The Korean War, 70 Years Ago, The Daily Republican, Monongahela PA
Korean War Weekly Front Pages
25 November – 1 December 1951
The Daily Republican, Monongahela PA
A pause in fighting on the ground.
*****
Two days after Thanksgiving, United Nations and Communist negotiators agreed on a 30-day cease-fire line for Korea, but hope was fading for an armistice by Christmas. Although technically the war would still be on, the fighting on the ground was expected to come to a virtual stop while UN and Red delegates tried to settle the rest of the armistice terms by the deadline – two days after Christmas. Should troops of either side advance during the 30-day period, they would have to withdraw to the tentative truce line if an armistice agreement was completed before the deadline. It seemed unlikely either side would gamble lives unless it became clear no agreement would be possible before 28 December. If the 30-day period expired without an agreement, the opposing armies could advance at will and keep the ground they capture. On Wednesday, UN troops were told to halt all offensive action and to fire only if being fired upon. There would still be scouting patrols in front of the lines, but they would not engage in offensive action. On Friday, UN infantrymen fought three minor actions against light Communist attacks on the central and eastern fronts, but generally contented themselves with patrolling.
But the next day brought the threat of a new deadlock in Panmunjom. The UN demanded the right to inspect behind Communist lines as far as the Manchurian border during the armistice to make sure the Reds did not build a new invasion army. The Communists rejected the proposal, which was now to be discussed further. In addition, the truce negotiators may start at the same time talks about the fate of prisoners of war. Negotiations on Thursday saw the Communists back down from a key demand that foreign troops be withdrawn immediately from Korea. The Reds said they may be willing to accept a gradual reduction as one of the items which must be settled on or before 27 December if the tentative cease-fire line was to become permanent. The list also included a ban in reinforcements, the exchange of prisoners and the right for joint inspection teams to roam the length and breadth of Korea.
While ground fighting remained almost at a standstill, UN jet fighters scored their second greatest victory of the Korean War, destroying or damaging 17 Russian-made Communist planes. Eleven Red planes were shot down, one was so damaged that it probably crashed, and five more were damaged less seriously. In a separate action, F-86 Sabre pilots swept far into northwestern Korea. They caught a fleet of enemy bomber planes escorted by MIG-15s and propeller driven fighters and ripped it to pieces. Ten enemy aircraft were destroyed.
President Truman sought to impress upon the American people the vital necessity of keeping strong armed pressure on the Communist forces in Korea. Deeply concerned lest the nation get the impression that UN forces could now relax, the President called for nationwide understanding that any premature letup might mean larger, instead of smaller, casualties. He said, “We cannot allow ourselves to be caught off-balance by the enemy in case we cannot reach a satisfactory armistice agreement.”
A telephone call from their son in Japan was a post-Thanksgiving pleasure experienced last Saturday afternoon by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Provance and family of 177½ Cemetery Street. CPL Frank Provance said he was calling from Nagoya, where he was spending his third rest leave since going to Korea eight months ago as an airplane hydraulic specialist. He told his family he had received the best news yet – that he would be home within five months. He talked with his parents for four minutes. They had been informed by the phone company Friday night that the call would come through the next afternoon.
(Photo courtesy newspapers.com, Monongahela Daily Republican)