1
00:00:04,204 --> 00:00:07,083
NARRATION:
Korea, summer 1950.
2
00:00:09,009 --> 00:00:10,852
The United States leads
the United Nations
3
00:00:10,910 --> 00:00:13,914
into a war against
communism in Asia.
4
00:00:22,022 --> 00:00:23,023
In winter,
5
00:00:23,089 --> 00:00:25,228
under attack from
the Chinese communists,
6
00:00:25,291 --> 00:00:26,668
the UN troops are thrown into
7
00:00:26,726 --> 00:00:29,502
full-scale retreat.
8
00:00:31,331 --> 00:00:32,935
It was a
rout exactly like the
9
00:00:32,999 --> 00:00:38,039
one that Napoleon
faced leaving Russia.
10
00:00:39,572 --> 00:00:43,645
We ran head long,
helter-skelter, pell mell,
11
00:00:43,710 --> 00:00:47,522
trying to get to Pusan,
trying to get back to Japan.
12
00:00:47,580 --> 00:00:50,356
It was disgusting.
13
00:00:54,687 --> 00:00:57,759
NARRATION:
The Cold War has become a hot war.
14
00:01:16,042 --> 00:01:17,043
15
00:01:41,167 --> 00:01:43,374
NARRATION:
August 1945.
16
00:01:43,436 --> 00:01:45,279
At the end of the Second World War,
17
00:01:45,338 --> 00:01:49,684
the Japanese Army that had
occupied Korea for 35 years,
18
00:01:49,742 --> 00:01:50,982
surrenders.
19
00:01:51,044 --> 00:01:53,456
[ Speaking Korean ]
20
00:01:56,549 --> 00:01:58,324
During the Japanese occupation,
21
00:01:58,384 --> 00:02:01,228
they forced us to follow
the Japanese lifestyle,
22
00:02:01,287 --> 00:02:03,164
speak the Japanese language,
23
00:02:03,223 --> 00:02:05,260
use Japanese law.
24
00:02:05,325 --> 00:02:08,465
When we were liberated we
welcomed the soldiers.
25
00:02:13,967 --> 00:02:15,310
NARRATION:
Russian and American troops
26
00:02:15,368 --> 00:02:16,813
liberated Korea -
27
00:02:16,870 --> 00:02:20,249
meeting together just as
they had in Germany.
28
00:02:20,306 --> 00:02:22,582
As occupying powers,
the Soviet Union and the
29
00:02:22,642 --> 00:02:25,384
United States agreed
to divide Korea
30
00:02:25,445 --> 00:02:28,915
along the in 38th Parallel -
as a temporary measure.
31
00:02:32,285 --> 00:02:35,858
South of the divide,
the Americans were in control.
32
00:02:39,692 --> 00:02:44,072
We made the
Republic of Korea really,
33
00:02:44,130 --> 00:02:46,701
between the Pentagon
and the State Department.
34
00:02:48,935 --> 00:02:50,471
NARRATION:
American generals installed a
35
00:02:50,537 --> 00:02:54,952
hard-line anti-communist-
Syngman Rhee.
36
00:02:55,008 --> 00:02:57,955
NILES BOND:
His charm is somewhat deceptive
37
00:02:58,011 --> 00:03:00,958
because he's
also very tough,
38
00:03:01,014 --> 00:03:05,019
he's absolutely unforgiving,
39
00:03:05,084 --> 00:03:07,189
very patriotic.
40
00:03:07,253 --> 00:03:12,532
And he's not nearly as
sweet as he looks.
41
00:03:12,592 --> 00:03:14,629
NARRATION:
Rhee was appointed as first President
42
00:03:14,694 --> 00:03:20,110
of the new
Republic of Korea in 1948.
43
00:03:20,166 --> 00:03:22,510
American troops withdrew.
44
00:03:24,304 --> 00:03:27,808
North of the 38th Parallel,
the Russians were in control.
45
00:03:30,176 --> 00:03:32,383
They established a
communist regime through
46
00:03:32,445 --> 00:03:36,291
a network of
People's Committees.
47
00:03:36,349 --> 00:03:39,455
Kim ll Sung, who had spent the
war in the Soviet Union,
48
00:03:39,519 --> 00:03:42,056
was groomed for power.
49
00:03:42,121 --> 00:03:43,657
TEN SANDIN:
[ speaking Korean ]
50
00:03:43,723 --> 00:03:45,794
He was a very handsome young man,
51
00:03:45,858 --> 00:03:48,464
always smiling.
52
00:03:48,528 --> 00:03:50,303
Everybody liked
him in Korea.
53
00:03:50,363 --> 00:03:52,343
He made a very
good impression.
54
00:03:52,398 --> 00:03:55,072
He was the national hero
of the Korean people.
55
00:03:58,538 --> 00:04:01,109
NARRATION: The Democratic
People's Republic of Korea
56
00:04:01,174 --> 00:04:04,747
was proclaimed with Kim ll
Sung as its President.
57
00:04:07,547 --> 00:04:09,458
As Soviet troops withdrew,
58
00:04:09,515 --> 00:04:12,894
Kim dreamed of uniting
Korea under communism.
59
00:04:15,121 --> 00:04:16,930
[speaking Russian ]
60
00:04:16,990 --> 00:04:19,061
Kim ll Sung understood that to
resolve the problem
61
00:04:19,125 --> 00:04:23,767
of unifying the two
Koreas was very difficult -
62
00:04:23,830 --> 00:04:26,868
that he would need help.
63
00:04:26,933 --> 00:04:27,968
Of course the help
he was hoping
64
00:04:28,034 --> 00:04:30,378
to get would come from
the Soviet Union.
65
00:04:37,143 --> 00:04:39,919
NARRATION:
In March 1949,
66
00:04:39,979 --> 00:04:41,981
Kim ll Sung went to Moscow:
67
00:04:42,048 --> 00:04:44,426
his secret
agenda to seek Stalin's
68
00:04:44,484 --> 00:04:46,157
permission to
invade the South.
69
00:04:48,488 --> 00:04:50,434
70
00:04:50,490 --> 00:04:53,528
[ Speaking Korean ]
71
00:04:59,899 --> 00:05:02,880
NARRATION:
Stalin, pre-occupied with crisis in Berlin,
72
00:05:02,935 --> 00:05:05,677
rejected Kim's
request to invade.
73
00:05:09,976 --> 00:05:13,116
NARRATION:
By the end of 1949,
74
00:05:13,179 --> 00:05:16,126
the international situation
had been transformed.
75
00:05:19,786 --> 00:05:23,996
The Soviets detonated their
first atom bomb.
76
00:05:28,127 --> 00:05:30,368
NARRATION:
And the communist revolution in China
77
00:05:30,430 --> 00:05:32,467
was finally successful.
78
00:05:32,532 --> 00:05:35,411
Mao Zedong proclaimed the
People's Republic of China.
79
00:05:38,905 --> 00:05:40,350
NARRATION:
A treaty of friendship between
80
00:05:40,406 --> 00:05:44,354
Mao and Stalin created a
communist global alliance,
81
00:05:44,410 --> 00:05:47,584
opening a second front to
the Cold War in Asia.
82
00:05:50,083 --> 00:05:51,585
NARRATION:
Stalin was now confident that
83
00:05:51,651 --> 00:05:54,222
the United States lacked
the will to respond
84
00:05:54,287 --> 00:05:56,392
to events in Asia.
85
00:05:56,456 --> 00:05:58,663
In April 1950 he finally
gave approval
86
00:05:58,725 --> 00:06:03,140
for Kim ll Sung to
invade South Korea.
87
00:06:16,609 --> 00:06:18,987
NARRATION:
June 25th 1950,
88
00:06:19,045 --> 00:06:21,651
the North Korean Army launches its
surprise assault
89
00:06:21,714 --> 00:06:23,819
on the South.
90
00:06:25,985 --> 00:06:27,487
I remember vividly,
even today,
91
00:06:27,553 --> 00:06:29,191
the day the
war broke out.
92
00:06:29,255 --> 00:06:30,529
It was Sunday morning.
93
00:06:30,590 --> 00:06:33,036
And we heard this
kind of remote
94
00:06:33,092 --> 00:06:37,165
the roaring noise
from the North.
