IN FROM THE COLD REFLECTIONS ON AUSTRALIA’S KOREAN WAR IN FROM THE COLD REFLECTIONS ON AUSTRALIA’S KOREAN WAR EDITED BY JOHN BLAXLAND, MICHAEL KELLY AND LIAM BREWIN HIGGINS Published by ANU Press The Australian National University Acton ACT 2601, Australia Email: [email protected] Available to download for free at press.anu.edu.au ISBN (print): 9781760462727 ISBN (online): 9781760462734 WorldCat (print): 1140933889 WorldCat (online): 1140933931 DOI: 10.22459/IFTC.2019 This title is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). The full licence terms are available at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode Cover design and layout by ANU Press. Cover photograph: The story of a patrol 15 miles into enemy territory, c. 1951. Photographer: A. Gulliver. Source: Argus Newspaper Collection of Photographs, State Library of Victoria. This edition © 2020 ANU Press CONTENTS Acknowledgements . vii List of maps and figures . ix Maps . xiii Chronology . .. xix Contributors . xxvii Glossary . xxxiii Introduction . 1 John Blaxland Part 1. Politics by other means: Strategic aims and responses 1 . Setting a new paradigm in world order: The United Nations action in Korea . 29 Robert O’Neill 2 . The Korean War: Which one? When? . 49 Allan Millett 3 . China’s war for Korea: Geostrategic decisions, war-fighting experience and high-priced benefits from intervention, 1950–53 . 61 Xiaobing Li 4 . Fighting in the giants’ playground: Australians in the Korean War . 87 Cameron Forbes 5 . The transformation of the Republic of Korea Army: Wartime expansion and doctrine changes, 1951–53 . 97 Jongnam Na Part 2. Korean skies and Korean waters 6 . The air war in Korea: Coalition air power in the context of limited war . 121 Richard Hallion 7 . Offensive air operations over Korea: The first challenge for Australian naval aviation . 143 Jack McAffrie Part 3. From generals to lieutenants: Command in the war 8 . Australian higher command in the Korean War: The experience of Brigadier John Wilton . 165 David Horner 9 . The reliving of minor tactics: Reflections of a platoon commander’s war in Korea . 183 Colin Kahn Part 4. The war on the ground 10 . The Battle of Maryang San: Australia’s finest feat of arms in the Korean War? . 205 Bob Breen 11 . Conquering Kowang San, Assaulting United: Myth and misunderstanding in the shade of Maryang San, October 1951 . 217 Nigel Steel 12 . The Battle for Hill 317 (Maryang San): One man’s account . 235 William Purves 13 . The Samichon: A final barb in the Hook, 24–27 July 1953 . 245 Michael Kelly 14 . Continuing the legacy and beginning a new era: Australian nursing in the Korean War . 259 Rebecca Fleming Part 5. Legacies 15 . From Korea to Vietnam: Australian strategic policy after the Korean War . 279 Peter Edwards 16 . China and the Koreas: An Australian perspective . 289 Rowan Callick Conclusion: Korea armistice and reflections for the twenty-first century . 301 John Blaxland Appendix . 311 Index . 313 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This publication is the result of a close collaboration between the Australian War Memorial (AWM), and the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre (SDSC) within the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs as part of the College of Asia and the Pacific at The Australian National University (ANU). In from the Cold: Reflections on Australia’s Korean War is based largely on the papers presented at the ‘Korea: In from the cold’, international military history conference that took place between 6 and 7 October 2011 at the AWM. We would like to thank Dr Peter Pedersen, whose singular vision in bringing together an international cast of veterans and academics delivered a conference that was truly unique. The success of a book like this hinges on the quality of its contributors. We would like to sincerely thank the Australian and international presenters whose papers covered the Korean War from both sides of the wire and viewed the war from the land, air and sea: Professor Robert O’Neill AO, Professor Allan Millett, Professor Xiaobing Li, Cameron Forbes, Dr Jongnam Na, Dr Richard P. Hallion, Commodore Jack McCaffrie RAN (retd), Rowan Callick, Professor David Horner, Brigadier Colin Kahn DSO AO, Dr Bob Breen, Sir William Purves CBE DSO GBM, Nigel Steel, Brigadier Jim Shelton DSO MC, Lieutenant Colonel Maurie Pears MC, Lieutenant Colonel Alf Argent, Dr Rebecca Fleming and Dr Peter Edwards. The book is a reflection of the diverse gathering of veterans, scholars and journalists whose perspectives have been at all times informative and engaging. We would like to sincerely thank all the staff at the AWM and ANU College of Asia and the Pacific who assisted and contributed to the book for their support. In particular, we would like to thank the