Today, Oct. 19, is a day to remember and to honor our brave soldiers who fought in the Korean War (1950-53).
On this day 56 years ago, the North Korean capital city of Pyongyang fell to U.S. and Republic of Korean (ROK) forces led by General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. The North Korean army was on the run. Its leader, Premier Kim Il Sung (Kim Jong Il’s father) fled toward the border to his waiting exile in Chinese-held Manchuria, across the Yalu River, which separated North Korea from China. Total victory was in sight. For the first time, ROK and U.N. flags flew proudly over Kim Il Sung’s battered city.
But later, thanks to Washington’s countermanding of MacArthur’s orders to destroy Yalu’s six bridges, “volunteer armies” from China, in massive numbers, were allowed to successfully cross and attack the allies.
Just as he did in 1946 when he prevented Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek from delivering the final blow to Mao Tse-tung’s retreating forces holed up in Manchuria, President Truman had once again succeeded in snatching defeat from the proverbial jaws of victory.
Mo Ludan
Stanwood
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