95
00:06:39,265 --> 00:06:41,745
NARRATION:
Equipped with Russian tanks and artillery,
96
00:06:41,801 --> 00:06:43,906
and directed
by Soviet advisers,
97
00:06:43,970 --> 00:06:46,007
ten combat
divisions of the North Korean
98
00:06:46,072 --> 00:06:49,281
Army flooded south.
99
00:06:49,342 --> 00:06:50,787
[ Speaking Korean ]
100
00:06:50,843 --> 00:06:53,119
We believed that
we had to fight for our
101
00:06:53,179 --> 00:06:57,924
motherland, for our people,
for our leader Kim ll Sung.
102
00:06:57,984 --> 00:06:59,292
We believed it would be
better to liberate
103
00:06:59,352 --> 00:07:01,730
the South and
to unify Korea.
104
00:07:01,788 --> 00:07:05,292
That's what we
were fighting for.
105
00:07:09,829 --> 00:07:11,934
NARRATION:
Sunday morning in Korea -
106
00:07:11,998 --> 00:07:15,309
Saturday evening edition
in Washington.
107
00:07:15,368 --> 00:07:18,406
The Sunday papers
prepare to go to press.
108
00:07:18,471 --> 00:07:20,576
HAN PYO WOOK:
It was Saturday evening.
109
00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:25,714
I got a telephone call from
the UP duty officer saying
110
00:07:25,778 --> 00:07:30,090
that Korea had been
invaded by North Koreans.
111
00:07:30,450 --> 00:07:36,128
And momentarily the remark
stunned me so much that
112
00:07:36,189 --> 00:07:41,502
I didn't know what to say,
whether he was joking with me
113
00:07:41,561 --> 00:07:43,802
or whether he
was really sure.
114
00:07:44,931 --> 00:07:47,241
NARRATION: Senior officials
were recalled that night to the
115
00:07:47,300 --> 00:07:49,906
State Department.
116
00:07:49,969 --> 00:07:52,973
When the invasion occurred
of South Korea,
117
00:07:53,039 --> 00:07:54,916
I think there was
an immediate sense that action
118
00:07:54,974 --> 00:07:56,453
had to be taken.
119
00:07:56,509 --> 00:07:59,922
Exactly what that action was to
be and how far it was to go,
120
00:07:59,979 --> 00:08:02,516
was not something we had
planned on.
121
00:08:02,582 --> 00:08:05,654
We had not worked out a
contingency plan
122
00:08:05,718 --> 00:08:09,222
for a war started by North
Korea with South Korea.
123
00:08:09,288 --> 00:08:10,790
And about midnight
124
00:08:10,857 --> 00:08:14,964
there was a call
from President Syngman Rhee.
125
00:08:16,429 --> 00:08:21,708
I took the receiver
and he said,
126
00:08:21,767 --> 00:08:28,742
"Please ask American government
to rush necessary help."
127
00:08:30,243 --> 00:08:32,086
NARRATION:
The South Korean ambassador
128
00:08:32,144 --> 00:08:34,590
went immediately to the
State Department to see
129
00:08:34,647 --> 00:08:37,423
Assistant Secretary
Dean Rusk.
130
00:08:37,483 --> 00:08:39,986
He said, and I quote him:
131
00:08:40,052 --> 00:08:44,933
'We felt that this is
a matter America
132
00:08:44,991 --> 00:08:48,529
alone cannot
be concerned with.
133
00:08:48,594 --> 00:08:52,770
It is a matter the
world has to be concerned.
134
00:08:52,832 --> 00:09:00,307
And with that judgment
we have decided to summon the
135
00:09:00,373 --> 00:09:03,616
Security Council for an
emergency session.'
136
00:09:03,676 --> 00:09:06,657
Noting with grave concern
the armed invasion
137
00:09:06,712 --> 00:09:09,522
of the Republic of Korea
by armed forces...
138
00:09:09,582 --> 00:09:11,562
NARRATION:
The following day,
139
00:09:11,617 --> 00:09:13,028
the Security Council met.
140
00:09:13,085 --> 00:09:15,031
Moscow was boycotting the
United Nations
141
00:09:15,087 --> 00:09:18,625
because of its refusal
to admit communist China.
142
00:09:18,691 --> 00:09:22,332
Those in favor will please
raise their hands...
143
00:09:22,395 --> 00:09:23,601
NARRATION:
The United States seized
144
00:09:23,663 --> 00:09:26,109
the opportunity to condemn
North Korean aggression.
145
00:09:26,165 --> 00:09:28,907
...earned by 9 votes for;
146
00:09:28,968 --> 00:09:32,074
1 against and 1 abstention.
147
00:09:32,138 --> 00:09:33,048
NARRATION:
Two days later,
148
00:09:33,105 --> 00:09:34,914
the Security Council
voted to create a
149
00:09:34,974 --> 00:09:39,184
United Nations military
force to defend South Korea.
150
00:09:39,245 --> 00:09:43,625
This is in fact an attack on the
United Nations itself ..
151
00:09:45,184 --> 00:09:46,629
NARRATION:
Under the UN flag,
152
00:09:46,686 --> 00:09:50,327
soldiers from 16 nations would
fight against communism.
153
00:09:50,389 --> 00:09:52,369
HAN PYO WOOK:
We were elated.
154
00:09:52,425 --> 00:09:56,032
We felt very, very good,
very encouraged.
155
00:09:56,095 --> 00:10:00,510
We felt furthermore
we felt that probably Korean
156
00:10:00,566 --> 00:10:03,012
unification was
to come about as
157
00:10:03,069 --> 00:10:05,071
a result of the
Resolution itself.
158
00:10:07,406 --> 00:10:10,046
NARRATION:
President Truman addressed the nation.
159
00:10:10,109 --> 00:10:15,525
Korea is a small country,
thousands of miles away.
160
00:10:15,581 --> 00:10:19,586
But what is happening there is
important to every American.
161
00:10:19,652 --> 00:10:24,067
PRESIDENT TRUMAN: The fact that communist
forces have invaded Korea is a warning
162
00:10:24,123 --> 00:10:26,399
that there may
be similar acts of
163
00:10:26,459 --> 00:10:28,666
aggression in other
parts of the world...
164
00:10:30,062 --> 00:10:32,508
NILES BOND:
The feeling at that time was
165
00:10:32,565 --> 00:10:36,604
that a military operation of
this magnitude could not
166
00:10:36,669 --> 00:10:39,240
possibly have
been taken without
167
00:10:39,305 --> 00:10:41,979
the support of
the Russian military.
168
00:10:42,041 --> 00:10:45,045
In other words it was
concluded right at
169
00:10:45,111 --> 00:10:48,320
the beginning
that this was a movement
170
00:10:48,381 --> 00:10:50,452
this was something
happening in the
171
00:10:50,516 --> 00:10:52,325
context of the Cold War.
172
00:10:57,890 --> 00:11:00,700
NARRATION:
The United States mobilized for war.
173
00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:03,070
The reserves were called up.
174
00:11:06,565 --> 00:11:08,943
At the time we entered
into the war-
175
00:11:09,001 --> 00:11:12,847
and lead the UN into
the war with us -
176
00:11:12,905 --> 00:11:14,942
it was a very
popular war.
177
00:11:19,512 --> 00:11:24,052
FLORENCE GALING: Everybody was agitated,
getting ready to go overseas.
178
00:11:25,151 --> 00:11:27,256
There were all
sorts of feelings,
179
00:11:27,319 --> 00:11:29,595
trepidation, expectancy.
180
00:11:31,290 --> 00:11:32,394
There was quite a feeling
181
00:11:32,458 --> 00:11:35,871
of wanting to stop the
communists from
182
00:11:35,928 --> 00:11:38,704
taking over anywhere
in the world.
183
00:11:38,764 --> 00:11:43,304
They wanted to stem
the tide of communism.
184
00:11:43,369 --> 00:11:45,076
NARRATION:
General Douglas MacArthur,
185
00:11:45,137 --> 00:11:47,242
the allied
Supreme Commander in Tokyo
186
00:11:47,306 --> 00:11:49,479
and the legendary
victor of the Pacific war
187
00:11:49,542 --> 00:11:54,548
was appointed to lead the
United Nations' forces.
188
00:11:54,613 --> 00:11:57,560
EDWIN SIMMONS:
He was worshipped in Japan.
