US submarine arrives near Scarborough!

ice berg

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2011
Messages
2,145
Likes
292
Some more reading on the subject of the Korean War, China, and nuclear weapons.

President Truman's relief of General Douglas MacArthur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This subject deserves a separate thread in the Military History sub-forum.
The United States issued several nuclear threats against the People's Republic of China in the 1950s to force the evacuation of outlying islands and the cessation of attacks against Quemoy and Matsu, part of Republic of China.[1]

Edward Friedman, "Nuclear Blackmail and the end of the Korean War," Modern China 1 1 (Jan. 1975), 75-91.

Notice it said United States, not General Douglas MacArthur.

I am well aware of the fact. However the US decision to nuke China came afterwards.
 

asianobserve

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
12,846
Likes
8,556
Country flag
To add some detail to the subject of China and the Korean War.

What I recall about the situation at that time was:

The US General Douglas MacArthur wanted to "nuke" China.

The US President Harry Truman told him "No."

When the dispute ended MacArthur was relieved of his command.

President Truman's relief of General Douglas MacArthur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On this subject I must say that the American humiliation against Chinese forces in Korea (unexpected Chinese entry) was a product of Gen. McArthur's (or undersight). It's either he did not do his homework, on taking into consideration the possible participation of China, or he did consider it but overly understimated his forces' ability to counter it or understimated the resolve of the Chinese in dumping bodies after bodies of Chinese soldiers into American lines. Either it does not speak well for him. And to appease his massive ego he wanted to nuke China! Good thing cooler heads in America outnumbered hotheads... (I don't know if this is still correct now).
 
Last edited:

Adux

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2009
Messages
4,022
Likes
1,707
Country flag
That is not the point, never ever before, directly or indirectly at war, were they ever holding in T-bills! ;)
 

asianobserve

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
12,846
Likes
8,556
Country flag
Can't edit anymore post #142, it should be "xxx overstimated his forces' ability to counter xxx"
 

Zero_Wing

Regular Member
Joined
May 3, 2012
Messages
386
Likes
67
Ya all i can remember about the Korean War is how the Philippine contingent kick some PVA @$$ Going back Pres Truman did not want a bigger war and if he agree to what MacArthur wanted to do it would bring more harm than good at the time (well that's what he thought) MacArthur thought it would send a message to Bejing to stop sending troops.
 

asianobserve

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
12,846
Likes
8,556
Country flag
Ya all i can remember about the Korean War is how the Philippine contingent kick some PVA @$$
Battle of Hill Eerie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

May 1952

In May 1952, the 20th Philippine Battalion Combat Team, under the command of Colonel Salvador Abcede, engaged the Chinese forces at the town of Karhwagol, west of Chorwon; they were also involved in other major battles and assaults against the Chinese forces.

There were numerous closely fought battles on Hill Eerie, as well as on Hills 18, 200, and 19, ('Yoke', 'Uncle' and 'Old Baldy'), all in the T-Bone Hill area, but later the 20th were committed to the Pork Chop Hill area and in Alligator Jaws.

Hill Eerie was a military outpost that changed hands many times and was a heavily fortified position with a commanding view of the plains below.
A series of raids were launched by the Filipinos, from May 18, led by Lieutenant Rodolfo Maestro, killing 28 CCF and a further 23 the next day, before disengaging with the enemy while tanks and artillery continued to bombard the outpost.

On May 21, 1952, Colonel Abcede ordered Major Felizardo Tanabe, the battalion's operations officer, to prepare the final assault on the Chinese position after several attempts to capture the outpost. Tanabe sent the 44-man 2nd reconnaissance platoon to sabotage the position.

The platoon was led by a young Filipino officer, a 1950 graduate of West Point's United States Military Academy, 2nd Lieutenant Fidel V. Ramos (future President of the Philippines).

Ramos divided the assault team into four groups of snipers, riflemen, scouts and forward observers, each with a radio operator, a messenger and a medic. The platoon was reinforced by some engineer demolition specialists and an artillery observer team. They left at 04:07.

The Filipino platoon crawled through rice paddies and scattered trees for two hours before it reach an irrigation ditch, about 400 meters from the top of the hill. Intelligence estimated the enemy strength to be one reinforced platoon of the Chinese Red Army.

The United States Air Force sent seven F-86 Sabre jet fighters to pound the enemy positions with napalm. There was also artillery support. After the bombardment, Ramos' men seized the front part of the trench network after discovering a hole in the blasted stack of barbed wire.

Close-quarter fighting raged as the retreating enemy fought back but the advancing Filipinos were gaining the upper hand. The scout team, led by Corporal Jose Palis, went into action on the right of the hill and was later joined by Lieutenant Ramos. Meanwhile, the rifle team, led by Sergeant Cipriano Drapeza, worked its way round to the left side of the hill while the sniper team, led by Second Lieutenant Armando Dizon, held the enemy's support from nearby Hill 191.

By 07:28, the Filipinos had demolished the Chinese bunkers and withdrawn from the top of the hill. Friendly tanks resumed their bombardment of Hill Eerie.
The assault lasted for two hours, Ramos' men suffered one injury while the Chinese had 11 dead, 10 wounded, whether from the supporting artillery, tanks and air strikes could not be determined. The battle was the final assault on Hill Eerie by the United Nations forces.

The Filipino battalion was replaced by the 2nd Battalion of the 179th United States Infantry.

June 1952

On June 16, 1952, the 19th Philippine Battalion Combat Team, under the command of Colonel Ramon Z. Aquirre, relieved the American battalion in the T-Bone ridge sector.

By June 18, the Chinese forces sought to recapture the area and launched an intense artillery and mortar barrage. The Filipinos held their ground and were able to repulse the Chinese attack.

On June 20, the Chinese forces launched another attack towards Hill Eerie and the rest of the T-Bone ridge area. At dawn, the Chinese had advanced sufficiently to engage in hand-to-hand fighting but the Filipino troops were able to hold the position.

By morning, the artillery battle continued but the allied forces successfully defended Hills Eerie and 191. As a result of the battle it was estimated that the CCF suffered 500 casualties while the Filipinos had 24.

The Filipino battalion was later relieved by the US 2nd Infantry Division on July 18, 1952.
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top