArthur's claim that victory was the only respectable outcome?

Truman

What mistake did MacArthur make regarding the 38th parallel?

the Chinese would not enter the war

What did Truman want to see happen in Korea?

a truce and orderly withdrawal

Whose involvement in the war was found to be in violation of the Constitution?

. MacArthur


General Ridgway was appointed Supreme Commander, Korea; he regrouped the UN forces for successful counterattacks, while General James Van Fleet assumed command of the U.S. Eighth Army. Further attacks slowly depleted the PVA and KPA forces; Operations Courageous (23–28 March 1951) and Tomahawk (23 March 1951) were a joint ground and airborne infilltration meant to trap Chinese forces between Kaesong and Seoul. UN forces advanced to "Line Kansas", north of the 38th parallel. The 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team's ("Rakkasans") second of two combat jumps was on Easter Sunday, 1951, at Munsan-ni, South Korea, codenamed Operation Tomahawk. The mission was to get behind Chinese forces and block their movement north. The 60th Indian Parachute Field Ambulance provided the medical cover for the operations, dropping an ADS and a surgical team and treating over 400 battle casualties apart from the civilian casualties that formed the core of their objective as the unit was on a humanitarian mission.

Who was appointed Supreme Commander in Korea after the removal of General MacArthur?

General Ridgway

What was the goal of Operation Tomahawk?

get behind Chinese forces and block their movement north

Who was responsible for supply humanitarian aid to civilians?

The 60th Indian Parachute Field Ambulance

Under the guidance of Generals Van Fleet and Ridgway, joint forces were able to achieve what goal?

depleted the PVA and KPA forces


The Chinese counterattacked in April 1951, with the Fifth Phase Offensive, also known as the Chinese Spring Offensive, with three field armies (approximately 700,000 men). The offensive's first thrust fell upon I Corps, which fiercely resisted in the Battle of the Imjin River (22–25 April 1951) and the Battle of Kapyong (22–25 April 1951), blunting the impetus of the offensive, which was halted at the "No-name Line" north of Seoul. On 15 May 1951, the Chinese commenced the second impulse of the Spring Offensive and attacked the ROK Army and the U.S. X Corps in the east at the Soyang River. After initial success, they were halted by 20 May. At month's end, the U.S. Eighth Army counterattacked and regained "Line Kansas", just north of the 38th parallel. The UN's "Line Kansas" halt and subsequent offensive action stand-down began the stalemate that lasted until the armistice of 1953.

What was the Fifth Phase of the Chinese counter initiative called?

Chinese Spring Offensive

What may have began as an effective series of attacks by the Chinese regained what area?

Line Kansas

What ended with the armistice of 1953?

the stalemate

How many armies did the Chinese use in the Fifth Phase Offensive?

three field armies

Where was Line Kansas located?

just north of the 38th parallel


For the remainder of the Korean War the UN Command and the PVA fought, but exchanged little territory; the stalemate held. Large-scale bombing of North Korea continued, and protracted armistice negotiations began 10 July 1951 at Kaesong. On the Chinese side, Zhou Enlai directed peace talks, and Li Kenong and Qiao Guanghua headed the negotiation team. Combat continued while the belligerents negotiated; the UN Command forces' goal was to recapture all of South Korea and to avoid losing territory. The PVA and the KPA attempted similar operations, and later effected military and psychological operations in order to test the UN Command's resolve to continue the war.

Where did armistice negotiations occur?

Kaesong

What did the UN Command want to achieve with the armistice talks?

recapture all of South Korea and to avoid losing territory

What tactics were used by the PVA to coax the UN Command to continuing the war?

military and psychological operations

Was there a cease fire during the talks?

Large-scale bombing of North Korea continued

Who directed the armistice negotiation for the Chinese?

