Korean War

[Ennath]

January 4, 1951
Ground War Ridgeway orders his forces to concentrate at Line Dog, below the Han River from Pyongtaek in the west to Wonju and Samchok, in order to buy time to regroup 8th Army. 27th Commonwealth Brigade covers the retreat and then blows the Han River bridges. 8th Army has retreated some 60 miles in seven days. Chinese forces quickly take over Seoul. With little to stop them, they move on toward Pyongtaek and Wonju.
War at Sea Naval gunfire holds back the enemy for two days while some 69,000 troops are evacuated from Inchon.

January 4, 1952
War at Sea The light cruiser HMS Belfast anchors at the entrance to Songmo-Sudo, the first ship to reach this position in the Han River. Task Force Command orders cruisers to be prepared to support I Corps from this position.
Air War FEAF reports that it has identified between 100 and 150 Yak-9 fighters near the front lines. This is seen as an indication that the enemy is increasing its ability to launch night air attacks.
South Korea Phase Two of Operation Ratkiller concludes.

January 4, 1953
Air War 124 planes strike the Huichon supply center and railway bridge.
South Korea The next phase of Operation Ratkiller begins. By month’s end, the ROK Capital Division, operating in the area of Chirisan, has killed or captured another 18,000 guerrillas.

[knobby109]

Originally Posted by Ennath

January 4, 1951
Ground War The light cruiser HMS Belfast anchors at the entrance to Songmo-Sudo, the first ship to reach this position in the Han River. Task Force Command orders cruisers to be prepared to support I Corps from this position.

HMS Belfast is of course permanently moored in the Thames.
http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast

It was headquarters ship of Bombardment Force E on D-Day and Churchill expressed a desire to be on board.Despite opposition from the military commanders he insisted and it wasn't till the King said if Churchill went so would he that he abandoned the idea.

[Ennath]

January 5, 1951
Air War Pyongyang is hit by another 672 tons of incendiary bombs.
United States Senator Robert Taft (R-OH) launches an attack on President Truman for taking America to war without getting congressional approval. It is the first major war in American history not involving a formal Declaration of War.

January 5, 1952
War at Sea An American ship is fired on by enemy guns at the northern tip of the Amgak Peninsula. British and Dutch fire silences the guns.
Partisans An ROK patrol boat reports that the southern half of Sonoita Island is still in friendly hands. An effort is made to evacuate all of the refugees.
Diplomacy Churchill arrives in Washington for talks with President Truman on conditions in both Europe and the Far East. These are to last two weeks.

[Ennath]

January 6, 1951
Ground War US 2nd Division fights to keep the enemy from breaking through the new defense line. Air supply assists the defense.
UN Command MacArthur complains to the JCS that the ROK Army is unable to hold ground under pressure even when integrated with American forces. He believes his command should be evacuated to Japan.
South Korea New censorship rules are announced. Reporters are not to report on the low morale of UN troops.

[knobby109]

The Korean War was a good thing for Japan as it became a key location in the Allied logistical system.

[rupertramjet]

Two points if I may, firstly serving in the Durham Light Infantry in Korea was a young officer by the name of Peter de la Billiere, he later became deputy commander in chief in The First Gulf War.

Secondly the treatment of ROK prisoners, partly the belief was, especially with the Japanese, that to surender was to loose all honour, therefore they are not dealing with people of honour, therefore they are dealing with a sub culture. I assume this is true with other asian cultures too.

[Ennath]

January 20, 1951
Ground War Australian troops occupy Inchon with little opposition.
Air War After more than two weeks of absence, Communist MiG-15’s suddenly show up again.
UN Planning Ridgeway issues a directive converting his reconnaissance operation into a deliberate attack, code-named Operation Thunderbolt. His goal is to discover enemy intentions and to drive them north of the Han River.
UN Forces New Zealand 16th Artillery Regiment joins 27th Commonwealth Brigade.
United Nations The United States insists that the Chinese Communists be condemned as an aggressor.
United States The Secretary of State speaks in New York and says that the United States must be willing to confer and negotiate, even with Red China.

January 20, 1952
UN Forces US 40th Division (National Guard) arrives in Korea.

January 20, 1953
United States Dwight Eisenhower is sworn in as president, the first Republican in the White House in 20 years. John Foster Dulles is Secretary of State and Charles Wilson Secretary of Defense.

[squigg58]

Originally Posted by Ennath

January 20, 1951
Air War After more than two weeks of absence, Communist MiG-15’s suddenly show up again.

Was there a reason for their absence?

[Ennath]

Originally Posted by squigg58

Was there a reason for their absence?

Don't know yet, but perhaps they were just assimilating new equipment and pilots after the intense December campaign.

[Ennath]

January 21, 1951
United States A Gallup poll shows that 66% of Americans favor a US withdrawal from Korea. Nearly 50% disapprove of America ever sending troops in the first place.

January 21, 1952
War at Sea Commander 7th Fleet is advised that a Soviet submarine is operating in the Chongjin area of far northeastern Korea, probably on reconnaissance, but possibly also on a mine-laying mission.

January 21, 1968
South Korea Disguised as South Korean soldiers, 31 NKPA commandos try to assassinate President Park at his official residence, the Blue House. The assassins are intercepted by ROK police and all but one of the enemy are killed.