The Guns of July 1950

摘要

Historians say it takes 50 years to fully understand any conflict, and yet, even after a full half-century, Korean War accounts still are marred by a huge gap. They generally do not explain the July 1950 collapse of North Korea's invasion. Communist North Korea launched its offensive south from the 38th parallel on June 25, 1950. Seoul, South Korea's capital, fell in a mere four days, on June 28. Trying to slow down the communist advance, South Korea prematurely destroyed bridges over the Han River, trapping most of the 95,000 retreating South Korean soldiers. By July 1, only 22,000 South Korean troops were still in action.