189
00:11:57,616 --> 00:12:02,292
This man had a tremendous
ego and it had been
190
00:12:02,354 --> 00:12:04,265
fed for all
these years.
191
00:12:04,323 --> 00:12:07,770
I do believe he was at this point
192
00:12:07,827 --> 00:12:09,329
he felt that he was
infallible.
193
00:12:16,001 --> 00:12:17,537
NARRATION:
The nearest troops to Korea were
194
00:12:17,603 --> 00:12:20,311
the American occupation
force in Japan -
195
00:12:20,372 --> 00:12:23,148
few of whom were
ready for combat.
196
00:12:24,477 --> 00:12:27,083
CHARLES BUSSEY:
The lifestyle involved
197
00:12:27,146 --> 00:12:30,218
a lot of leisure.
198
00:12:30,282 --> 00:12:32,660
Our life was lived through
the Sears Roebuck catalogue.
199
00:12:32,718 --> 00:12:36,393
We bought nylons and
what not for the native girls
200
00:12:36,455 --> 00:12:38,457
and that sort of thing.
201
00:12:38,524 --> 00:12:41,437
It was a
it was a good life.
202
00:12:44,196 --> 00:12:46,437
NARRATION:
The US Task Force sent to Korea
203
00:12:46,499 --> 00:12:50,311
didn't imagine their stay
would be for long.
204
00:12:50,369 --> 00:12:51,439
CHARLES BUSSEY:
As a matter of fact,
205
00:12:51,504 --> 00:12:56,817
we were told to take our
athletic equipment and leave
206
00:12:56,876 --> 00:12:58,412
everything else
behind because we'd
207
00:12:58,477 --> 00:13:00,980
only be gone for
maybe six weeks.
208
00:13:01,046 --> 00:13:02,389
We'd have a show
of force in the
209
00:13:02,448 --> 00:13:05,156
field and those gooks
would go back across the
210
00:13:05,217 --> 00:13:07,959
38th Parallel and
we'd come home.
211
00:13:08,020 --> 00:13:11,467
NARRATION:
It wouldn't be that easy.
212
00:13:11,524 --> 00:13:14,368
Rhee's South Korean Army
was in retreat.
213
00:13:17,830 --> 00:13:19,741
Two divisions threw
their weapons away and
214
00:13:19,799 --> 00:13:23,804
joined the refugees
fleeing the communist advance.
215
00:13:23,869 --> 00:13:26,213
[ Speaking Korean ]
216
00:13:26,272 --> 00:13:28,252
As soldiers,
we did our utmost.
217
00:13:28,307 --> 00:13:31,516
But the overall situation
was going against us.
218
00:13:31,577 --> 00:13:34,387
The North Korean Army
achieved its initial objective.
219
00:13:34,446 --> 00:13:37,950
It captured Seoul
in three days.
220
00:13:40,486 --> 00:13:42,295
NARRATION:
With the capture of the southern capital,
221
00:13:42,354 --> 00:13:46,029
Kim ii Sung won a great
victory for communism.
222
00:13:50,830 --> 00:13:54,039
KIM REN OK:
[ speaking Korean ]
223
00:13:54,099 --> 00:13:56,477
When we got to Seoul
the army told us
224
00:13:56,535 --> 00:13:58,879
the campaign
was finished.
225
00:13:58,938 --> 00:14:01,817
They told us political
reforms will follow.
226
00:14:01,874 --> 00:14:04,684
Now the country will be
unified with ease.
227
00:14:04,743 --> 00:14:08,020
We didn't think there
would be any more war.
228
00:14:18,724 --> 00:14:20,397
NARRATION:
American troops fared no better
229
00:14:20,459 --> 00:14:22,268
than the South Koreans.
230
00:14:22,328 --> 00:14:24,740
With no effective
anti-tank weapons,
231
00:14:24,797 --> 00:14:27,505
the American
line collapsed.
232
00:14:33,973 --> 00:14:34,747
Within days,
233
00:14:34,807 --> 00:14:37,549
American troops were
reeling back in disarray,
234
00:14:37,610 --> 00:14:41,558
under assault from the tiny
communist regime of North Korea.
235
00:14:43,549 --> 00:14:44,619
CHARLES BUSSEY:
We had equipment left over
236
00:14:44,683 --> 00:14:46,754
from World War Two.
237
00:14:46,819 --> 00:14:49,493
We were in very poor
shape for everything.
238
00:14:51,724 --> 00:14:54,000
We were not ready
to fight a war-
239
00:14:54,059 --> 00:14:55,470
that's what
it amounts to.
240
00:14:55,527 --> 00:14:59,031
That's the long and short of it.
241
00:14:59,098 --> 00:15:01,977
NARRATION:
Around the world, America's allies rallied
242
00:15:02,034 --> 00:15:04,310
behind the United Nations flag.
243
00:15:04,370 --> 00:15:07,510
The British Prime Minister
pledged his support.
244
00:15:07,573 --> 00:15:10,816
CLEMENT ATTLEE:
If the United Nations organization
245
00:15:10,876 --> 00:15:15,347
was not to go the way of
the old League of Nations,
246
00:15:15,414 --> 00:15:18,725
it was absolutely
and imperatively necessary
247
00:15:18,784 --> 00:15:21,731
that a halt should
be called.
248
00:15:24,623 --> 00:15:26,261
NARRATION:
Troops from 15 nations
249
00:15:26,325 --> 00:15:27,360
began to arrive in
250
00:15:27,426 --> 00:15:30,930
Korea to join the
Americans in the UN army.
251
00:15:33,899 --> 00:15:39,440
General MacArthur took a gamble
to turn the tide of the war.
252
00:15:39,505 --> 00:15:43,282
With the UN forces driven back
to a tiny enclave at Pusan,
253
00:15:43,342 --> 00:15:47,950
a vast seaborne invasion,
150 miles behind enemy lines,
254
00:15:48,013 --> 00:15:49,583
would attempt to sever
255
00:15:49,648 --> 00:15:52,891
and then roll back
the North Korean advance.
256
00:15:58,490 --> 00:16:01,937
Dawn, September 15th 1950.
257
00:16:08,033 --> 00:16:11,139
The largest invasion fleet
since the Second World War
258
00:16:11,203 --> 00:16:14,275
bombards
the port of Inchon.
259
00:16:21,413 --> 00:16:25,259
American and Korean marines
go ashore in huge numbers.
260
00:16:25,317 --> 00:16:28,127
[ Speaking Korean ]
261
00:16:28,420 --> 00:16:29,865
When we landed
we approached the beach
262
00:16:29,922 --> 00:16:31,265
at full speed.
263
00:16:36,128 --> 00:16:38,802
The ramp of the landing
craft opened with a bang
264
00:16:38,864 --> 00:16:42,778
and we charged with our guns,
screaming down the ramp.
265
00:16:46,038 --> 00:16:47,415
EDWIN SIMMONS:
There was a sea wall there -
266
00:16:47,473 --> 00:16:49,180
out stone.
267
00:16:49,241 --> 00:16:51,721
It had to be scaled.
268
00:16:51,777 --> 00:16:54,348
Actual landing
conditions were terrible.
269
00:16:54,413 --> 00:16:55,858
Part of the city
was on fire.
270
00:16:55,914 --> 00:16:59,885
It was a rainy day
and the rain was mixing
271
00:16:59,952 --> 00:17:01,431
with the smoke of the fire
272
00:17:01,487 --> 00:17:04,400
and the smoke of the
bombardment.
273
00:17:07,426 --> 00:17:10,873
If those beaches had
been defended by Japanese
274
00:17:10,929 --> 00:17:12,738
German troops
275
00:17:12,798 --> 00:17:14,505
of the same quality as
the Germans and
276
00:17:14,566 --> 00:17:17,137
Japanese were in World War Two,
277
00:17:17,202 --> 00:17:18,180
we would have been lucky
278
00:17:18,237 --> 00:17:20,649
to get ashore
and we might not have
279
00:17:20,706 --> 00:17:22,515
been quite so lucky
once we got ashore.
280
00:17:24,109 --> 00:17:25,144
NARRATION:
Within two weeks,
281
00:17:25,210 --> 00:17:27,281
UN troops
were engaged in a fierce battle
282
00:17:27,346 --> 00:17:30,327
to recapture
the southern capital, Seoul.
283
00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:36,864
50,000 civilians were killed
in the crossfire.
