These lightly armed troops,
carrying cartridge belts with canteens but no
packs, are moving to locate and engage enemy forces
which they assume are not in strength. Like our
24th Infantry in the Pusan Perimeter, the North
Koreans had fled after being crushed at Inchon and
Seoul, throwing away their weapons as they ran, and
the opportunity to unify Korea was too much
temptation for South Korean leaders, and shortly
for UN command as well..
The error of their leaders'
judgement would be clear when, in less than two
months, these troops would be routed in their turn
by the veteran Chinese foot infantry.
Rather than hard-won victory after
great suffering and loss, the next two years would
prove that the terrible slaughter and suffering had
barely begun. Even more for North and South Korean
civilians than these confident warriors.