There coexist both those who know the war and those who do not know the war here in Korea. Although it has been over half a century since the Korean War, it is not a story of the past for us. It is not so much our painful history as a lesson to be remembered. 55 days of battles along the Nakdong River Defense Line! It was the victory in Chilgok that allows the Republic of Korea to have been settled and still exist.
The Battle of the Nakdong River Defense Line
The Battle of the Nakdong River Defense Line lasted from August 1 to September 24, 1950 after the Korean War broke out with a surprise attack of North Korea on June 25, 1950. The ROK and UN forces dedicated their lives to halting the North‘s advance to the South and to stop its efforts to communize the Korean peninsula in this fierce battle near the Nakdong river.
In particular, Waegwan and Dabudong, the front line of the Nakdong River Defense Line, were located on the road to Daegu, where South Korea‘s temporary capital was situated then. So the Korean People’s Army (KPA) forces constantly attacked the Chilgok area to occupy Daegu.
The ROK and UN Forces cooperated to defend Waegwan and Dabudong at that time; The US First Cavalry Division was in charge of defending the Waegwan area and the ROK First Division was allocated to the Dabudong area to block The North‘s further advance.
The KPA forces took offensives twice in August and September to break through the Nakdong River Defense Line. However, they suffered military personnel losses due to ROK-UN Joint Operations and carpet bombing, only to fail to break it through.
Our Forces, however, lost a great number of soldiers as well in those desperate and fierce battles.
Operation Chromite was carried out on September 15, 1950, which caught the North with its trousers down, and our forces delivered the all-out counterattack at 9 AM the very next day. With the rear interdicted, the KPA forces were thrown into disorder and couldn‘t discourage the spirits of the ROK and UN forces. Finally Kim Il-sung issued an order for the whole North Korean troops to retreat.
As a result, on September 24, 1950, the ROK and UN forces made an extensive all-out counterattack while pursuing the North forces in retreat around the Nakdong River Defense Line. It was the Nakdong River Defense Line that saved the Republic of Korea out of its desperately dangerous situation.
If the ROK and UN forces had failed to stop the North forces from advancing further at the Nakdong River Defense Line, the Republic of Korea might not exist today. Numerous soldiers from all over the world as well as the South Korean forces participated in the Korean War only to devoted their lives to protecting the Republic of Korea and Liberal Democracy. We owe peace we enjoy to their noble sacrifices.
55 days of Battles in Chilgok
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1 The X line of the Nakdong River Defense Line established. 1950. 8. 1. ~ 8. 4.
Walker, the commander of the US 8th Army, issuing an order to establish “The X line of the Nakdong River Defense Line” on August 1.
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2 Waegwan Railroad Bridge blown up. 1950. 8. 3.
Waegwan Railroad Bridge blown up at 8:30 PM to block the North‘s advance to the South.
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3 The Battle of the 369 Hilltop. 1950. 8. 6. ~ 8. 12.
The area not only where our forces waged fierce battles against the KPA forces who had acrossed the Nakdong River using underwater paths, but where the body of the late soldier Choi Seung-gab was unearthed.
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4 The Battle of the Geummubong Mount. 1950. 8. 9. ~ 8. 10.
Numerous US soilders killed and injured by the North forces‘ ambushes and bombardment.
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5 The Y line of the Nakdong River Defense Line established. 1950. 8. 13.
The Nakdong River Defense Line established around Waegwan and Dabudong to reduce the defense line of our forces.
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6 The North‘s Atrocity of massacring US soldiers at the Jagosan Mount. 1950. 8. 13. ~ 8. 17.
US soldiers of a mortar platoon captured and led around captive; eventually slaghtered at the foot of the Mt. Jagosan.
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7 The Battle of the Yuhaksan Mount. 1950. 8. 13. ~ 8. 23.
Mt. Yuhaksan recaptured after 9 hand-to-hand combats and more than 1.000 military personnel losses, while climbing steep rocks up with bare hands.
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8 The Battle of the 328 Hilltop. 1950. 8. 13. ~ 8. 24.
The ROK forces winning the desperate and fierce battle after the hands of the hilltop were changed 15 times for 12 days.
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9 The Battle of the Suamsan Mount. 1950. 8. 15. ~ 8. 30.
Our forces fighting desperately against the KPA forces in spite of getting hungry and running out of ammunition with huge personnel losses.
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10 The UN Forces‘ Carpet Bombing. 1950. 8. 16.
98 B-29 bombers releasing bombs in Yangmok and Buksam, the northwestern areas, which are assembly places of the North forces.
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11 The Battle of the Bowling Alley. 1950. 8. 18. ~ 8. 23.
The first tank battle in the Korean War conducted between T-34 tanks of the North and M-26 tanks of the ROK and US forces to block the North troops‘ advancing to Daegu.
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12 The Battle of the Gasansanseong Fortress. 1950. 8. 18. ~ 8. 27.
Our forces wiping out the KPA forces disposed to the Gasansanseong Fortress area to stop the North‘s confusion tactics for rear areas.
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13 The Battle of the Gasan Mount. 1950. 8. 31. ~ 9. 4.
Defeating the North forces marching southward at the Northeast of Mt. Gasan and securing a defensive position.
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14 The Battle of the Palgongsan Mount. 1950. 9. 5. ~ 9. 14.
Repulsing the North forces attacking from the Northern area of Mt. Palgongsan in order to conquer Daegu.
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15 The Battle of the 315 Hilltop. 1950. 9. 11. ~ 9. 12.
The ROK and US forces defeating the North Korean forces, who made their way to the northern 12 km of Daegu and were threatening Daegu, and saving Daegu out of the greatest crisis.
