| Sometime ago there was a lot of speculation about who started the war. I just found this in a new book on Korea from the old Soviet archives. One reason the US always jokingly had a category called "Burn Before Reading"... Cookie Sewell AMPS * * * "Secrets of the Korean War" A.S. Orlov and V. A. Gavrilov Veche Press, Moscow 2003; 400 pp. ISBN 5-94538-???-? Chapter 2. How War Came to Korea ((pp. 58-59 only)) In Soviet sources we are informed that on 19 June 1950 the chief of staff of the South Korean army gave the order for his forces to go over to the offensive. But at the same time, there was no offensive, as the staff of the 1st Corps was not able to set up command and control nor use its artillery. A committee from the staff of the South Korean army was quickly sent down along with a large group of American advisors. After studying the reasons for the breakdown in the offensive and how to conduct the order of events in offensive operations, the offensive was reset to begin on 25 June 1950. Starting on 23 June the South Korean army began a systematic artillery bombardment of KPA positions, and using artillery and aviation they went over to the offensive at dawn on 25 June along the entire front of the 38th Parallel and in several places invaded the territory of the Peoples' Democratic Republic of Korea for a distance of 1 -2 kilometers. The forces of the Korean Peoples' Army put up a strong defense against South Korean forces and halted their offensive. It was only along the directions of Chorwon - Kimchon and north of Onjin that the South Korean forces succeeded in holding at a depth of 1-2 kilometers north of the 38th Parallel. American sources state that at 0400 on the morning of Sunday, 25 June 1950, after a 30-minute artillery preparation North Korean forces began a military campaign whose goal was the unification of all of Korea under Communist power. A number of publications in modern Russia also support this view. Here is what was reported to the chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the Soviet Army by the USSR Ambassador to North Korea: "To Comrade Zakharov (PERSONAL). "I am reporting on the preparations and course of combat operations by the Korean Peoples' Army. "The concentration of the Peoples' Army in the area of the 38th Parallel began on 12 June and concluded on 23 June, as was stipulated in the plan by the General Staff. The relocation of the forces went on in an organized manner without difficulty. "Enemy intelligence agents, perhaps, acquired information on the relocation of the forces, but the plan and time frame for the commencement of operations by the troops were successfully kept secret. "The planning for the operation at division level and terrain reconnaissance of the areas to be occupied was carried out with the participation of Soviet advisors. "All preparatory measures for the operation were completed by 24 June. On 24 June division commanders were handed orders as to D-Day and H-Hour. "Political orders from the Ministry of Defense were read out in the troops where it was stated that the South Korean army had provoked a military strike - by violating the 38th Parallel - and that the government of the DRPK had given the order for the Korean Peoples' Army to go over to the counteroffensive. "The order about the counteroffensive was met in full measure by the officers and soldiers of the Korean Peoples' Army. "The troops were in their starting positions by 2400 hours on 24 June. Combat operations commenced at 0440 hours local time. The artillery preparation lasted for a period of 20-40 minutes as a type of direct fire and a ten-minute artillery strike. The infantry took up their place and cheerfully went over to the attack. In the first three hours individual units and combined units had penetrated from 3 to 5 kilometers. "The attack of the troops of the Peoples' Army was totally unexpected by the enemy. [ ] "((Colonel General Terentiy Fomich)) Shtykov ((Ambassador from the USSR to the DPRK)), 26 June 1950" All sides agreed from the very beginning with the fact that the offensive (premeditated strike) by the KPA commenced on 25 June... |