Landing the Big One

Landing the Big One

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Historical perspective: Another evacuation



Recalled as The Hungnam Evacuation, 10-24 December 1950:
Generally described as an "amphibious operation in reverse", the evacuation of Hungnam encompassed the safe withdrawal of the bulk of UN forces in eastern North Korea. It was the largest sealift since the 1945 Okinawa operation. In barely two weeks, over a hundred-thousand military personnel, 17,500 vehicles and 350,000 measurement tons of cargo were pulled out. In comparison with the retreat in central and western Korea, little was left behind. Even broken-down vehicles were loaded and lifted out. Also departing North Korea through Hungnam were some 91,000 refugees, a large number, but not nearly as many as had gathered to leave.
As you might observe from the photos, the conditions for the evacuees were substantially different than those of the current Lebanon effort.

UPDATE: Remember Eastern Exit?

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