Third Battle of Seoul

Overview

The Third Battle of Seoul was a battle of the Korean War, which took place from December 31, 1950, to January 7, 1951, around the South Korean capital of Seoul. It is also known as the Chinese New Year's Offensive, the January–Fourth Retreat or the Third Phase Campaign Western Sector.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Third Battle of Seoul, fought from December 31, 1950, to January 7, 1951, represented a major Chinese offensive against the South Korean capital and is also known as the Chinese New Year's Offensive, the January–Fourth Retreat, or the Third Phase Campaign Western Sector. The engagement involved a United Nations force of approximately 136,525 against a Chinese force of roughly 170,000, with Chinese casualties recorded at 5,800. The battle's alternate designation as the 'January–Fourth Retreat' indicates a significant UN withdrawal during the fighting, consistent with the broader pattern of the war's mobile, contested phase in late 1950 and early 1951 when Chinese intervention had fundamentally altered the strategic balance on the peninsula.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (11)