The Top 10 Battle Stories Of The Korean War

The Battle of Chosin Reservoir

The North Korean forces caught U.N. troops by surprise with this brutal 17-day battle in late 1950. The U.N. forces managed to fight their way out, inflicting heavy damage on the North Korean army.

The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge

Almost 30,000 men died in the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, a month-long engagement in winter 1951, including a good part of the United States’ 23rd infantry regiment. After this battle, U.S. and U.N. commanders decided it wasn’t worth the high price paid in lost lives to gain so little ground.

Outpost Harry

The Chinese army expected that it would be an easy task to take down this small outpost, defended only by one company of U.S. or Greek soldiers at a time. However, after expending almost 89,000 rounds of ammunition, the Chinese had to give up.

The Battle of Pakchon

This was one of the first battles the Chinese army participated in after joining the fight. British and Australian troops forced the Chinese army to withdraw to the north in this hot battle in November 1950.

The Battle of White Horse

During the Battle of White Horse, one small hill changed hands 24 times within 10 days. At the end of the battle, the Chinese were forced to retreat, leaving the hill in U.N. hands.

The Korean War began with North Korea’s invasion of South Korea. The United Nations quickly came to South Korea’s aid, and China stepped in to fight alongside North Korean troops. Although the war ended in 1953 with a permanent division between North and South Korea, no peace treaty was ever signed. Technically, the two countries are still at war.