Zhou Enlai


The principal battles of the stalemate include the Battle of Bloody Ridge (18 August–15 September 1951), the Battle of the Punchbowl (31 August-21 September 1951), the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge (13 September–15 October 1951), the Battle of Old Baldy (26 June–4 August 1952), the Battle of White Horse (6–15 October 1952), the Battle of Triangle Hill (14 October–25 November 1952), the Battle of Hill Eerie (21 March–21 June 1952), the sieges of Outpost Harry (10–18 June 1953), the Battle of the Hook (28–29 May 1953), the Battle of Pork Chop Hill (23 March–16 July 1953), and the Battle of Kumsong (13–27 July 1953).

When was the Battle of White Horse?

6–15 October 1952

What year was the Battle of Bloody Ridge?

What was the shortest of the major battles fought during the stalemate?

the Battle of the Hook


Chinese troops suffered from deficient military equipment, serious logistical problems, overextended communication and supply lines, and the constant threat of UN bombers. All of these factors generally led to a rate of Chinese casualties that was far greater than the casualties suffered by UN troops. The situation became so serious that, on November 1951, Zhou Enlai called a conference in Shenyang to discuss the PVA's logistical problems. At the meeting it was decided to accelerate the construction of railways and airfields in the area, to increase the number of trucks available to the army, and to improve air defense by any means possible. These commitments did little to directly address the problems confronting PVA troops.

Did the UN troops or Chinese troops experience more war casualties?

Chinese troops

What did Zhou Enlai do as a result of the significant amount of Chinese casualties?

called a conference in Shenyang

What was the purpose of the Shengyang meeting?

discuss the PVA's logistical problems

Did the actions of the Chinese fix their problems?

These commitments did little to directly address the problems


In the months after the Shenyang conference Peng Dehuai went to Beijing several times to brief Mao and Zhou about the heavy casualties suffered by Chinese troops and the increasing difficulty of keeping the front lines supplied with basic necessities. Peng was convinced that the war would be protracted, and that neither side would be able to achieve victory in the near future. On 24 February 1952, the Military Commission, presided over by Zhou, discussed the PVA's logistical problems with members of various government agencies involved in the war effort. After the government representatives emphasized their inability to meet the demands of the war, Peng, in an angry outburst, shouted: "You have this and that problem... You should go to the front and see with your own eyes what food and clothing the soldiers have! Not to speak of the casualties! For what are they giving their lives? We have no aircraft. We have only a few guns. Transports are not protected. More and more soldiers are dying of starvation. Can't you overcome some of your difficulties?" The atmosphere became so tense that Zhou was forced to adjourn the conference. Zhou subsequently called a series of meetings, where it was agreed that the PVA would be divided into three groups, to be dispatched to Korea in shifts; to accelerate the training of Chinese pilots; to provide more anti-aircraft guns to the front lines; to purchase more military equipment and ammunition from the Soviet Union; to provide the army with more food and clothing; and, to transfer the responsibility of logistics to the central government.

Who believed that neither side would see a victory at the end of the Korean War?

Peng Dehuai

What meeting was conducted to discuss the PVA's problems?

the Military Commission,

What actions were taken to help the PVA?

PVA would be divided into three groups

Who ended up in charge of logistics as a result of the restructuring of the PVA?

the central government


The on-again, off-again armistice negotiations continued for two years, first at Kaesong, on the border between North and South Korea, and then at the neighbouring village of Panmunjom. A major, problematic negotiation point was prisoner of war (POW) repatriation. The PVA, KPA, and UN Command could not agree on a system of repatriation because many PVA and KPA soldiers refused to be repatriated back to the north, which was unacceptable to the Chinese and North Koreans. In the final armistice agreement, signed on 27 July 1953, a Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission, under the chairman Indian General K. S. Thimayya, was set up to handle the matter.

How long did the armistice talks last?

two years

What issues stalled the armistice talks?

prisoner of war (POW) repatriation

What was deemed unacceptable to North Koreans and the Chinese during POW negotiations?

many PVA and KPA soldiers refused to be repatriated back to the north

When was the armistice agreement finally signed?

