<Celebrating the 72nd Anniversary of The Lake Changjin Battle, the Korean Exodus>
- A Letter of appreciation to Americans -
The Commemoration of The Lake Changjin Battle will be held at Incheon Liberty Park, on December 10th, 2022.
We Koreans remain grateful for the commitment of over 4300 American, English, Australian, and Canadian missionaries, who sought to save the Korean peninsula.
Additionally, 1,789,000 US soldiers fought during the Korean War, in which 54,246 young souls returned to our Father in heaven. Many Koreans feel the loss of these men, as we feel the loss of our own.
Again, we, as Koreans, are forever grateful for the fact that the US protected us, and for the 67 billion dollars worth of US tax, which was used to rebuild Korea from scratch.
We would also like to thank the churches that sent relief supplies from across the Pacific to save us.
We are simple citizens that strive to remember these noble acts of Americans, and to pass this sense of respect to our children.
The Battle of Changjin Lake, in which the US Navy and Korean Military opposed the Chinese; The Hungnam Evacuation, a miraculous rescue mission that saved 100,000+ North Korean civilians; both events will be commemorated on December 10th 11 am, in front of the statue of General McArthur located at the Incheon Liberty Park, South Korea.
Korean War: The First Liberty Crusade in History
The Korean War was no civil war. It was a Crusade for Liberty; a war of political ideals. It was the first war in History in which Democracy and Communism collided.
On October 19th of 1950, right when Pyeong Yang was on the brink of liberation, Communist China marched across the Yalu River to deter this act. The first 3 months of the Korean War was fought against the North Koreans, but the next 34 months was a fight between the UN military and Communist China.
72 years ago, Communist China was a global threat to World Peace. Now, it has become an Empire that seeks to subjugate the World.
The Communist Party of China promotes the ideal of Communism - an ideal that annihilates Human rights. It is also enslaving many nations by turning them into economic colonies.
Korean Citizens must not forget the fact that China invaded Korea on October 19th, 1950.
In the Battle of Changjin Lake, the Korean Army led 120,000 Chinese forces to their deaths, all the while marching 128km on foot.
Petrified Mao Zedong wet his pants. He initiated 5 consecutive invasions on Korea with an army of nearly 3 million soldiers, but failed to advance beyond the 38th parallel. This event struck fear into the Chinese that remains to this day. A fear induced by the fact that this small nation at the edge of the continent successfully retaliated against the might of 3 million soldiers.
Korea is a promised land that God himself swore to protect, “Until the Pacific ocean dries up and the Baekdusan Mountain wears away.” And our national anthem hints at this promise.
God did not let the foul forces of Communist China set foot on this oath-protected land.
China claims that the Korean War was an act of “Anti-American Aid,” but in truth, it was a war of conquest, in which the Chinese Army committed the merciless slaughter of thousands of Korean people.
We Korean Citizens must not forget the unjust invasion of Communist China.
Hungnam Evacuation: The Korean Exodus
120,000 Chinese soldiers were eradicated while in pursuit of the retreating UN Army, just as the Egyptians did when they followed the Israelites in Exodus.
Like the Red Sea which was divided at the prayer of Israelites, Chinese soldiers died of cold and exhaustion at the prayer of UN soldiers.
In the Hungnam Evacuation, the US army boarded 100,000+ Korean civilians into 193 vessels, successfully evacuating them from the clawing grasp of Communist forces.
This is just like the Exodus, in which God led the Israelites into Canaan, the promised land.
At the time, most Korean churches and factories, and thereby Christians and engineers, were located in present-day North Korea. The land known as South Korea today, was naught but a barren, poverty-ridden place.
But the evacuation of over 100,000 people from North Korea enabled technological and religious development for South Korea. This, I daresay, is another grace from God to us Koreans.
President Rhee, with foreign aid from the US, created the economic basics of Korea, and President Park, aided by Japan, made improvements on our chemical industries.
As a result, South Korea, a nation that could barely dress her soldiers, now possesses the world’s 6th strongest army, and ranks 10th in economic prowess.
A nation that could barely forge helmets has grown to export submarines, stealth fighters, tanks, and AMVs. Now we launch spaceships to the moon. All this is God-given grace.
You know, it all is thanks to God.
In the Hungnam Evacuation, the US army abandoned all supplies to board 100,000 Korean civilians instead. These angels sent by God, the US soldiers, saved 100,000 lives that day. This unprecedented act of humanity is what made this nation it is today. US soldiers gave their devotions and lives to protect this land and save its people.
It reminds me of Jesus, who bore his cross up the hill to save humanity itself.
Again, I cannot emphasize more about how grateful we are to the soldiers and citizens of America, for the sacrifice and devotion you showed us.
We also thank the nations that sent their sons to battle for our sakes. To the people of America, England, France, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Turkey, Thailand, South Africa, Greece, Belgium, Ethiopia, Columbia, we thank you all.
And let us not forget the 63 nations that sent aid in time of our need. Thank you as well.
God’s Miracle in the Korean War
In the Korean War, God performed many miracles.
On the fateful and rainy day of August 16th, 1950, when the defense line at Yalu River was about to break, president Rhee called in pastors with great haste to join their hands in prayer.
They prayed, “Oh God give us clear skies, so that our bombers may fly.”