284
00:17:39,158 --> 00:17:41,638
My house was located in
285
00:17:41,693 --> 00:17:45,197
a hillside and there was a
crossfire between the
286
00:17:45,264 --> 00:17:48,677
UN forces and the North
Korean People's Army
287
00:17:48,734 --> 00:17:50,645
on the northern side.
288
00:17:52,704 --> 00:17:54,183
Finally my
father told us
289
00:17:54,239 --> 00:17:58,346
that it would be better
if our family split up,
290
00:17:58,410 --> 00:17:59,286
at least somebody will
291
00:17:59,344 --> 00:18:01,017
survive this war.
292
00:18:06,718 --> 00:18:08,720
NARRATION:
After finally recapturing Seoul,
293
00:18:08,787 --> 00:18:12,394
MacArthur re-instated Syngman Rhee
in the Parliament building.
294
00:18:12,458 --> 00:18:14,995
Mac/Arthur's association with
Rhee's increasingly vicious
295
00:18:15,060 --> 00:18:19,304
regime caused concern
in Washington.
296
00:18:19,364 --> 00:18:21,435
LUCIUS BATTLE: Syngman Rhee
was a difficult man to back.
297
00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:23,002
And once he was in power,
it was very difficult
298
00:18:23,068 --> 00:18:24,411
for us to do anything.
299
00:18:24,470 --> 00:18:25,949
It was not up to us to
change the government.
300
00:18:26,004 --> 00:18:28,575
And there was no other
alternative obviously
301
00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:30,119
available anyway.
302
00:18:31,910 --> 00:18:34,186
NARRATION: Rhee's jubilant army
was the first to cross the
303
00:18:34,246 --> 00:18:37,284
38th Parallel
into North Korea.
304
00:18:37,916 --> 00:18:41,227
LEE JAE JEON:
[ speaking Korean ]
305
00:18:41,286 --> 00:18:46,167
When we counter-attacked
across the 38th Parallel
306
00:18:46,225 --> 00:18:49,035
every one of us,
soldiers and people,
307
00:18:49,094 --> 00:18:50,698
thought now the
drive was on to
308
00:18:50,762 --> 00:18:54,266
unify the whole
Korean peninsula.
309
00:19:02,541 --> 00:19:03,679
NARRATION:
The UN troops too
310
00:19:03,742 --> 00:19:06,222
advanced into
North Korea.
311
00:19:06,278 --> 00:19:08,019
Mac/Arthur's war
aim now appeared to
312
00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,082
be hot pursuit
of the invader.
313
00:19:13,519 --> 00:19:14,964
CHARLES BUSSEY:
I thought we'd won the war.
314
00:19:15,020 --> 00:19:16,863
[ laughs ]
315
00:19:16,922 --> 00:19:18,424
I shouldn't laugh
at this point,
316
00:19:18,490 --> 00:19:19,662
but I have to.
317
00:19:19,725 --> 00:19:21,830
I really thought that
we'd won the war and
318
00:19:21,894 --> 00:19:25,341
I think that was
the general feeling.
319
00:19:25,397 --> 00:19:28,469
And we went north
with high hopes.
320
00:19:30,836 --> 00:19:32,247
NARRATION:
The giant Yalu River
321
00:19:32,304 --> 00:19:36,616
marks the boundary between
North Korea and China.
322
00:19:36,675 --> 00:19:37,949
Across this border,
323
00:19:38,010 --> 00:19:39,956
the Chinese leadership
followed the war
324
00:19:40,012 --> 00:19:41,252
with alarm.
325
00:19:41,313 --> 00:19:43,793
They feared the American
army in North Korea
326
00:19:43,849 --> 00:19:46,625
would invade
the Chinese mainland.
327
00:19:49,054 --> 00:19:51,056
[speaking Chinese]
328
00:19:52,558 --> 00:19:54,595
If North Korea
was defeated,
329
00:19:54,660 --> 00:19:56,264
only the Yalu River
would separate us
330
00:19:56,328 --> 00:19:58,535
from the Americans.
331
00:20:02,968 --> 00:20:04,311
We couldn't
accept this
332
00:20:06,438 --> 00:20:08,543
nor the risk of American
aircraft disrupting the
333
00:20:08,607 --> 00:20:12,020
reconstruction
of our country.
334
00:20:15,814 --> 00:20:17,555
NARRATION:
From devastated North Korea,
335
00:20:17,616 --> 00:20:20,495
an urgent message
went out to Beijing.
336
00:20:20,552 --> 00:20:23,431
KAN SAN KHO:
[ speaking Korean ]
337
00:20:25,157 --> 00:20:29,867
A government delegation
was sent to Mao Zedong.
338
00:20:29,928 --> 00:20:33,967
'What can we do?',
they asked. 'We can't retreat.
339
00:20:34,032 --> 00:20:37,639
They're attacking us from the
air, from the sea, and by land.
340
00:20:37,703 --> 00:20:40,547
There is very little of
the North Korean Army left.
341
00:20:40,606 --> 00:20:44,520
Many have died.
What can we do now?'
342
00:20:49,181 --> 00:20:50,251
NARRATION:
The communist leadership in
343
00:20:50,315 --> 00:20:53,785
Beijing was deeply divided
over intervention.
344
00:20:54,886 --> 00:20:57,833
Mao received secret cables
from Stalin telling him
345
00:20:57,889 --> 00:21:01,860
to enter the war to
save North Korea.
346
00:21:01,927 --> 00:21:04,669
Wanting to assert
China's power in Asia,
347
00:21:04,730 --> 00:21:06,903
Mao was agreeable.
348
00:21:11,370 --> 00:21:13,850
Meanwhile,
the UN and South Korean armies
349
00:21:13,905 --> 00:21:16,545
continued the race north.
350
00:21:21,747 --> 00:21:24,728
On October 19th
Pyongyang fell.
351
00:21:24,783 --> 00:21:26,490
It was the only communist capital
352
00:21:26,551 --> 00:21:27,529
ever to fall to the West
353
00:21:27,586 --> 00:21:29,964
during the Cold War.
354
00:21:30,022 --> 00:21:32,468
MacArthur had the
bit in his teeth.
355
00:21:32,524 --> 00:21:35,437
He was pursuing
a defeated army.
356
00:21:35,494 --> 00:21:37,667
The race to the
Yalu was on.
357
00:21:39,698 --> 00:21:40,802
NARRATION:
MacArthur was surprised
358
00:21:40,866 --> 00:21:43,540
to be summoned to
Wake Island in mid-Pacific
359
00:21:43,602 --> 00:21:46,481
for a meeting with
President Truman.
360
00:21:46,538 --> 00:21:48,449
MacArthur assured his
commander-in-chief
361
00:21:48,507 --> 00:21:51,511
there was no possibility of
China entering the war.
362
00:21:53,879 --> 00:21:56,553
He took the award of yet another
medal as a signal
363
00:21:56,615 --> 00:22:00,688
that he could continue the
advance towards China.
364
00:22:00,752 --> 00:22:03,130
When the President asked
him to stay for lunch,
365
00:22:03,188 --> 00:22:04,030
MacArthur refused.
366
00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:09,396
While Truman and MacArthur
were talking,
367
00:22:09,461 --> 00:22:12,704
Mao ordered the Chinese army,
called the People's Volunteers,
368
00:22:12,764 --> 00:22:13,765
to enter Korea.
369
00:22:18,370 --> 00:22:20,077
Haifa million
Chinese began
370
00:22:20,138 --> 00:22:23,415
to cross the Yalu River
and waited -
371
00:22:23,475 --> 00:22:26,149
for the UN forces
to approach the border.
372
00:22:29,548 --> 00:22:32,722
As they crossed the Yalu
in enormous numbers,
373
00:22:32,784 --> 00:22:35,492
the Volunteers
sang this song.
374
00:22:35,554 --> 00:22:36,862
CHAN BOLIANG:
[sings song in Chinese]
375
00:22:59,244 --> 00:23:00,882
[ Speaking Chinese ]
That's how it goes!
376
00:23:03,749 --> 00:23:05,524
NARRATION:
Unaware of the massing
377
00:23:05,584 --> 00:23:07,029
of the Chinese troops,
378
00:23:07,085 --> 00:23:09,793
the US Army paused for
Thanksgiving.
