The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-10-20
KOREAN WAR
ENDING SAYS
Surprise Movement Made
asParaehuters Dropped
Reds Are Trapped
(By the Associated Press

General Macarthur personally
directed today a highly successful
parachute landing by thousands of
American troops % miles north of
Pyongyang, Red Korean capital. He
said the war is now definitely COM
ing to an end.
Since Pyongyang itself is just
about secured by United Nations
forces, the paratroopers struck from
the sky to seal off Red forces flee
ing their lost capital.
TT looks like we closed the trap"
Macarthur said as he watched from
his plane the first parachute land
ing of the war. He added Closing
that trap should be the end of all
organized resistance. The war is
very definitely coming to an end"
The number of chutists was not
officially reported but the best
estimate was 5000, confirmed by
APP Correspondent Hal Boyle and
Photographer Max Desfor, both OF
whom witnessed the operation.
Surprise Movement
The paratroopers famed out to-
ward the towns of Sukchon and
Sunchon. The maneuver was COM
plete surprise and the Americans ap-
peared to be meeting little resist
ance. Artillery, including SUCH
equipment as heavy 105-mm. how
itzers, was dropped to the men who
went into action Immediately.
AS pictured by Macarthur, the
closing chapter in the historic
United Nations campaign has begun.
The war started last June Is when
North Korean Communists invaded
the western-recognized South Ko-
rean Republic.
Aerial Climax
The aerial climax came less than
"a hours after United Nations troops
seized Pyongyang. In the captured
capital, three bearded American
survivors said $50 US. prisoners OF
war were beaten and murdered IN
death march from Seoul 70
Pyongyang.
The story of the inhuman treat
ment of US. prisoners at the hanoS
of the Communists was reminiscent
of the Bataan death march in the
Philippines in the last war.
The three us. liberated prisoners
in Pyongyang had hidden under q
school and had been fed by North
Korean students. One OF the three
Capt. William Locke, 80, of Enfield
"a said that during the deatn
march Americans died like ries
from starvation, cold, pneumonia
and dysentery." difws 49,
For Allied Victory
After the paratroopers look oit
from their mission to the north OF
Pyongyang, Gen, Macarthur ianaeo
at an airstrip in the center OF the
1 ~
.,.itv He gave orders to US. Eigntn
ARMY Commander 1t. Gen, Walton
n walker to send South Koreans
racing towards the Mancnurial
porder to. complete the Allied VIC
tory! The South Koreans pusnane
ont from the city of Hamburg
have already reached within "
miles Of Communist China's border.
Only a few stray shots echoed IN
the bomb-pocked streets OF Pyong-
wang as South Korean troops moved
into the city proper to clean up the
last of the die-hard Communists.
Associated Press Correspondent
Tom Lambert reported the finish
of the occupation of Pyongyang was
accomplished against only light
opposition.
Reds Surrender
Some 6,202 Communists surren-
dered during the fight for the capi-
tai, bringing the U.N. total of North
korean prisoners to 10000. '''''l 3
Communist Premier kim II Sung
and members Of his government
had fled. They were said to have
taken refuge in far North Korea
OF across the border in either Man-
churia or Soviet Siberia. 'a 81
Correspondents said the main
part of the city was not badly dam
aged. oiyiHans cheered the Arneri-
can and South Korean troops. Many
waved South Korean flags and
some had United Nations banners.
Some buildings already bore stream
ers reading welcome to United