Re: Hungnam Evacuation

[Robert <wanaki@infi.net>]

If you are familiar with that  period and the ensuing events, you realize
evacuation was necessary because of the plan to destroy the abandoned material
and the port assetts with high explosives, to deny them to the communists.

Young Kim wrote:

The residents of Hungnam were forced out.  ROKA troops went door to door ordering them out to the dock for loading.  Their houses were blown up.

 

In contrast, residents of Hamhung fled on their own will.  In fact, many of them, including my mother and sister,  were turned back by the US military.   The Hamhung regugees were mostly people not in good standing with the Communists.

 

 

ysk

----- Original Message -----

From: Jhk789@aol.com

To: KOREAN-WAR-L@raven.cc.ku.edu

Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2002 6:00 PM

Subject: Re: Hungnam Evacuation

In a message dated 12/19/2002 10:50:19 AM Pacific Standard Time, ysk@kimsoft.com writes:

I spent Xmas of 1950 on an ROKN LST, an evacuation ship from Hungnam.  

I have a question concerning the evacuation.

I am wondering whether the US military or S.Korean gov.
encouraged N.Koreans to flee to the South at the time the US troops were
retreating from the North. How many N.Koreans fled by ships
at Hungnam? How do you explain the motivation of the N.Koreans
fleeing? Were they mostly Christians, anti-communists or people who
collaborated with the US/S.K. military rule in the North?
What percentage of the village people fled?

jk