379
00:23:09,855 --> 00:23:11,425
Roast turkey and
cranberry sauce
380
00:23:11,490 --> 00:23:12,491
were served up.
381
00:23:14,559 --> 00:23:16,197
MacArthur and his soldiers
still thought
382
00:23:16,261 --> 00:23:20,175
the war would be
'over by Christmas'.
383
00:23:20,232 --> 00:23:22,508
CHARLES BUSSEY:
Well, Thanksgiving Day in 1950
384
00:23:22,567 --> 00:23:24,274
was a very fine day.
385
00:23:24,336 --> 00:23:26,111
The weather was nice.
386
00:23:26,171 --> 00:23:31,450
The typical Thanksgiving
dinners were there.
387
00:23:31,510 --> 00:23:34,047
We had everything that we
would have had had
388
00:23:34,112 --> 00:23:35,750
we been at home.
389
00:23:35,814 --> 00:23:39,626
It was just a very
nice day
390
00:23:39,684 --> 00:23:43,655
and that was the
last nice day we had.
391
00:23:43,722 --> 00:23:44,996
[ laughs ]
392
00:23:48,627 --> 00:23:49,935
NARRATION:
Next morning,
393
00:23:49,995 --> 00:23:52,908
300,000 Chinese attacked.
394
00:23:56,401 --> 00:23:58,779
CHARLES BUSSEY:
They'd blow these bugles
395
00:23:58,837 --> 00:24:01,875
and they had a chilling
effect on the soldiers.
396
00:24:05,277 --> 00:24:08,224
CHAN BOLIANG:
[speaking Chinese]
397
00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:09,122
The first aim of
398
00:24:09,181 --> 00:24:10,888
the Volunteers
going into Korea
399
00:24:10,949 --> 00:24:12,895
was to defend our
homes and country,
400
00:24:12,951 --> 00:24:14,897
the Motherland.
401
00:24:14,953 --> 00:24:16,330
We couldn't allow
others to cross
402
00:24:16,388 --> 00:24:18,891
the Yalu River
and invade us.
403
00:24:18,957 --> 00:24:21,801
But also we wanted to help
the Korean people.
404
00:24:25,764 --> 00:24:27,903
NARRATION:
As in China's long civil war,
405
00:24:27,966 --> 00:24:30,674
Mao believed that greater
motivation could defeat
406
00:24:30,735 --> 00:24:33,614
an enemy with
superior arms.
407
00:24:33,672 --> 00:24:36,209
CHAN BOLIANG:
[speaking Chinese]
408
00:24:36,274 --> 00:24:39,221
Because our war
was a just war
409
00:24:39,277 --> 00:24:40,950
the enemy
could be defeated.
410
00:24:44,549 --> 00:24:47,758
Our bravery and our strategy
developed during the years of
411
00:24:47,819 --> 00:24:51,961
the liberation struggle
would help defeat the enemy.
412
00:24:59,264 --> 00:25:01,574
LUCIUS BATTLE: The reaction
when China came in was that
413
00:25:01,633 --> 00:25:03,044
we had a whole new war,
414
00:25:03,101 --> 00:25:04,671
a whole new situation.
415
00:25:04,736 --> 00:25:06,613
It was a very
terrifying situation
416
00:25:06,671 --> 00:25:09,618
and one that was
extremely troubling.
417
00:25:14,513 --> 00:25:17,426
NARRATION:
In the next swing of this seesaw war,
418
00:25:17,482 --> 00:25:19,223
UN forces across North Korea
419
00:25:19,284 --> 00:25:22,697
were thrown back, abandoning
vehicles and equipment.
420
00:25:30,729 --> 00:25:32,970
CHARLES BUSSEY:
We had people on top of the trucks,
421
00:25:33,031 --> 00:25:35,375
on the running boards,
422
00:25:35,433 --> 00:25:38,141
just heading south.
423
00:25:41,573 --> 00:25:45,248
I never felt so
inadequate in my life -
424
00:25:45,310 --> 00:25:49,190
as to be part of an army
that was running.
425
00:25:50,448 --> 00:25:51,927
It was unbelievable.
426
00:25:55,186 --> 00:25:56,893
EDWIN SIMMONS: I ask you to
imagine a situation where the
427
00:25:56,955 --> 00:25:59,834
temperature is 25
below zero.
428
00:26:00,659 --> 00:26:03,765
Nothing is working
as well as it should.
429
00:26:03,828 --> 00:26:08,072
Weapons have difficulty firing
in that kind of a temperature.
430
00:26:08,133 --> 00:26:10,443
A lot of Chinese
out there.
431
00:26:13,371 --> 00:26:16,978
I'm not aware of any other
movement of Americans
432
00:26:17,042 --> 00:26:23,789
that were
as futile as that rout was,
433
00:26:23,848 --> 00:26:25,691
and it was a rout.
434
00:26:32,524 --> 00:26:35,971
NARRATION: American soldiers
called it 'bug out' fever.
435
00:26:38,330 --> 00:26:39,968
PRESIDENT TRUMAN:
We are fighting in Korea
436
00:26:40,031 --> 00:26:44,275
for our own national
security and survival.
437
00:26:44,336 --> 00:26:47,647
We have committed ourselves to
the cause of a just and peaceful
438
00:26:47,706 --> 00:26:50,983
world order through
the United Nations.
439
00:26:51,042 --> 00:26:52,715
We stand by that
commitment.
440
00:26:55,246 --> 00:26:57,123
NARRATION: At a Washington
Press Conference,
441
00:26:57,182 --> 00:26:59,321
journalists repeatedly
pressed Truman on
442
00:26:59,384 --> 00:27:03,230
the possible use
of the atom bomb.
443
00:27:03,288 --> 00:27:05,598
It went on and on and on
444
00:27:05,657 --> 00:27:06,499
just like that -
445
00:27:06,558 --> 00:27:09,539
the President not being
able to shut this thing off.
446
00:27:09,594 --> 00:27:14,236
And until people began
to think that maybe we
447
00:27:14,299 --> 00:27:17,610
were going to use
the atomic bomb.
448
00:27:17,669 --> 00:27:20,115
The Bulletins about the
President's Press Conference
449
00:27:20,171 --> 00:27:22,310
went around the
world immediately.
450
00:27:22,374 --> 00:27:25,912
And that caused
incredible alarm.
451
00:27:28,179 --> 00:27:30,022
NARRATION:
British Prime Minister Clement Attlee
452
00:27:30,081 --> 00:27:31,822
was sufficiently
alarmed to fly
453
00:27:31,883 --> 00:27:34,523
to Washington for
crisis talks.
454
00:27:34,586 --> 00:27:36,293
CLEMENT ATTLEE:
My aim in these talks
455
00:27:36,354 --> 00:27:39,335
is to align our
policies in the new
456
00:27:39,391 --> 00:27:42,304
and troubled situation
in the world
457
00:27:42,360 --> 00:27:44,772
and to find the means
of upholding
458
00:27:44,829 --> 00:27:47,173
what we both
know to be right.
459
00:27:49,567 --> 00:27:50,841
NARRATION:
Next day,
460
00:27:50,902 --> 00:27:52,745
Truman assured Attlee
that there were
461
00:27:52,804 --> 00:27:56,775
no plans to use
atomic weapons.
462
00:27:56,841 --> 00:27:59,447
[speaking Russian ]
463
00:27:59,511 --> 00:28:02,754
I think the Americans
understood it would be tit for-tat.
464
00:28:02,814 --> 00:28:05,658
If they use it,
we will use it.
465
00:28:05,717 --> 00:28:07,856
We had an agreement
with the Chinese.
466
00:28:07,919 --> 00:28:11,162
That's why they didn't
use the atomic bomb.
467
00:28:15,794 --> 00:28:17,296
NARRATION:
At home that winter,
468
00:28:17,362 --> 00:28:18,807
for many
American families,
469
00:28:18,863 --> 00:28:21,935
the pain began with a
call at the door.
470
00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,174
The 29th December,
the doorbell rang.
471
00:28:25,236 --> 00:28:26,613
It was on a Friday.
472
00:28:26,671 --> 00:28:29,652
I had just washed my
hair and I opened the door
473
00:28:29,708 --> 00:28:31,949
and there was a boy
delivering a telegram.
