Key Facts
- Date range
- December 31, 1950 – January 7, 1951
- Duration
- 8 days
- UN commander
- Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway (US Eighth Army)
- Attacking force
- Chinese PVA 13th Army
- ROK units attacked
- 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th Infantry Divisions
Strategic Narrative Overview
On December 31, 1950, the PVA 13th Army struck ROK divisions along the 38th Parallel, breaching UN defenses at the Imjin River, Hantan River, Gapyeong, and Chuncheon. Unable to hold the line, Lieutenant General Ridgway ordered the evacuation of Seoul on January 3, 1951. PVA forces entered and secured the South Korean capital by January 7, completing their offensive push southward.
01 / The Origins
Following the decisive Chinese People's Volunteer Army victory at the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River, UN forces considered full evacuation from the Korean Peninsula. Mao Zedong ordered the PVA to cross the 38th Parallel to pressure UN forces into withdrawing from South Korea, setting the stage for a major Chinese offensive into the South at the close of 1950.
03 / The Outcome
Although the PVA captured Seoul, the offensive exhausted Chinese forces after months of continuous fighting. The UN Command abandoned evacuation plans, and international support for South Korea hardened. Ridgway's Eighth Army regained the initiative, ultimately retaking Seoul in Operation Ripper. The city's fall marked the fourth time the capital changed hands since the war began in June 1950.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Matthew B. Ridgway.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.