A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
The world plunged into another challenging conflict as the Korean War began when communist North Korean forces invaded democratic South Korea on June 25, 1950.
The Deseret News covered the blossoming war. Initially, it was labeled a “police action” by U.S. government officials, but for more than a year, it felt every bit like another full-fledged conflict. In South Korea, it is referred to as the 625 War; in North Korea, the Fatherland Liberation War.
And unfortunately, for most Americans, it’s more often remembered for the “M*A*S*H” war.
The history:
The unexpected surprise attack pushed the South Korean forces and the small number of American troops in the country to the southeastern corner of the peninsula, holding a line around the city of Pusan. With a United Nations mandate approved to defend South Korea from northern aggression, the United States and its allies began sending troops to hold the Pusan perimeter.
In September, U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who commanded the U.N. forces from Tokyo, launched a surprise amphibious raid behind North Korean lines, with the intent of trapping North Korean forces in the south and cutting them off from a line of retreat. Moving too slowly, MacArthur was unable to trap the North Koreans, but the Inchon landings did force the North Koreans out of the south in a panicked rout.
On Nov. 25-26, 1950, the Chinese Army entered the Korean War in earnest with a violent attack against the American and United Nations forces in North Korea. The 300,000-man Chinese offensive caught the U.N. forces off guard, largely because of MacArthur’s belief that China would not openly enter the war, and vastly expanded the conflict.
The conflict displaced millions of people, inflicting 3 million fatalities and a larger proportion of civilian deaths than World War II or the Vietnam War. Alleged war crimes include the killing of suspected communists by Seoul and the torture and starvation of prisoners of war by the North Koreans. Virtually all of Korea’s major cities were destroyed. No peace treaty was ever signed, making this a frozen conflict.
Tensions remain high in the region to this day. As anniversaries of the events come and go, it is worth understanding the dynamics of the era and how to avoid future conflicts.
Other stories from many perspectives from Deseret News archives:
“70 years after the Korean War began, we must not forget its heroic veterans”
“`Forgotten war’ in Korea finally remembered”
“Korean War vet says prospect of peace gives him hope”
“This week in history: China enters the Korean War”
“Korean War armistice and today’s world”
“North Korea marks war anniversary”
“Families still separated 60 years after Korean War”
Many who did not live through those wars (World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War), perhaps gained a stilted view of war from the novel (”MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors”), film (”M*A*S*H”) and popular TV series (”M*A*S*H”).
MASH, of course, is the acronym for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. The television show aired from 1972 to 1983, then moved to syndication, where it remains a staple. Often tragic, usually humorous, some of its themes and portrayals have become outdated and offensive.
Here are some archived stories on that topic:
“`M*A*S*H’ stars turn out as unit in Korea is deactivated”
“‘MASH’ filmmaker says he hates series”