27 July 1953

What was established to deal with the issues surrounding prisoners of war?

Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission,


In 1952, the United States elected a new president, and on 29 November 1952, the president-elect, Dwight D. Eisenhower, went to Korea to learn what might end the Korean War. With the United Nations' acceptance of India's proposed Korean War armistice, the KPA, the PVA, and the UN Command ceased fire with the battle line approximately at the 38th parallel. Upon agreeing to the armistice, the belligerents established the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which has since been patrolled by the KPA and ROKA, United States, and Joint UN Commands.

Who did the US elect as president during the Korean War?

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Who approved the Korean War armistice that officially declared a ceasefire?

the United Nations

What area was created by the parties involved in the Korean conflict?

Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

Along with the Joint UN Commands, ROKA and KPA, what country also still patrols the demilitarized zone?

United States

What was one of the first things that the newly-elected Dwight Eisenhower did after the election?

went to Korea to learn what might end the Korean War


The Demilitarized Zone runs northeast of the 38th parallel; to the south, it travels west. The old Korean capital city of Kaesong, site of the armistice negotiations, originally was in pre-war South Korea, but now is part of North Korea. The United Nations Command, supported by the United States, the North Korean People's Army, and the Chinese People's Volunteers, signed the Armistice Agreement on 27 July 1953 to end the fighting. The Armistice also called upon the governments of South Korea, North Korea, China and the United States to participate in continued peace talks. The war is considered to have ended at this point, even though there was no peace treaty. North Korea nevertheless claims that it won the Korean War.

Where is the capital city of Kaesong now located?

North Korea

What area is directly north and south of the 38th parallel?

The Demilitarized Zone

When was the Armistice Agreement signed?

27 July 1953

Was there ever an official peace treaty after the war?

there was no peace treaty

Who believes that they were victorious in the war?

North Korea


After the war, Operation Glory was conducted from July to November 1954, to allow combatant countries to exchange their dead. The remains of 4,167 U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps dead were exchanged for 13,528 KPA and PVA dead, and 546 civilians dead in UN prisoner-of-war camps were delivered to the South Korean government. After Operation Glory, 416 Korean War unknown soldiers were buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (The Punchbowl), on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) records indicate that the PRC and the DPRK transmitted 1,394 names, of which 858 were correct. From 4,167 containers of returned remains, forensic examination identified 4,219 individuals. Of these, 2,944 were identified as American, and all but 416 were identified by name. From 1996 to 2006, the DPRK recovered 220 remains near the Sino-Korean border.

What was the point of Operation Glory?

to allow combatant countries to exchange their dead

How many US service members were exchanged during this operation?

Where are the remains of the 416 unidentified soldiers who died in the Korean War?

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

How many remains were recovered from the Sino-Korean border between 1996 and 2006?


After a new wave of UN sanctions, on 11 March 2013, North Korea claimed that it had invalidated the 1953 armistice. On 13 March 2013, North Korea confirmed it ended the 1953 Armistice and declared North Korea "is not restrained by the North-South declaration on non-aggression". On 30 March 2013, North Korea stated that it had entered a "state of war" with South Korea and declared that "The long-standing situation of the Korean peninsula being neither at peace nor at war is finally over". Speaking on 4 April 2013, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, informed the press that Pyongyang had "formally informed" the Pentagon that it had "ratified" the potential usage of a nuclear weapon against South Korea, Japan and the United States of America, including Guam and Hawaii. Hagel also stated that the United States would deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-ballistic missile system to Guam, because of a credible and realistic nuclear threat from North Korea.

Why is North Korea insisting that the 1953 armistice was violated?

new wave of UN sanctions

When did North Korea call an end to the armistice?

13 March 2013

In 2013, who what country did North Korea declare war on?

South Korea

What weapon does North Korea claim it now has the ability to use?

a nuclear weapon

How does the United States view North Korea's threats?

credible and realistic nuclear threat