The Korean War, 70 Years Ago, The News-Herald, Franklin and Oil City PA

Korean War Weekly Front Pages

1 March 1953 – 7 March 1953

The News-Herald, Franklin and Oil City PA

Had we given it our all?

*****

Lieutenant General Maxwell Taylor said that his Eighth Army was capable of launching a major offensive in Korea if “all necessary preparations were taken.” He said the Communist armies also were capable of a major effort against the United Nations line but would be “inviting disaster” if they tried it, either frontally or by amphibious attack in the rear. Taylor said an all-out invasion of the Chinese mainland by the nationalists on Formosa “obviously would have an effect on the Korean War.” But, he said, "a raid would hardly affect our front.”

On Sunday the Chinese Communists hit Allied positions all along the Korean battlefront in a series of unsuccessful assaults highlighted by the biggest Red attack in a month. The big Red bid was made late Sunday night near “Little Gibraltar” on the western front. Allied infantrymen killed or wounded 200 Chinese Reds and smashed a series of attacks launched by a force of 750 men – the size of a battalion. This was the largest force the Reds had thrown against the Eighth Army line since 3 February when North Korean troops attacked South Korean eastern front defenses. On Tuesday late winter rains turned the Korean battlefield into slippery mud and only light patrol actions were reported along the front. Rain and low clouds grounded most UN planes and only weather reconnaissance flights were reported.

American fighter-bombers, attacking in force for the first time in three days, smashed two large military targets in North Korea. Screening Sabrejets probably destroyed one MIG-15 and made five damage claims. Two wings of Thunderjets swept over the two targets, both within 30 miles of the Yalu River and its nearby Red air bases, destroying 29 buildings and setting off numerous secondary explosions.

General James Van Fleet, the retired Eighth Army commander, testified publicly before the House Armed Services Committee. He proposed that the draft term be lengthened from its present two years “to 30 or 36 months” because American troops in Korea were “running short” of trained replacements. The next day he told a Senate committee that he had lacked sufficient men and supplies to win victory in Korea. The chairman of the Armed Services Committee asked Van Fleet bluntly what must be done to win. He said, “I’m sure the American people and Congress will never accept defeat. Properly aroused they will put into a war what it takes. We haven’t been doing that in Korea.” Subsequently, the Senate Armed Services Committee summoned the Army chief of staff to explain ammunition shortages in Korea which had been described by General Van Fleet. On Saturday the general met with President Eisenhower.

American battle casualties in Korea now totaled 130,732, an increase of 411 over the preceding weeks report.

(Photo courtesy newspapers.com, Franklin Oil City News-Herald)