Online hub marks 70th anniversary of the Korean War

25 June 2020

4 mins read

The Australian War Memorial has launched an online hub to mark the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War on 25 June 1950.

More than 17,000 Australians served during the Korean War, 340 of whom were killed and over 1,216 wounded; 30 became prisoners of war.

The online hub at www.awm.gov.au/KoreanWar70years includes resources such as online exhibitions, blogs, and videos, aimed at contributing to public knowledge about Australia’s role in the conflict. The Memorial will be sharing stories, images and collection relating to Australian service personnel in Korea, and is asking the public to share their own stories and photos using the hashtag #KoreanWar70Years.

As part of commemorations of the anniversary, a new book In from the cold: reflections on Australia’s Korean War will be launched as part of an online event from 5.30 pm tonight. Memorial historian Michael Kelly, a co-editor and contributor to the volume, will join a panel talk chaired by Professor Joan Beaumont with Dr Rebecca Fleming, Professor David Horner and Professor John Blaxland.

“Australia was among the first countries to commit to the United Nations-led defence of the Republic of Korea,” Mr Kelly said.

“It has been called ‘the forgotten war’ in part due to the censorship of reporting on the war in the United States in the 1950s, and it was often overshadowed by the Second World War and the Vietnam War.

“What many may not realise is that despite an armistice being signed in 1953 there is still no peace in the region. If anything untoward did happen and North Korea crossed the border, we are still obligated to assist the Republic of Korea as signatories to that armistice," he added.

Mr Kelly said Australia had a critical role in defending the Republic of Korea from the invading army from the north.

“In June 1950, Major Stuart Peach and Squadron Leader Ronald Rankin conducted a reconnaissance of the 38th parallel, the border between North and South Korea,” he said.

“Their findings, submitted to the United Nations just 12 hours before the North Korean invasion of the south, showed that the North Koreans were the aggressors, allowing the United Nations Security Council to form a US-led multinational armed force to come to the defence of South Korea.”

Though their names have largely faded from memory, the results of their “most consequential reconnaissance” are still felt today.

A pre-recorded Last Post Ceremony will be posted on the Memorial’s website at 4.55 pm commemorating Private Edward "Toady" Hazel of 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, who was killed on 25 June 1953 while fighting in Korea.

Social media users are encouraged to share their own stories using the hashtag #KoreanWar70Years and tagging @AWMemorial.

Historical background:

The Korean peninsula had been occupied by the Japanese since 1910. In 1945 when the Japanese forces surrendered, the country was divided at the 38th parallel. The division created the northern zone, backed by the Soviet Union, and the southern zone, backed by the United States. Lacking agreement on how to reunify, the zones became separate countries in 1948. The Republic of Korea formed in the south, followed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the north.

The relationship between the two Koreas was never stable, and in the early hours of 25 June 1950 the North Korean People’s Army crossed the 38th parallel to invade the Republic of Korea. As North Korean forces streamed towards Seoul, 22 countries joined the United Nations multinational military intervention to defend South Korea.

Australia was among the first countries involved. HMAS Bataan and HMAS Shoalhaven began escorting US troopships to the southern port city of Busan from 1 July 1950; No. 77 Squadron RAAF began their first ground support operations over the peninsula the next day; in late September, the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, arrived at Busan and joined the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade.

The Korean War came to a halt on 27 July 1953 when an armistice was signed at Panmunjom, on the 38th parallel, close to where the war began. The war ended in a stalemate that exists today; it resulted in the deaths of over four million people, and led to the displacement of millions more.

More than 17,000 Australians in the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force served in Korea during the Korean War; 340 Australians died, more than 1,200 were wounded, and 30 became prisoners of war.