Iron Triangle (Korea)
Encyclopedia
The Iron Triangle was a key communist Chinese
and North Korean concentration area and communications junction during the Korean War
, located in the central sector between Chorwon
and Kumwha
in the south and Pyonggang
in the north. The area was located 20 to 30 miles (30 to 50 kilometres) above the 38th parallel
in the diagonal corridor dividing the Taebaek Mountains
into northern and southern ranges and contained the major road and rail links between the port of Wonsan
in the northeast and Seoul
in the southwest. During the war the area was the scene of heavy fighting between the Chinese People's Volunteer Army
and the US Eighth Army during the Battle of White Horse
and the Battle of Triangle Hill
in October – November 1952, and again at the Battle of Pork Chop Hill
in March – July 1953. This complex was eventually named the 'Iron Triangle' by newsmen searching for a dramatic term. Today, the region straddles the Demilitarized Zone
.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and North Korean concentration area and communications junction during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, located in the central sector between Chorwon
Chorwon
Chorwon is a kun, or county, in Kangwon province, North Korea. Portions of it were once a single county together with the county of the same name in South Korea; other portions were added from neighboring counties in the 1956 reorganization of local governments...
and Kumwha
Kimhwa
Kimhwa is a kun, or county, in Kangwon province, North Korea. It is primarily mountainous, but the county's southeastern region is low-lying....
in the south and Pyonggang
Pyonggang
Pyonggang is a kun, or county, in Kangwon province, North Korea. It borders Sepo to the north, Chorwon to the south, Ichon to the west, and Changdo to the east.-Physical features:...
in the north. The area was located 20 to 30 miles (30 to 50 kilometres) above the 38th parallel
38th parallel north
The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean...
in the diagonal corridor dividing the Taebaek Mountains
Taebaek Mountains
The Taebaek Mountains are a mountain range in both North Korea and South Korea. They form the main ridge of the Korean peninsula.-Geography:...
into northern and southern ranges and contained the major road and rail links between the port of Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
in the northeast and Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
in the southwest. During the war the area was the scene of heavy fighting between the Chinese People's Volunteer Army
People's Volunteer Army
The Chinese People's Volunteer Army was the armed forces deployed by the People's Republic of China during the Korean War. Although all units in the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army belonged to the People's Liberation Army , the People's Volunteer Army was separately constituted in order to...
and the US Eighth Army during the Battle of White Horse
Battle of White Horse
The Battle of White Horse , was another in a series of bloody battles for dominant hilltop positions during the Korean War. Baengma-goji was a hill in the Iron Triangle, formed by Pyonggang at its peak and Kumhwa and Chorwon at its base, was a strategic transportation route in the central region...
and the Battle of Triangle Hill
Battle of Triangle Hill
The Battle of Triangle Hill, also known as Operation Showdown or the Shangganling Campaign ,Chinese sources often mistranslate Shangganling Campaign as the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge. was a protracted military engagement during the Korean War...
in October – November 1952, and again at the Battle of Pork Chop Hill
Battle of Pork Chop Hill
The Battle of Pork Chop Hill comprises a pair of related Korean War infantry battles during the spring and summer of 1953. These were fought while the U.S. and the Communist Chinese and Koreans negotiated an armistice. In the U.S., they were controversial because of the many soldiers killed for...
in March – July 1953. This complex was eventually named the 'Iron Triangle' by newsmen searching for a dramatic term. Today, the region straddles the Demilitarized Zone
Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
.