The Korean War: Treatment of Civilians


Figure 1.--As the U.N. forces mived north from the Pusan Peninsula, they found evidenbce of North Korean attrocities against civilians. Here are civiliaans massacered by retreating North Korean forces at Taejon (October 1950). They have been pavked into trenches. Taejon was the scene of an earlier battle. where the advancing North Koeans overwealmed the American 24th infantry division at the Kum River. While the American were forced to retreat, the delying action was important in buying time to establish the Pusan Perimiter.

One topic we have not yet found information on is the occupation or civilian administration policies of the North Korean and South Korean Governments. We know a great deal about POWs, but very little about civilians. Here a factor is time. North Korea occupied South Korea for a realively berief period. And U.N. forces also occupied North Korea for aelatively brief period. How did the North Koreans treat busninessmen, property owners, lad lords, merchants, government officials teachers, policemen, ect as they moved outh after invading South Korea. The Communist Chinese as they moved south after defeating Nationlist armies in the north, executed large numbers of people classified as class enemies, including Nationlistofficials, landlords, businessmen, and others. We do not yet know if this also occurred in Korea. There is a good bit of information about POWs, but much less about civilians. Communist abuse of American and other U.N. POWs is well documnted, but have found very little as to how the North Koreans and Chinese treated civilians in areas that they occupoied. We do note reports of North Korean attrocities against South Korean civilians as they retreated. Some of this involved civilian hostages in towns and village thought to be sympathetic to South Korea. Navy Lt. Eugene Clark reports North Koran reprisals against civilians at Yonghung-do during the Inchon ladings (September 1950). They lined ip an shot 50 civilians. [Kortegaard] Considerable information exists on North Korea's barbaric treatment of its people today, but we have been able to find very little about North Korean and Chinese treatment of civilians during the War. Nor do we know how South Korean officials treated North Korean officials, police, teachers, ect as the U.N. forces moved north after the Inchon landings. There were incidents in which Korean civilans were killed by U.N. forces. These as far as we can tell were friendly fire incidents. Presumably this topic has been addressed by historians, but we have not yet found much vrifiable information. Hopefully readers will be able to find some useful information.

Soutces

Kortegaard, Bert. "The most terrible costs Of war are paid in innocent lives" (accessed December 2, 2014).






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Created: 7:13 PM 12/2/2014
Last updated: 7:13 PM 12/2/2014