WG Explores: War Memorial of Korea
Hello, Tank Commanders!
Welcome to an episode of WG Explores,
where we bring you on a journey to see how history is being preserved,
and where you can go to see it first-hand.
My name is Greg, and I’ll be your host for this program.
Some of you may remember me from past events such as PAX Australia and Armageddon Expo.
Now, just like you, I like playing World of Tanks!
But more than that, I love history.
So today, we’re going to take you inside the War Memorial of Korea.
First, an introduction to the capital city of South Korea.
Seoul is today a modern metropolis,
but don’t let its appearance fool you.
During the Korean War,
this city on the Han River saw fierce battles and changed hands multiple times.
The Korean War began on 25 June 1950,
when the North Korean Army attacked across the 38th Parallel.
Armed with Soviet-made tanks and jet aircraft,
the North was better prepared for war than the South, which had no such equipment.
Seoul was taken in just 3 days.
The North then pushed the South Korean Army all the way to the port city of Busan.
Battered and weary, the South fought hard to hold onto a tiny part of the Korean Peninsula.
The UN rallied and came to their aid,
fighting a long and costly war until 1953 when an armistice ended the fighting.
Oh yes, did you know?
The two Koreas are technically still at war.
A peace treaty has never been signed.
To remember these events and honour the fallen,
the War Memorial of Korea was built on the grounds of the old Army Headquarters.
The massive memorial has both indoor and outdoor exhibition areas,
with exhibits such as vehicles, weapons, and monuments.
One such monument is right behind me:
the Statue of Brothers.
This monument has three components.
The top section represents two brothers,
fighting for opposing sides, reconciling on the battlefield.
The lower section is shaped like a tomb with a crack running across it.
Inside the dome are iron chains, a mosaic wall painting,
and a map plate of the UN member states that sent troops to fight in Korea.
These features capture the complex emotions of the Korean people regarding the Korean War.
Behind me is another monument to the Korean War:
the Clock Tower of Peace.
It depicts two girls standing atop a tower of wreckage, each holding a clock.
One holds a broken clock that shows when the Korean War began: 25th June, 1950.
The other clock, which shows the current time,
will eventually be replaced on the day of Korea’s Reunification.
These are just two of the many monuments to Korea’s military history.
The main building of the memorial is 3 storeys tall.
In it are halls and galleries about the military history of Korea.
Exhibits about the Korean War occupy half of the second and third storeys in 3 rooms.
The first room depicts the first stages of the Korean War.
(Fighting on the Han River)
One exhibit depicts the Incheon landings,
which opened up a second front in the Korean War.
The landings enabled a counter-offensive operation that allowed the South to reclaim Seoul.
The next room depicts the second stage of the war.
Korean and UN Forces reclaimed Seoul on 28 September 1950,
and advanced into North Korea.
The Chinese then joined the conflict,
sending massive numbers of battle-hardened troops across the Yalu River.
After intense fighting, South Korean and UN Forces
were pushed back to the 38th Parallel.
For over 2 years, the two sides fought back and forth across this dividing line.
Despite heavy personnel and material losses, little ground was gained.
The fighting only ended when an armistice was signed in July 1953.
Room 3 pays respect to the United Nations,
without whom the South would have fallen to the North.
Many soldiers died in the fighting.
This art piece, dedicated to fallen Korean and UN soldiers,
was made from 1300 ID tags.
The teardrop shape symbolises solemn respect,
and the iron thorns, the tragedy of war.
The Korean War saw heavy usage of a certain battle-proven weapon:
the tank!
Many of these will be familiar to World of Tanks players.
Behind me is the T-34-85,
made famous on the Eastern Front of World War 2.
It was also North Korea’s main battle tank during the Korean War.
The T-34 was an effective weapon.
It had mobility, sloped armour, a powerful 85 millimetre gun,
and was easy to mass –produce.
The first American tank mustered to fight them was the M24 Chaffee,
a light tank more suited to reconnaissance.
Needless to say, the Chaffee fared poorly in the anti-tank role.
North Korea had material superiority in the early stages of the war,
but all that changed when US air power and more powerful tanks arrived.
One such tank was the WW2-era Sherman M4 ‘Easy Eight’.
Rolling onto the battlefield with much better armour and a 76-millimetre high-velocity gun,
it was a much more capable opponent for the T-34-85s.
Fielded in large numbers, the Easy Eight participated in most tank battles against the North.
An even more intimidating opponent for the T-34/85
was the new and far superior M46 Patton medium tank.
The M46 could penetrate the T-34/85’s frontal armour easily,
and its armour held up well against the T-34/85’s main gun.
Legend has it that some of these vehicles went into battle
with “Tiger Face” markings painted on them to scare the Chinese.
Many other vehicles can be found here!
Let me show you some of them.
These are the M47 and M48 Pattons.
Both vehicles served in the Republic of Korea’s Armed Forces.
You can even find the Soviet SU-100 and Chinese Type 59 here!
Shh, there, there, baby… There, there…
Aww, you’re such a good…
Ah, hi!
The Type 59 is a lovely vehicle.
I have one myself in World of Tanks.
This particular specimen was captured during the Vietnam War.
And of course, there’s artillery.
Behold, the M107 and M110 SPGs!
There is also a famous artillery piece from World War 2:
The Katyusha rocket launcher.
The Chinese army used these during the Korean War.
To top it all off, the Memorial has quite a range of aircraft exhibits,
ranging from the F-86 Sabre and MiG-19 fighters to the B-52 strategic bomber.
This plane is HUGE!
In June 2002, during the World Cup hosted by Korea & Japan,
North Korean patrol boats passed what is known as the Northern Limit Line.
South Korean patrols immediately moved to intercept...
and without warning, North Korean patrols opened fire,
sinking PKM-357 with 6 South Korean sailors lost.
This replica of PKM-357 reminds us that although there is a fragile and unsteady peace,
the two Koreas are technically still at war.
When countries go to war, it’s people who fight the battles.
Those same people give their hearts, souls, and often their lives for the freedom we enjoy today.
The War Memorial of Korea has such an impressive collection!
It feels like this place really has it all.
If there’s one place in Seoul that a military buff should visit, this is it.
Whether you come for the vehicles or just for the history, you will not leave disappointed.
Well, this brings us to the end of this episode of WG Explores, Tank Commanders.
Thanks very much for watching.
We’ll see you next time!