Text Version
Peace talks agree on line, Reds accused of killing U.S. prisoners
by Jim Caldwell
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 14, 2001) - U.S. and communist peace negotiators in Korea finally agreed on a cease-fire line 50 years ago this week, but at the same time the Eighth Army advocate general released a report claiming that the communists killed 5,500 captured Americans.
Nov. 15-17, 1951 -- The Joint Chiefs of Staff order Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway, U.N. commander, to accept the communists' version of the demarcation line. Even though it does not reflect the line of contact that currently exists, it still leaves troops on the Kansas line from west central Korea to the east coast and the Wyoming line in the west in good defensive positions.
By accepting the communists' position, Ridgway was told to place a one-month time limit for settling the remaining issues on the agenda. They also tell him to maintain pressure on the enemy but not undertake offensives that will appreciably change the existing line for the next month. However, there are no restrictions on the use of air and naval power.
The U.N. delegates on the subcommittee are not going to concede to the communists' position right away.
In fact, Maj. Gen. Henry Hodes fires back at the jab by Chinese Maj. Gen. Hsieh Fang, who yesterday said he wasn't able to remember the name of the U.N. chief negotiator, Adm. C. Turner Joy. Hodes finishes a statement about referring a point to North Korean Maj. Gen. Nam Il, communist chief delegate, by calling him "your senior delegate whose name I trust you are able to recall."
Hodes also answers Hsieh's challenge to agree to a cease-fire or end the talks, saying the "U.N. cannot and will not cease military action until a complete military armistice agreement is reached."
The reds then say they weren't challenging the U.N. to stop negotiating or stop fighting.
On Nov. 17, the U.N. subdelegates agree to the communists' demarcation line, but add the requirement that all other agenda items be completed within 30 days. The communists study the proposal and question Hodes and Adm. Arleigh Burke. They want to make sure the line of demarcation will not change until after the 30-day period.
On the front, men are still being wounded and dying in extremely limited actions.
Nov. 16 -- The Army Surgeon General's office reports that for every 1,000 wounded soldiers in Korea 25 die, but 804 are returned to duty, 685 within the Far East Command. In World War II, 45 died out of every 1,000 wounded, 750 returned to duty and 205 received disability discharges.
Nov. 17 -- New York Gov. Thomas E. Dewey claims in Albany, "We are now in World War III on a vast scale - the worst kind of propaganda, insurrectionist, treasonable war, and the question is will it turn into total, atomic war?" He said talk of disarmament is a waste of time and the only way the U.S. will be secure is to have such "great strength" that the Soviet Union would not dare oppose it.
Nov. 20 -- Gen. Matthew Ridgway, U.N. commander in Korea, says there is confirmation that communists killed 365 Americans. Their bodies were recovered on the battlefield. But just as he did Nov. 17, Ridgway condemns Col. James M. Hanley, Eighth Army judge advocate, for releasing a report claiming that the reds have killed 5,500 captured Americans. While expressing sympathy for the families of the slain soldiers, Ridgway also says, "It may well be that in no other way [than the shock of Hanley's charges] could all lingering doubts be dispelled ... as to the methods the leaders of communism ... use in their efforts to destroy free peoples."
Chinese Radio on Nov. 17 calls Hanley's report "a baseless and shameless fabrication" designed to delay the peace talks.
Nov. 21 -- The Department of Defense reports the number of Americans killed in Korea as of Nov. 16 totals 16,972. The breakout of the rest of American losses is 10,871 missing, 174 captured and 70,768 wounded.
The U.S. estimates that through Nov. 6, the Chinese and North Koreans have suffered a combined 1, 457,466 casualties.
(Editor's note: Jim Caldwell is a writer for the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command News Service.)
Link to original news item:
http://www.dtic.mil/armylink/news/Nov2001/a20011114koreanov15-21.html