wonderfully talented Kay Dancey and Jenny Sheehan at CartoGIS services at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific for their efforts in creating the maps. The publication has also benefited greatly from the extensive work done vii IN FROM THE COLD by the Military History section at the AWM. In particular, we would like to acknowledge Duncan Beard, Emma Campbell, Ashley Ekins, Lachlan Grant, Meleah Hampton, Karl James, Aaron Pegram, Thomas Rogers, David Sutton and Christina Zizzis. Andrew McDonald also cannot be thanked enough for his work transcribing, editing and liaising with authors and for his unfailing support and advice throughout. We also acknowledge the extensive assistance of Ron Schroer throughout the publication process. Special thanks are also due to our copy-editor, Cathryn Game. The Military History Section would also like to acknowledge Steve and Ruth Lambert, and thank them for their ongoing support of the AWM. The book draws on the seminal research and findings of the Australian official historian of the Korean War Professor Robert O’Neill, and we thank him for his ongoing support and enthusiasm for the project. In addition, this book would not have been possible without the generous support and publishing guidance from Emily Tinker, Dr Greg Raymond and the publishing team at ANU Press. We would like to acknowledge and thank our families for their ongoing support, without which this book would not have happened. John Blaxland Michael Kelly Liam Brewin Higgins viii LIST OF MAPS AND FIGURES Map 1. The United Nations Command counter-offensive, September–November 1950. .xiv Map 2. Korean Peninsula highlighting major actions fought by Australians, 1950–53. xv Map 3. Positions held by the United States Eighth Army, 15 March 1952 .....................................xvi Map 4. Brigade dispositions of the 1st Commonwealth Division during the final weeks of the war, June–July 1953 .......... xvii Squadron Leader Ronald Rankin (second left) and Major Stuart Peach (right) travelled to the 38th parallel in June 1950. Their report assisted the United Nations Security Council’s decision to aid the Republic of Korea .....................25 General Douglas MacArthur was the driving force behind the initial UN response to North Korea. His decision to invade North Korea would have fateful consequences for the outcome of the war. .26 China’s entry into the Korean War caught the United Nations Command by surprise and forced the UN and South Korean troops to withdraw from near the Chinese border back beyond Seoul. 26 The Republic of Korea Army recovered quickly from its mauling by North Korea and became a battle-hardened and effective force ...27 ANZUS saw Australia, New Zealand and the United States form a defence pact for the Pacific region. For Australia, the treaty offered some protection against any future Chinese or Soviet aggression ....................................27 ix IN FROM THE COLD Australian soldiers were initially not equipped to deal with the onset of the Korean winter. The deficit was made up from US and British stores. Private Ian ‘Robbie’ Robertson, a member of 3RAR’s sniper section, wears a mixture of British and US winter kit, c. November 1950 ..........................28 The RAAF transitioned to jet fighters during the Korean War. The Meteor F.8 was outclassed by the MiG-15 in dogfights, but it was an excellent ground attack platform .............119 The RAN Fleet Air Arm’s 21st Carrier Air Group, flying Sea Fury and Firefly aircraft off the deck of HMAS Sydney (III), conducted 2,366 sorties over a period of 64 days during the latter months of 1951 .............................120 HMAS Sydney (III)’s deployment to Korean waters was the first time a dominion carrier had been deployed on active service. It was the only time Sydney saw active service as an aircraft carrier ...........................................120 Senior Australian army officers in Korea, c. April 1953 ...........163 The dogged defence by Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders at Kapyong was instrumental in blunting the Chinese drive on Seoul, and helped to save the city from falling into communist hands again .......................................164 New Zealand artillerymen provided accurate and devastating firepower in attack and defence to various nationalities of the United Nations Command ...........................197 Lieutenant Colonel Frank Hassett (centre) took over 3RAR during a period of change and, with support of his junior officers, welded the battalion into a fine fighting unit ..............198 In the early hours of 3 October 1951, the start of Operation Commando, A and B Companies, 3RAR, crossed this valley floor and captured Hill 199 ...........................198 British units in Korea were