474
00:28:32,010 --> 00:28:34,490
And he turned on his
heels and left and
475
00:28:34,546 --> 00:28:36,548
I knew the telegram was
going to tell me either
476
00:28:36,614 --> 00:28:38,787
he was dead or alive.
477
00:28:38,850 --> 00:28:40,295
And when I opened
it I just
478
00:28:40,351 --> 00:28:44,527
thanked God that
he was 'missing in action'.
479
00:28:44,589 --> 00:28:47,502
As far as knowing when
he became a prisoner,
480
00:28:47,559 --> 00:28:49,971
that wasn't for
another year.
481
00:28:50,028 --> 00:28:53,066
Even though we knew
he was in a camp,
482
00:28:53,131 --> 00:28:54,701
I never knew
from day to day
483
00:28:54,766 --> 00:28:55,767
how he was doing.
484
00:28:55,834 --> 00:28:59,213
I never knew from letter
to letter if he was alive.
485
00:28:59,270 --> 00:29:01,944
You know, so I
always held out hope
486
00:29:02,006 --> 00:29:06,250
that he would come home
but I never could say
487
00:29:06,311 --> 00:29:08,052
that he would come home.
488
00:29:14,786 --> 00:29:18,996
NARRATION: Retreating UN soldiers
adopted a scorched earth policy.
489
00:29:24,996 --> 00:29:27,772
After withdrawing from Hungnam,
American engineers
490
00:29:27,832 --> 00:29:30,676
blew up the dockside.
491
00:29:33,238 --> 00:29:37,380
The Chinese, rapidly advancing,
recaptured the northern capital,
492
00:29:37,442 --> 00:29:38,614
Pyongyang-
493
00:29:41,146 --> 00:29:44,821
At the beginning of 1951, Seoul
fell again to the communists.
494
00:29:47,018 --> 00:29:49,624
General Matthew B. Ridgway
495
00:29:49,687 --> 00:29:53,760
was appointed by MacArthur as
the new field commander.
496
00:29:53,825 --> 00:29:58,501
At last, UN troops began to
slow the Chinese advance.
497
00:29:59,731 --> 00:30:01,677
The defeatism
and the bug-out
498
00:30:01,733 --> 00:30:05,010
fever and so forth that had afflicted
the 8th Army before
499
00:30:05,069 --> 00:30:06,946
was eradicated.
500
00:30:09,674 --> 00:30:10,652
NARRATION:
From the beginning,
501
00:30:10,708 --> 00:30:14,019
the United States
enjoyed air supremacy.
502
00:30:17,315 --> 00:30:20,660
SENATOR JOHN GLENN: When I was flying up
along the Yalu in the F-86, the Saber,
503
00:30:20,718 --> 00:30:21,890
we were
using tactics that
504
00:30:21,953 --> 00:30:25,765
had literally been used in
World War One and World War Two,
505
00:30:25,824 --> 00:30:29,169
except we were flying jets
at much higher speed.
506
00:30:32,730 --> 00:30:34,107
NARRATION:
When Russian MIG-15
507
00:30:34,165 --> 00:30:36,076
fighters with well
trained Russian pilots
508
00:30:36,134 --> 00:30:37,807
were sent to
the war zone,
509
00:30:37,869 --> 00:30:41,282
they posed a challenge to
American supremacy.
510
00:30:41,339 --> 00:30:44,786
In a new fighter plane
flies Major Pepeliayev.
511
00:30:44,843 --> 00:30:47,824
YEVGENI PEPELIAYEV:
[speaking Russian ]
512
00:30:49,614 --> 00:30:52,788
Our mission was to go there
to train pilots.
513
00:30:54,719 --> 00:30:59,190
But later we ended up as
participants in the Korean War
514
00:31:03,228 --> 00:31:07,005
NARRATION: The presence of Russian
pilots risked bringing the Soviet Union
515
00:31:07,065 --> 00:31:09,409
into direct conflict
with the United States.
516
00:31:11,603 --> 00:31:13,947
YEVGENI PEPELIAYEV:
[speaking Russian ]
517
00:31:15,273 --> 00:31:17,184
Our government
and the military
518
00:31:17,242 --> 00:31:19,882
demanded
complete secrecy.
519
00:31:25,083 --> 00:31:26,187
We must never
let the enemy
520
00:31:26,251 --> 00:31:29,562
know they were
fighting Russians.
521
00:31:38,930 --> 00:31:41,809
NARRATION:
When the US deployed the F-86 Saber,
522
00:31:41,866 --> 00:31:45,780
they slowly won back
mastery of the skies.
523
00:31:47,138 --> 00:31:49,049
This enabled American
aircraft to keep up a
524
00:31:49,107 --> 00:31:51,849
constant offensive
on ground targets.
525
00:31:53,177 --> 00:31:55,248
For ground attack we
were flying the F-9F,
526
00:31:55,313 --> 00:31:56,587
the Panthers.
527
00:31:56,648 --> 00:31:58,184
And they would carry
a large bomb load
528
00:31:58,249 --> 00:32:00,092
and we could carry a
couple of thousand
529
00:32:00,151 --> 00:32:03,564
pound bombs on that airplane,
and on some flights
530
00:32:03,621 --> 00:32:07,364
hundred gallon napalm
tanks with
531
00:32:07,425 --> 00:32:09,905
a white phosphorous grenade
cap on there -
532
00:32:09,961 --> 00:32:12,100
so that when it hit the ground,
oh impact it would burst
533
00:32:12,163 --> 00:32:14,541
into flame
and ignite the napalm.
534
00:32:14,599 --> 00:32:16,044
And so we used all
of those things from
535
00:32:16,100 --> 00:32:17,704
time to time
on ground
536
00:32:17,769 --> 00:32:18,839
ground attack.
537
00:32:21,773 --> 00:32:24,913
NARRATION: MacArthur now called
for the bombing of Chinese cities
538
00:32:24,976 --> 00:32:29,857
and for the pursuit of
the war in mainland China.
539
00:32:29,914 --> 00:32:32,258
This was too
much for Truman.
540
00:32:32,317 --> 00:32:34,092
PRESIDENT TRUMAN: I believe that
we must try to limit the war
541
00:32:34,152 --> 00:32:37,929
to Korea for these
vital reasons.
542
00:32:37,989 --> 00:32:40,162
To make sure that the
precious lives of our
543
00:32:40,224 --> 00:32:42,966
fighting men
are not wasted;
544
00:32:43,027 --> 00:32:44,506
to see that the
security of our
545
00:32:44,562 --> 00:32:48,601
country and the free world is
not needlessly jeopardized
546
00:32:48,666 --> 00:32:51,943
and to prevent a Third World War.
547
00:32:53,204 --> 00:32:56,549
A number of events have made it
evident that General MacArthur
548
00:32:56,607 --> 00:32:59,087
did not agree
with that policy.
549
00:32:59,143 --> 00:33:01,851
I have therefore considered
it essential to relieve
550
00:33:01,913 --> 00:33:04,757
General MacArthur so that
there would be no doubt
551
00:33:04,816 --> 00:33:08,730
or confusion as to the real
purpose and aim of our policy.
552
00:33:14,225 --> 00:33:17,729
NARRATION: By the summer of 1951, the
two sides had fought themselves to
553
00:33:17,795 --> 00:33:20,674
a stalemate in the
hills of Korea -
554
00:33:20,732 --> 00:33:22,837
almost at the point at which
the fighting had begun
555
00:33:22,900 --> 00:33:25,380
a year earlier.
556
00:33:28,172 --> 00:33:30,880
Every month brought another
two and a half thousand
557
00:33:30,942 --> 00:33:33,354
UN casualties.
558
00:33:38,182 --> 00:33:40,423
EDWIN SIMMONS:
It became evident to us
559
00:33:40,485 --> 00:33:43,898
that we were not going
to fight this war to win it,
560
00:33:43,955 --> 00:33:45,764
that we were going
to fight it
561
00:33:45,823 --> 00:33:49,862
to some negotiated
kind of peace.
562
00:33:49,927 --> 00:33:54,307
NARRATION: Armistice talks began
in July 1951 but got nowhere.
563
00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:59,571
Both sides found the
other's attitude impossible.
564
00:33:59,637 --> 00:34:02,641
PAIK SUN YUP:
[ speaking Korean ]
565
00:34:05,543 --> 00:34:08,615
Negotiation with the communists
was very difficult.
