SUCCESSFUL EVACUATION FROM NORTH KOREA ;

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 December 1950, Page 5

SUCCESSFUL EVACUATION FROM NORTH KOREA ;

United Nations'

Move Complete

TOKIO, Dec 25 (Recd 10.25 pm).— A communique issued by General MacArthur today announced that the last remnants of United Nations forces in north-east Korea had been evacuated from the Hungnam beachhead by yesterday afternoon. All elements are either at sea or have landed in the Pusan-Pohang concentration area in South Korea. The communique said 150,000 troops, about 100,000 refugees, 175,000 vehicles and 350,000 tons of supplies and equipment had been evacuated in 11 days. A Reuter correspondent aboard the commandship U.S.S. Mount McKinley, off -Hungnam, says the officers de-

scribed the United Nations’ withdrawal from the last toehold in North Korea as “the most successful tactical withdrawal in military historv.” North Korean and Chinese Communist forces, pounded into inactivity by relentless Are from artillery, naval ships and air strikes, let the United Nations forces go without firing a shot. Army and navy sappers blew up all the remaining industrial potential of the once great fertiliser and explosives manufacturing city, and destroyers moved in to blow up the few remaining shore dumps. Major-General Edward Almond, who has been in charge of the campaign in North-east Korea, revealed today that the operation was carried out “in accordance with a simple but highly coordinated and deliberate withdrawal plan.” Major-General Almond said that no equipment or supplies were abandoned.