At this urgent prayer, the skies cleared for 26 minutes from 11:58 am. to 12:24 pm., during which 99 bombers flew and dropped 960 ton’s worth of bombs to eradicate the North Korean army.
On September 5th, 1950, when the North Korean army took over Young-chun, president Rhee again folded his hands in prayer with 76 pastors, and Young-chun was reclaimed on September 11th. The Korean army got 29 valuable lives sacrificed, whereas that of the Communist Army amounted to 3799.
General Baek, remembered as a hero from the Battle of Tabu-dong, claims that his prayer was what led him to victory.
Prior to the Incheon Landing Operation, President Rhee led a prayer assembly for two weeks, begging forgiveness for Shrine Worshiping during the Japanese colonial period. 3 days after the assembly, the Operation, which had an estimated 0.02% success rate, succeeded. It was later reported that a north-bound storm pushed the currents to shore, hastening the landing.
Rescued by God at Gotory
The Chinese Army sent its first attack wave on October 25, 1950, against the UN Army, and by the time the second wave began on November 25th, a total of 30 divisions had attacked UN forces. That’s about 300,000 Chinese soldiers.
At the time, in the Eastern front lines, the US X Corps and 1st Marine Division were marching north towards North Korea’s wartime capital at Kangkae(강계), the coldest region in the Korean Peninsula. They were ambushed and surrounded by 12 Chinese Divisions during said march, and were facing near certain death.
Cornered in the cold and mountainous area called HahGahlWooRi(하갈우리), many American soldiers died from exposure rather than battle - they had no choice but to retreat. During this retreat, the bridge connecting KoToRi(고토리) and HwangChoryung(황초령) was heavily damaged by a snow storm, and dropping a provisional bridge via air-support seemed unlikely as well.
However, at the urgent prayer of these soldiers, the snow storm ceased and they were able to cross safely with the provisional bridge.
God’s Protection of ‘Meredith Victory’ and 'His Gift'
Despite the terrible conditions that haunted them, the US X Corps were able to escape the pursuit of more than 120,000 Chinese soldiers, traversing a total of 128km on foot over the course of 15 days.
General Richard Carey states that “It is only through God’s grace that we escaped.”
The Retreat to Hungnam Port was completed by 9 pm of December 11th, 1950, and of the X Corps soldiers that escaped the Chinese pursuit, 4,500 died and 7,500 suffered frostbites in the cold of -30oC. Most of the 875 Korean Katusa soldiers that joined them did not survive.
Through their sacrifice, God protected the UN soldiers who loved the God-given grace of freedom from the Chinese onslaught.
Under the continued pursuit of China, the evacuation of 100,500 US and Korean soldiers, along with a cargo of 17,500 vehicles and 35 tons of military supplies put on boad 193 vessels began on December 12th, 1950.
As their departure neared, however, 200,000 North Korean civilians that rejected the Communist order gathered at Hungnam Port.
The Korean General Baek Il Kim said to the US commanders, “If these civilians are not boarded, we will cross the 38th parallel on foot.” It was a not-so-subtle way of stating that the Korean forces were willing to die with the North Korean refugees. We should thank and remember General Kim as well, for saving these civilians.
The honorable General Edward M. Almond and Captain Leonard P. Larue commanded the destruction of all cargo, to save as many of these refugees as possible. About 100,000 were rescued, but the rest either committed suicide or were massacred by Communist militia.
James Robert Lunney, the chief officer at the time, has now become a symbol for the KOR-USA Alliance in Blood.
On December 22nd, the ‘Meredith Victory,’ a cargo boat with a boarding capacity of only 60, carried 14,000 people in its hulls and successfully escaped Hungnam Port.
Under the guidance of God, the ‘Meredith Victory’ slipped past raging waves and around 4,000 mines for 3 days, to finally dock at Geoje Island, carrying 14,000 and 5 people.
Despite the lack of food and water, God held firm the lives of all 14,000 and sent 5 more new souls to top it off.
The American soldiers on board the ship at the time even named these new souls. Their names are Kimchi 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Kimchi 5 is still alive and well at Geoje Island.
Fred Junior, a veteran, later wrote the following poem:
“Let us not forget Korea,
and her forgotten battle!
The place we did not know,
the fallen at the Battle of Changjin Lake.
To some, death came swiftly,
but to many, it lingered and pained.
Vision of the hurt and dying, carried by 34 trucks,
I plead, do not forget.
Korea and her forgotten battle!”
As Fred Junior did, we wish to commemorate the noble sacrifice of 1,789,000 Americans and honor their bravery. To create a ‘Wave of Liberty’ that will drive away the Communist forces and bring salvation to those suffering under their rules, we wish to gather at the place of miracle - where the Incheon Landing Operation happened.
Dear God!Save Korea and America from the Communist Attack of China. Allow us to rescue our brothers in North Korea.Children of God in America! We must return to God now. Pray, and God will save America, Korea, and even North Korea.Should Korea and America hold hands in prayer, Communist China will surely fall.72 years ago, we were the ones being saved.Now the Republic of Korea will take the vanguard in the war against communism.Our brothers in America, fear not.We will pray for you, to return America to greatness.Thank you for saving Korea at her direst time of need. Let us pray.
December 10th. 2022.
Association Commemorating the Miracle of Christmas from Hungnam Evacuation to Chosin Reservoir Battle
Translated by Daniel Il-shik Choe