566
00:34:08,679 --> 00:34:12,024
They treated the negotiations
like a battlefield tactic.
567
00:34:12,083 --> 00:34:15,394
Something to buy time.
568
00:34:18,523 --> 00:34:19,934
NARRATION:
One of the main stumbling blocks
569
00:34:19,991 --> 00:34:24,098
at the truce talks was the
fate of the Prisoners of War.
570
00:34:24,162 --> 00:34:27,871
Both North and South Koreans
maltreated their prisoners.
571
00:34:27,932 --> 00:34:31,744
One in three American
POWs held by the North Koreans,
572
00:34:31,803 --> 00:34:34,477
died during
the first winter.
573
00:34:38,910 --> 00:34:40,719
'DOC' FRAZIER:
A lot of them were lost to dysentery,
574
00:34:40,778 --> 00:34:44,282
diarrhea, severe
beatings, malnutrition.
575
00:34:45,983 --> 00:34:48,020
Some of them were,
you know, stragglers-
576
00:34:48,086 --> 00:34:49,394
they were just
577
00:34:49,454 --> 00:34:52,128
they were just beat with
rifle butts till they died,
578
00:34:52,190 --> 00:34:54,033
or bayoneted.
579
00:34:54,092 --> 00:34:55,799
Or, you either kept
up or you died.
580
00:34:55,860 --> 00:34:56,702
It was that simple.
581
00:34:59,363 --> 00:35:01,240
NARRATION:
Concerned by the numbers dying,
582
00:35:01,299 --> 00:35:02,642
the Chinese took over control
583
00:35:02,700 --> 00:35:03,701
of the prisoners.
584
00:35:06,404 --> 00:35:08,748
They organized daily
lectures to indoctrinate them.
585
00:35:11,209 --> 00:35:14,679
They would say- 'We will tell
you why you have come to Korea,
586
00:35:14,745 --> 00:35:18,124
why you have come thousands
of miles from your home.
587
00:35:18,182 --> 00:35:21,891
You'll spill your blood for
the profiteering warmongers
588
00:35:21,953 --> 00:35:23,364
on Wall Street.
589
00:35:23,421 --> 00:35:27,198
Why have you come here to lay
down your young lives?
590
00:35:27,258 --> 00:35:29,795
They are sleeping with your
wives and daughters.
591
00:35:29,861 --> 00:35:31,704
Do you think
this is right?'
592
00:35:31,762 --> 00:35:34,902
And this would be going on for
days on end, hour on end,
593
00:35:34,966 --> 00:35:37,207
days on end, forever-
continuously.
594
00:35:40,571 --> 00:35:44,451
NARRATION:
Back home, few people wanted to know.
595
00:35:44,509 --> 00:35:45,613
FLORENCE GALING:
Everybody was involved
596
00:35:45,676 --> 00:35:48,384
with the World War Two but nobody,
597
00:35:48,446 --> 00:35:51,791
nobody was involved
with Korea.
598
00:35:51,849 --> 00:35:55,661
The newspapers had so
little in them.
599
00:35:55,720 --> 00:35:59,361
If I wanted to know what
was going on in Korea
600
00:35:59,423 --> 00:36:02,165
yesterday I would have to
get to New York Times
601
00:36:02,226 --> 00:36:05,139
because on page 2 they
had a short column on the
602
00:36:05,196 --> 00:36:07,540
Korean War every day.
603
00:36:07,598 --> 00:36:09,703
But most of the other
papers didn't and
604
00:36:09,767 --> 00:36:11,940
you would only see headlines
when there was skirmish
605
00:36:12,003 --> 00:36:17,180
or if some hill had been
lost or won, you know.
606
00:36:17,241 --> 00:36:19,118
So there wasn't
that interest,
607
00:36:19,177 --> 00:36:20,747
there really wasn't.
608
00:36:20,811 --> 00:36:22,586
It wasn't like Vietnam
where you ate dinner
609
00:36:22,647 --> 00:36:25,491
and watched television and saw
the latest battle, you know.
610
00:36:25,550 --> 00:36:27,689
It wasn't anything like that.
611
00:36:30,955 --> 00:36:34,562
NARRATION: In Japan, the Korean
War galvanized the economy -
612
00:36:34,625 --> 00:36:37,629
generating three and a half
billion dollars of spending.
613
00:36:39,764 --> 00:36:43,268
Japan, the ex-enemy, now
became a bastion of capitalism
614
00:36:43,334 --> 00:36:46,975
in the struggle with
communism in Asia.
615
00:36:50,408 --> 00:36:55,221
Japan became the jumping off
place for the Korean War.
616
00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:59,994
The dockyards and shipyards
were used to rebuild,
617
00:37:00,051 --> 00:37:02,395
recondition the ships.
618
00:37:02,453 --> 00:37:04,160
Japanese electronics,
619
00:37:04,222 --> 00:37:06,463
which are probably now
the top of the world,
620
00:37:06,524 --> 00:37:10,301
really got their start in the Korean War.
621
00:37:10,361 --> 00:37:15,333
NARRATION: In South Korea, the UN
held 130,000 communist prisoners.
622
00:37:17,702 --> 00:37:19,545
Each one was asked
if he wanted to return
623
00:37:19,604 --> 00:37:21,481
to his country of origin;
624
00:37:21,539 --> 00:37:23,541
or stay in the
non-communist world.
625
00:37:25,876 --> 00:37:29,414
The communists were outraged
when almost half of POWs chose
626
00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:33,326
not to return to
their communist homes.
627
00:37:33,384 --> 00:37:36,957
Violent protest
dogged the camps.
628
00:37:38,823 --> 00:37:42,032
When the Armistice talks
resumed at Panmunjom,
629
00:37:42,093 --> 00:37:43,629
the fate of the
prisoners delayed
630
00:37:43,694 --> 00:37:46,504
the negotiations
for months on end.
631
00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:51,180
As the truce talks stalled,
632
00:37:51,235 --> 00:37:54,273
the relentless
bombing continued.
633
00:37:56,674 --> 00:37:58,347
American bombers dropped
almost as much
634
00:37:58,409 --> 00:38:01,618
explosive on North Korea as
they had on Germany
635
00:38:01,679 --> 00:38:03,522
during World War Two.
636
00:38:07,652 --> 00:38:11,156
YAN VON SIK:
[ speaking Korean ]
637
00:38:11,222 --> 00:38:14,863
The bombers came
without warning.
638
00:38:14,925 --> 00:38:17,804
Too many people died
because of the bombing.
639
00:38:17,862 --> 00:38:20,809
You found dead people
everywhere.
640
00:38:25,202 --> 00:38:27,876
There was hardly a single
house left standing.
641
00:38:29,940 --> 00:38:31,146
They bombed the
big cities,
642
00:38:31,208 --> 00:38:35,748
the villages and the
countryside in the same way.
643
00:38:35,813 --> 00:38:38,885
I saw it all
with my own eyes.
644
00:38:48,125 --> 00:38:49,297
NARRATION:
Estimates suggest that
645
00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:53,831
in the North as many as 2
million civilians were killed.
646
00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:58,477
TEN SAN DIN:
[ speaking Korean ]
647
00:38:58,536 --> 00:38:59,913
It was horrific.
648
00:38:59,970 --> 00:39:02,007
They said Stalingrad was
destroyed 96%
649
00:39:02,073 --> 00:39:03,711
in the Second World War
650
00:39:03,774 --> 00:39:06,948
but Pyongyang was
destroyed 100%.
651
00:39:07,011 --> 00:39:11,050
Everything was burnt to ashes,
not a single house left.
652
00:39:16,887 --> 00:39:18,093
NARRATION:
Throughout the war,
653
00:39:18,155 --> 00:39:20,726
both sides committed
horrible atrocities.
654
00:39:24,028 --> 00:39:25,666
Northerners killed
southerners
655
00:39:25,730 --> 00:39:28,233
accused of sympathizing
with the enemy;
656
00:39:28,299 --> 00:39:29,869
Rhee's supporters massacred
657
00:39:29,934 --> 00:39:32,175
those suspected
of being communists.
658
00:39:36,006 --> 00:39:37,917
In seemingly
endless violence,
659
00:39:37,975 --> 00:39:41,081
innocent civilians were
often the victims.
