1950 engagement between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces early in the Korean War
A key defensive battle protecting Taegu during the Pusan Perimeter fighting, culminating in the Hill 303 massacre of captured US troops.
Key Facts
- Dates
- August 5–20, 1950
- UN defending forces
- US 1st Cavalry Division and ROK II Corps
- KPA attacking divisions
- Five KPA divisions
- Key incident
- Hill 303 massacre of captured US troops
- Outcome
- UN victory; KPA driven off
- Part of
- Battle of Pusan Perimeter
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Five Korean People's Army divisions massed north and west of Taegu in August 1950, intending to cross the Naktong River and seize the strategically important South Korean city as part of a broader offensive to collapse the Pusan Perimeter and expel UN forces from the peninsula.
From August 5–20, 1950, UN forces comprising the US 1st Cavalry Division and ROK II Corps defended Taegu against coordinated KPA assault attempts across the Naktong River. KPA attacks in the US sector were repulsed, while those in the ROK sector achieved greater success. During the fighting, KPA troops captured US soldiers on Hill 303 and later executed them in what became known as the Hill 303 massacre.
UN forces successfully drove the KPA away from Taegu, with the city ultimately secured during the Battle of the Bowling Alley. The Hill 303 massacre drew international attention to atrocities committed during the conflict. The UN defensive success helped stabilize the Pusan Perimeter and prevented a KPA breakthrough at this critical point.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent