The Marines Enter the War
The North Korean invasion of South Korea on June 25, 1950, caught the world off guard. As communist forces surged southward, the United Nations authorized military intervention. President Harry S. Truman committed U.S. forces to the defense of South Korea, and General Douglas MacArthur, commander of UN forces, quickly recognized the need for a rapid and decisive counteroffensive.
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At the time, the Marine Corps was understrength and under-equipped. Yet within weeks, the 1st Marine Division began assembling for deployment. Marines were pulled from posts across the globe, many still using World War II-era gear. Despite these challenges, their reputation for amphibious warfare and combat effectiveness made them the ideal force for MacArthur’s bold plan: an amphibious landing behind enemy lines.