§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, I beg leave to ask a Question of which I have given private notice—namely, whether Her Majesty's Government have any further statement to make on military operations in Korea.
§ THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE (EARL ALEXANDER OF TUNIS)My Lords, I should like to give you a general picture of military operations in Korea since my last statement in October. There has been little change in the situation during the last few months and I have not much of interest to report. Your Lordships will recall that at the time of my last statement the enemy had fallen hack on the defensive after delivering a series of bitter attacks; in some of them they had committed whole regiments; and the attacks were supported by an unprecedented volume of enemy artillery and mortar fire.
Since the autumn, small enemy attacks have continued but they have never been developed beyond battalion strength. Most of them are platoon and company attacks. They have been mainly directed against hilltop positions in advance of our front line. But they have gained no territorial success whatever. At the same time, the volume of enemy artillery and mortar fire has declined sharply after the exceptionally heavy firing in the autumn—for example, some 150,000 rounds were fired in February, as against about 650,000 in October. The enemy's most persistent endeavours have continued to 934 be directed against the central sector of the front. The determined defence of the positions in this area reflects high credit on the South Korean divisions which have held firm against this unremitting pressure.
On our side, active patrolling continues and occasional local probing attacks. Each night many patrols from our side go out across the front. The lull in go activity has not been altogether unexpected after the intensity of the local attacks in the autumn. The lower rate of firing means that the enemy have probably been able to build up reserves of ammunition. Thus it is quite possible that they will resume their powerful attacks against limited objectives before long. There is, however, no sign that any major offensive is impending, but, as I have said before, it is always possible for the enemy to launch one with little warning. Nevertheless, have every confidence that the United Nations forces would be able to prevent a major breakthrough.
The enemy strength is about the same as it was in October. His ground forces remain at something over one million men, although these troops can, of course, be reinforced with further divisions from China. Communist armour and artillery have not increased significantly since October, but the enemy have been busy preparing duplicate gun sites to permit the rapid re-grouping of artillery. Our United Nations forces have been strengthened by the formation of two more South Korean divisions and many more South Koreans are being trained so that further divisions can be formed when the equipment is made available. In fact, about two-thirds of the front line is now held by South Korean troops.
Although enemy pressure was less persistent in the western sector of the front, a number of sharp actions have been fought there and in several of these our Commonwealth Division was engaged. In the middle of November, a series of three attacks was launched against the position known as "The Hook" held by our 29th Infantry Brigade. The largest of the three attacks was delivered at two-company strength, and temporarily occupied our positions until driven out by a determined counter-attack an hour or so later.
The United Nations Command continue to make the fullest possible use 935 of their air strength to weaken the enemy and, in good weather, the land-based aircraft, including our own and Commonwealth squadrons, fly roughly 1,000 sorties a day. The major achievements of our air forces are that they have driven the enemy air force from the airfields of North Korea into his Manchurian sanctuary and continue to hold him there; their interdiction effort is such that the enemy supply rate is restricted to a level which, though adequate for static and limited objective operations, we believe to be inadequate to maintain the momentum of a sustained large-scale offensive. The enemy air strength in Manchuria remains about the same. A number of twin-jet light bombers called the IL.28 have made their appearance; but they have not been used operationally.
The carrier-borne air forces operating off the east and west coasts continue their day-to-day interdiction programme. Early in November, the aircraft carrier H.M.S. "Ocean" was relieved by H.M.S. "Glory," the latter's third operational tour.
The United Nations casualties since the war began, including those of the South Koreans, now amount to 380,000. About 60,000 men have been killed. Since my last statement, total casualties have been roughly 30,000, of which some 8,000 have been killed. United Kingdom casualties since October have been about 80 killed and over 300 wounded and missing. Other Commonwealth casualties have been about 200. Unfortunately, the present attitude of the Communists offers little immediate hope of putting a stop to these continuing casualties, but Her Majesty's Government will continue to do everything in their power to bring about a settlement on fair terms.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, on behalf of, I am sure, the whole House, I should like to express our gratitude to the noble and gallant Earl for the statement he has made. We like to be advised by these periodic statements of what is happening, and if anything sensational arises at any time I am sure he will let us know as soon as he reasonably can, having regard to the public interests concerned. I wish to ask him this question. I have heard it said—and he may be able to confirm it—that the South Korean troops, now 936 that they have been properly trained and are being properly led and equipped, are a very formidable fighting force. I am glad to see that there is a prospect of further divisions being formed, over and above the divisions already in the field. Could the noble and gallant Earl say a word about that, to confirm the information which I understand is the fact?
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF TUNISMy Lords, I am glad to have this opportunity of saying something about the South Korean troops. I saw them for myself when I went out to Korea nearly a year ago, and all who had anything to do with them—especially the Americans, because, after all, the Americans have trained and equipped them—were quite enthusiastic about their fighting qualities. One American I met, General Lemnitzer, who commanded one of the American divisions, had a number of South Korean soldiers in his division, and he was highly complimentary concerning them. It appears that they are a natural fighting type. They are tough; they are patriotic and they are immensely keen. When they are properly equipped with modern equipment, when they are trained to use that equipment and, above all, when the leaders have been properly trained to lead their men, they are as good as any troops out there. That, I think, is a perfectly fair statement, and it is a statement which Americans have made to me on many occasions—that they think the South Korean troops are just as good as any troops they have out there.
The noble and learned Earl said he hoped more South Korean troops would be used. There are a considerable number of divisions already—I think I gave your Lordships the figures just now—but the population of South Korea, which is almost entirely agricultural and would suffer a great deal of unemployment were it not for these military activities, can certainly provide more divisions. I understand that it is the intention of the United Nations Forces Commander to go on raising these divisions as equipment becomes available. Any time lag is due not so much the training of the men—they have excellent schools of instruction —but to the lack of equipment. It may interest your Lordships to know—and I do not think I am giving away any military secrets in this respect—that one of 937 the ways in which we are training these South Korean soldiers, apart from their schools of instruction, is to take them into other. United Nations units and mix them up, so that they get battle experience under experienced leaders.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, may I ask the noble and gallant Earl whether the Government, in order to bring this conflict to an end, are considering a political approach to the problem, and in particular an invitation to the Pekin Government to attend the United Nations?
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF TUNISMy Lords, I feel on much safer ground when I discuss military affairs. I do not quite know how to answer the noble Viscount's question. I take it that it is a question for the United Nations to handle, rather than for any one individual member. But I do know that anything Her Majesty's Government can do to help to bring this horrible, wasteful war to a satisfactory conclusion will be done.