660
00:39:46,283 --> 00:39:48,285
At Panmunjom,
661
00:39:48,352 --> 00:39:51,265
the talking continued.
662
00:39:51,322 --> 00:39:55,236
Spanning two years,
there were hundreds of meetings.
663
00:40:03,100 --> 00:40:04,545
1952.
664
00:40:04,602 --> 00:40:06,707
Election year in America.
665
00:40:06,771 --> 00:40:08,250
Two years into the war,
666
00:40:08,305 --> 00:40:11,479
Truman decided not to
run for the Democrats.
667
00:40:11,542 --> 00:40:15,422
The Republicans chose
Dwight D Eisenhower.
668
00:40:15,479 --> 00:40:18,426
His slogan
'l shall go to Korea.'
669
00:40:20,751 --> 00:40:21,855
FLORENCE GALING:
A lot of us,
670
00:40:21,919 --> 00:40:24,729
were disenchanted
with President Truman.
671
00:40:24,789 --> 00:40:27,065
I somehow blamed him for the war.
672
00:40:27,124 --> 00:40:29,661
So when the elections
came up in 1952,
673
00:40:29,727 --> 00:40:33,038
I couldn't wait
to vote for Eisenhower.
674
00:40:33,097 --> 00:40:35,668
I felt being a military
man and his pledge was
675
00:40:35,733 --> 00:40:38,509
that he would see what
he could do to end that war,
676
00:40:38,569 --> 00:40:41,709
that he was the man
I wanted in office.
677
00:40:44,575 --> 00:40:45,815
NARRATION:
Eisenhower defeated
678
00:40:45,876 --> 00:40:49,221
the Democrats in a
landslide victory.
679
00:40:52,983 --> 00:40:55,589
There were changes
in the east also.
680
00:40:55,653 --> 00:40:58,224
In March 1953,
the communist world
681
00:40:58,289 --> 00:40:59,962
mourned the
death of Stalin.
682
00:41:02,092 --> 00:41:05,073
Stalin had kept
the war going.
683
00:41:05,129 --> 00:41:07,131
His successors
wanted to end it.
684
00:41:09,433 --> 00:41:11,106
TEN SAN DIN:
[ speaking Korean ]
685
00:41:13,237 --> 00:41:14,716
Soviet and
North Korean leaders
686
00:41:14,772 --> 00:41:17,616
came to believe it was
impossible to win this war.
687
00:41:17,675 --> 00:41:21,487
Because on the side of South
Korea was the whole world and on
688
00:41:21,545 --> 00:41:25,254
the North Korean side was
the Soviet Union and China.
689
00:41:28,519 --> 00:41:31,591
So an armistice was inevitable.
690
00:41:34,859 --> 00:41:36,702
NARRATION:
A cease-fire was finally agreed
691
00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:39,764
on July 27th 1953.
692
00:41:41,765 --> 00:41:45,542
The Chinese, the
North Koreans and the UN
693
00:41:45,603 --> 00:41:47,947
backed the agreement.
694
00:41:48,005 --> 00:41:50,144
The South Korean President,
Syngman Rhee,
695
00:41:50,207 --> 00:41:53,882
opposed the truce and
refused to sign.
696
00:41:56,881 --> 00:42:01,352
The massive job of exchanging
prisoners of war began.
697
00:42:01,418 --> 00:42:04,558
75,000 communist
prisoners were handed over.
698
00:42:05,789 --> 00:42:10,363
12,000 United Nations POWs
were also set free.
699
00:42:11,829 --> 00:42:13,638
'DOC' FRAZIER:
There's no words to describe
700
00:42:13,697 --> 00:42:19,943
how elated I was and my friends
as we came across the line.
701
00:42:20,738 --> 00:42:25,619
It felt like tons had been
lifted from your back.
702
00:42:25,676 --> 00:42:27,815
It felt like for the last
two and a half years,
703
00:42:27,878 --> 00:42:30,051
I'd been carrying
an enormous amount of weight-
704
00:42:30,114 --> 00:42:31,957
I mean tons.
705
00:42:32,016 --> 00:42:34,223
And all at once I could breathe,
I was light.
706
00:42:34,285 --> 00:42:35,628
I was free. Freedom
707
00:42:37,755 --> 00:42:39,996
Freedom's something
you can't describe.
708
00:42:43,627 --> 00:42:46,130
NARRATION:
Bernie Galing also went home.
709
00:42:46,196 --> 00:42:48,574
Florence was there
to meet him.
710
00:42:48,632 --> 00:42:50,509
FLORENCE GALING:
I had only him known him six months.
711
00:42:50,568 --> 00:42:53,378
We were only
married six days.
712
00:42:53,437 --> 00:42:57,010
This young man who left
with blonde wavy hair
713
00:42:57,074 --> 00:43:01,318
came back with brown
straight hair, thinned.
714
00:43:02,112 --> 00:43:03,557
And he was gaunt.
715
00:43:03,614 --> 00:43:08,393
I mean, he no longer
had the facial structure
716
00:43:08,452 --> 00:43:10,591
that he had
when he left.
717
00:43:10,654 --> 00:43:13,567
This man that I had
waited for, for 33 months,
718
00:43:13,624 --> 00:43:18,300
and then he comes home and
I don't really know him.
719
00:43:18,362 --> 00:43:19,966
But it didn't
take long.
720
00:43:25,469 --> 00:43:29,315
NARRATION:
54,000 Americans didn't go home.
721
00:43:33,344 --> 00:43:34,550
The war claimed the lives of
722
00:43:34,612 --> 00:43:39,652
3,000 men from the armies
of 15 other nations.
723
00:43:42,653 --> 00:43:43,563
In China,
724
00:43:43,621 --> 00:43:45,726
Mao called it a
"great victory"
725
00:43:45,789 --> 00:43:49,635
and the Volunteers
returned home as heroes.
726
00:43:49,693 --> 00:43:52,196
An estimated half a million
Chinese soldiers
727
00:43:52,262 --> 00:43:54,868
had died in the war.
728
00:43:54,932 --> 00:43:56,275
CHAN BOLIANG:
[speaking Chinese]
729
00:44:01,705 --> 00:44:03,241
The Volunteers demonstrated
730
00:44:03,307 --> 00:44:06,550
to the rest of the world that
the Chinese were ho longer the
731
00:44:06,610 --> 00:44:08,317
Chinese of the past.
732
00:44:13,417 --> 00:44:15,090
China could
not be bullied.
733
00:44:18,389 --> 00:44:23,634
China was no longer
the lame dog of Asia.
734
00:44:29,466 --> 00:44:31,468
NARRATION:
In North and South,
735
00:44:31,535 --> 00:44:33,640
three million
Koreans were killed,
736
00:44:33,704 --> 00:44:34,705
wounded or missing.
737
00:44:37,107 --> 00:44:40,247
Another five million
were homeless.
738
00:44:42,413 --> 00:44:45,292
KIM REN OK:
[ speaking Korean ]
739
00:44:45,349 --> 00:44:48,489
When the truce was
negotiated in 1953,
740
00:44:48,552 --> 00:44:52,261
there was a chance for the
Korean people to breathe.
741
00:44:56,126 --> 00:45:00,370
But there is no real
victory in war.
742
00:45:00,431 --> 00:45:05,676
They kill so many people
and destroy so much.
743
00:45:09,673 --> 00:45:11,016
NARRATION:
No victory-
744
00:45:11,075 --> 00:45:14,921
but the west
held the line.
745
00:45:14,978 --> 00:45:18,391
In Korea, communism had
been contained.
746
00:45:19,850 --> 00:45:21,329
[speaking Russian ]
747
00:45:21,385 --> 00:45:22,329
In broad terms,
748
00:45:22,386 --> 00:45:24,889
it was a defeat
for socialism.
749
00:45:24,955 --> 00:45:27,128
We were unable to impose the
socialist system on
750
00:45:27,191 --> 00:45:30,764
South Korea so
it was a defeat.
751
00:45:37,067 --> 00:45:38,307
NARRATION:
Forty years later,
752
00:45:38,368 --> 00:45:40,279
at the end of the Cold War,
753
00:45:40,337 --> 00:45:43,443
Korea was still
divided by the same line.
754
00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:52,900
Subtitles ripped and converted by
Juan Claudio Epsteyn
755
00:45:53,816 --> 00:45:57,821
E-mail:
epsteyn@hotmail.com