Though warnings of a possible invasion of South Korea had been evident, the actual North Korean assault on June 25th, 1950, struck the world with sudden and profound shock. Was this a full-scale invasion, or merely a continuation of the cro…

The North Korean forces are advancing relentlessly, and within days of the war's commencement, they seize Seoul, the South's capital. A further tragedy strikes the South when the Han River Bridge is destroyed as thousands cross, resulting i…

This week marks the first direct engagement between American troops and the Korean People's Army – the forces of the North – on the Korean peninsula, and the initial encounters have been unfavorable for the Americans. The situation appears …

The elements of the U.S. 24th Division, the sole American force to have arrived in Korea with substantial strength, continue to meet the North Korean advance toward Taejon, yet suffer repeated and swift defeats. Meanwhile, along the central…

This week sees the fall of Taejon to the relentless advance of North Korea, though the fighting there remains a maelstrom of chaos. Even the highest-ranking American general has been forced to seek refuge in the surrounding hills. Yet, two …

The advance of UN forces has been relentlessly checked, yet this week, General Walton Walker, commander of the U.S. 8th Army, issues a stark order: "Stand or die." He perceives no alternative. American reinforcements are at last joining the…

This week sees the withdrawal of UN forces across the Naktong River to establish a new defensive line in the southeastern corner of the Peninsula – the Pusan Perimeter. Yet, as the week commences, they face grave peril from a North Korean o…

This week marks the commencement of the United Nations’ largest counteroffensive to date, spearheaded by the American Task Force Kean. The operation has yielded both gains and setbacks, unfolding against a renewed North Korean assault. Cons…

Reinforcements from the Marines have arrived to bolster the United Nations forces struggling against catastrophe in the Naktong Bulge. By week's end, however, the momentum has shifted decisively, and the formidable North Korean 4th Division…

General Douglas MacArthur has devised a plan for an amphibious assault on Incheon, believing it will decisively shift the course of the war. This week, he is making a forceful argument to the highest echelons of American command to authoriz…

The North Korean forces launched a massive new offensive against the entirety of the Pusan Perimeter, aiming to achieve a breakthrough along some point of the defensive line. They understood that time was rapidly diminishing; UN forces were…

President and Joint Chiefs of Staff approved General Douglas MacArthur's audacious plan to deploy two entire divisions deep within North Korean territory, aiming to cripple their supply lines through sabotage. Despite the well-understood ch…

This week marks the commencement of Operation Chromite by UN forces, an amphibious invasion targeting the port of Incheon deep within enemy territory. The operation faces considerable challenges, not least the formidable natural obstacle of…

The amphibious assault on Incheon last week caught the North Koreans entirely off guard. Now, thousands of UN troops have penetrated deep into their territory, crippling their supply lines. As this week dawns in the south, UN forces are pus…

The shift in fortune has been remarkable. Less than two weeks ago, the US X Corps landed at Incheon, deep within enemy territory, and this week they have captured Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The victory was hard-won, however, and has…

The KPA are still struggling to overcome the breach created by the landings at Incheon, as United Nations forces advance past the 38th Parallel. General MacArthur, however, is already focused on his next major move: a landing at Wonsan. But…

This week, American and British Commonwealth troops joined with South Koreans in crossing the 38th parallel to invade North Korea, a move facilitated by the largely dissipated resistance of the North Korean forces. Consequently, the Allied …

The UN forces have captured the North Korean capital, a development scarcely unexpected given the thorough defeat of the North Korean armies. Yet, Chinese troops are pouring into the country to reinforce the beleaguered North. This influx r…

The People's Liberation Army made its presence felt with unprecedented force, directly confronting United Nations troops for the first time. What had been anticipated as a straightforward advance to the Chinese border quickly devolved into …

The American advance continued, a momentum that seemed to blind them to the growing shadow of Communist China. At Unsan, a single American regiment found itself encircled by two Chinese divisions, the enemy pressing in relentlessly from thr…

General MacArthur’s command grappled with the perplexing recent intervention of Communist China in Korea, particularly given the swiftness with which the Chinese forces had disappeared. Meanwhile, across the ocean, public support for the wa…

General Walton Walker, commanding the Eighth Army, finalized preparations for the major advance north toward the Yalu River. Across the divided peninsula, the Chinese Communist forces assembled, awaiting the Americans’ next move. Simultaneo…

Thanksgiving of 1950 drifted by in the snow-swept north of Korea, and the following day saw the Eighth Army’s advance toward the Yalu River commence. It quickly became evident, however, that the Communist Chinese were prepared, their number…

Around the frozen expanse of the Chosin Reservoir, a fierce conflict raged between American Marines and the Chinese Communist forces. The Chinese offensive pressed relentlessly in the west. For the United Nations troops, victory seemed unat…

This week sees a withdrawal of United Nations forces from Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, in the western sector. In the east, the Marines press onward toward safety. In Washington, the repercussions of the Chinese intervention contin…

The final UN forces positioned in northern Korea are now undertaking a desperate withdrawal by sea. The evacuation represents a massive undertaking, involving more than one hundred thousand men, and its success is crucial if the United Nati…

General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the United Nations forces, maintains that a larger troop presence is essential to counter the Chinese Communists, a prospect unlikely to be realized soon. Meanwhile, UN troops in the North orchestrate…

General Matt Ridgway arrived in Korea to discover his Eighth Army in a state of profound disarray, its effectiveness shattered from the highest ranks to the lowest. He had scant days to mend these divisions and prepare the forces for renewe…