The Korean War

Year 11 Australian Studies:

The Korean War

By Adam Rau

Introduction

After the end of the Second World War, communities were still coming to terms with the devastation which that conflict had caused, and the millions it had killed. Yet only five years after the end of this war, another was to break out, and again Australia would commit its forces. It was the Korean War.

Korea was a place that few Australians knew much about, until 1950. From 1950-53, 17,000 Australians in the Army, Navy and Air Force fought as part of the United Nations force, defending South Korea from the Communist force of North Korea. After the war ended, Australians remained in Korea for four years as military observers. Since then, Australia has maintained a presence.

Australia's involvement in the Korean War won much praise from other nations. Awards and decorations given to Australians during the war totalled 615, while awards given to Australians by other countries numbered 173. Australia also gained many political and security benefits, the most important being the signing of the ANZUS Treaty with the United States and New Zealand. ANZUS joined the nations of Australia, New Zealand and the United States in a defence security pact for the Pacific region. Representatives of the governments of the three nations signed the agreement in Canberra on 1 September 1951

From Australia and New Zealand's point of view at the time, ANZUS offered a protection against a possible future threat of Soviet or Chinese aggression. For the US, ANZUS represented a secure stake in the Pacific, as it sought to strengthen its alliances around the world, in its efforts to contain communist powers. ANZUS did not guarantee military support from the US, but provided for consultation in the event of an attack on any of the three countries. The treaty was also significant in that Australia joined the US in security alliance that did not include its traditional ally, Britain.

The cost of the war in Korea was immense, particularly for its people. The attempt by the Communist North to unite Korea under its rule had been stopped, but it had killed more than two million people, and turned many Korean civilians into homeless refugees. Today, Korea is still divided into North and South.

The beginning of the Korean War

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The beginning of the Korean War

In 1910 Japan captured Korea and for the next 35 years ruled its colony harshly. During this time, various groups in Korea requested support from external powers, including China, the Soviet Union, and the United States. After the defeat of the Japanese in the Second World War, in order to facilitate the disarming of Korea's defeated Japanese rulers, the United States and the Soviet Union divided the peninsula into two zones of control.

While agreeing in principle to the unification of Korea, either as an independent nation or under international trusteeship, the two superpowers could not agree on how to bring this about. Each assisted the establishment of a regime to its own liking in its part of the country - communist in the north, and non-communist in the south. This division of Korea became increasingly bitter. Between 1945-1950, tension between the two governments of the North and South became more pronounced, and civil war seemed imminent.

Despite their apparent interest in the region, it is clear that both the US and USSR did not want a long-term involvement in Korea, as postwar Europe was still their most important strategic concern. So what was to be done to create an independent and unified Korea? The search for a solution was taken up by the United Nations.

The United Nations and the outbreak of war

The United Nations was created in 1945 in an attempt to secure world peace. After the devastation of two world wars, the major powers sought to prevent the outbreak of conflict by a system of mutual guarantees between groups of nations. Australia was one of the founders and played a leading role on behalf of the smaller member nations. Through its UN membership, Australia aimed to raise its profile in world affairs.

In November 1947, the UN Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK) was created to supervise government elections in both North and South Korea, with a view to developing a single national government. The commission soon found that the communist administration in the north would not allow it to operate there.

A new permanent UN Commission on Korea (UNCOK) was then established to help Korea move towards unification, as well as to observe the activities of military forces on the peninsula. Australia was a member of both commissions. Australia's Minister for External Affairs, Dr H.V. "Doc" Evatt, urged the United States to maintain its forces in South Korea, to ensure stability in the region. However, the United States wanted to reduce its overseas commitments outside of Europe, and by the end of 1949, there were only 500 American troops left in Korea.

During 1949, the war of words between the two Koreas escalated, and infiltration and clashes along the border increased. In March 1950, UNCOK requested additional military observers to monitor the situation.

Outbreak of war

In mid-1950, the tension along the Korean border increased to a breaking point. In the early hours of June 25th 1950, the North Korean army invaded South Korea. When the United Nations Security Council met the next day to consider its response, the “Peach and Rankin's” report was significant because it clearly demonstrated that North Korea was the aggressor and that North Korean claims that it was responding to an attack by South Korea were false. This report was created when two Australians, former soldier’s in the Second World War, reported on the set-up the American military, deciding it was based purely on defense.

The poorly equipped and inexperienced South Korean army was forced to retreat. Within a week, it had lost about half its force.

Australia’s commitment to Korea

Korea's national conflict had rapidly become one of global significance. Troops of many nations, including Australia, joined the fight against the North Korean invasion of the South. There were many reasons for Australia's involvement in Korea, such as concern for the security of the region, and a desire to strengthen its military relationship with the US with a commitment of troops. This relationship was to prove a largely influential one: it not only led to the ANZUS treaty, but influenced Australia's later commitment of troops to the war in Vietnam.

The outbreak of war found Australia already involved in fighting Communist forces in Malaya. Australia was the first country following the US to commit units of all three services to Korea: a naval frigate on 29 June, 77 Squadron, RAAF, on 30 June, and an infantry battalion from the Australian component of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan (BCOF) on 26 July.

The commitment had broad support in Australia, with different groups seeing it as an opportunity to fight communism, cement Australia's alliance with the United States, or give support to the United Nations system of allied security.

Recruitment

There were insufficient men in Australia's regular army to meet Australia's commitment to Korea. Recruitment offices once again opened and were initially flooded with volunteers for Korea.

Many men joined who had been too young to serve in the Second World War; many others were veterans of that war. Men volunteered out of patriotism, to fight communism, out of pressure, or for the opportunities to travel overseas and experience a bit of adventure along the way.

The War

Australia was involved in Korea from 1950 until 1957 as part of the United Nations Command forces. Australia's allies in this operation were the United States, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey. India, the Scandinavian countries and Italy provided units.

The Australian Army was represented in Korea by the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), which arrived in Pusan on the 27th of September 1950. It had been stationed in Japan, as part of the British Commonwealth Occupying Force (BCOF) since 1946; at the time of the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, it severely lacked numbers. 3 RAR was soon boosted by 39 officers and 971 men, doubling its numbers.

The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) and the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR) also joined the war later, each on a one-year tour of duty. The Australians were part of a larger Commonwealth force, eventually renamed the 28th Commonwealth Brigade. In July 1951, this Brigade joined the 25th Canadian and the 29th British Brigades to become the 1st Commonwealth Division.

Australian forces in Korea were made up of both Second World War veterans and fresh volunteers. Naturally, there was some initial rivalry between the two groups, but as time went by, the experience of Korea formed them into one unified service.