From 1951

Date

Activity

2 Jan 1951

The UN Cease-fire Group, consisting of Nasrollah Entezam, Lester Pearson and Sir Benegal Rau, report Chinese rejection of their efforts.

3-4 Jan 1951

Seoul evacuated by UN Command forces, which withdraw to general line Pyongtaek-Wonju-Samchok and regroup.

4 Jan 1951

Commonwealth Prime Ministers meet in London.

11 Jan 1951

The Cease-fire Group proposes five principles for an armistice in Korea.

12 Jan 1951

Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference concludes after much debate on Korea.

13 Jan 1951

UNGA First Committee approves the Cease-fire Group's proposals, by a vote of 50-7 with one abstention.

17 Jan 1951

Chinese Government rejects the Cease-fire Group's proposals and calls for a seven-nation conference on Far Eastern problems.

Dulles suggests discussions with Australian Government on Pacific security arrangements and Japanese peace settlement.

25 Jan 1951

General Ridgway launches Operation Thunderbolt, a counter-offensive northwards to the Han River, by the I and the IX US Corps

1 Feb 1951

UNGA accepts US resolution condemning Chinese as aggressors.

5 Feb 1951

Operation Round-up, an advance by the X US Corps, begins.

11-17 Feb 1951

Chinese fourth phase offensive is launched.

14-17 Feb 1951

Dulles visits Canberra for four days of talks with Australian and New Zealand Governments on Japanese Peace Treaty and Pacific security arrangements.  Spender succeeds in securing agreement to a draft security treaty.

19 Feb 1951

Truman asks Australia to provide reinforcements for Korea.

21 Feb 1951

Operation Killer, a general advance by the IX and the X US Corps, begins.

28 Feb 1951

Last Communist resistance south of the Han River collapses.

2 Mar 1951

Menzies announces Spender's appointment as Ambassador to the US and the Three Year Defence Program by which Australia is to prepare for world war by the end of 1953.

7 Mar 1951

Operation Ripper begins in central and eastern sectors with advance across the Han River by the IX and the X US Corps.

14-15 Mar 1951

Seoul retaken by the Eighth Army.

16 Mar 1951

US State Department renews pressure for increased Australian force commitments to Korea.

19 Mar 1951

Governor-General Sir William McKell grants a double dissolution of Parliament.

Date

Activity

5 Apr 1951

Operation Rugged, a general advance to the Kansas Line, north of the 38th parallel, begins.

11 Apr 1951

Truman relieves MacArthur and appoints Ridgway in his place.

14 Apr 1951

General Van Fleet assumes command of the Eighth Army. UN Command forces reach the Kansas Line.

19 Apr 1951

The I and the IX US Corps reach the Utah Line, south of the 'Iron Triangle'.

22-28 Apr 1951

The first stage of the Chinese fifth phase offensive is launched.

23-24 Apr 1951

Battle of Kapyong, for which Australian battalion wins US Presidential Citation.

26 Apr 1951

Casey succeeds Spender as Australian Minister for External Affairs.

28 Apr 1951

Menzies Government returned to office in general election, with control of the Senate.

30 Apr 1951

UN Command forces, after withdrawing to a new defence line, halt Chinese offensive north of Seoul and the Han River.

8 May 1951

North Koreans charge the UN Command with use of germ warfare.

14 May 1951

Menzies informs Truman of Australia's limited defence resources and inability to provide more forces for Korea.

15 May 1951

Tripartite conference (Britain, France and US) held in Singapore to discuss South-East Asian security.

16-23 May 1951

Second stage of the Chinese fifth phase offensive is launched.

18 May 1951

UNGA passes resolution calling for an embargo on provision of strategic goods to China and North Korea by a vote of 47-0 with 8 abstentions.

20 May 1951

Chinese offensive is halted and UN Command forces resume advance.

30 May 1951

Eighth Army regains the Kansas Line.

1 Jun 1951

Operation Piledriver begins:  elements of the I and the IX Corps advance towards the Wyoming Line, some 30 kilometres north.

8 Jun 1951

Spender presents his letters of credence as new Australian Ambassador to the US.

15 Jun 1951

Objectives of Operation Piledriver are reached.

21-26 Jun 1951

Conference of Commonwealth Defence Ministers in London.

23 Jun 1951

Jacob Malik, Soviet Ambassador to the UN, publicly proposes armistice negotiations.

30 Jun 1951

Ridgway proposes negotiations to Communist commanders.

Date

Activity

3 Jul 1951

US Delegation introduces a resolution into the Security Council denying the basis of the germ warfare charge.

10 Jul 1951

Negotiations between UN Command and Communists begin at Kaesong.

20 Jul-22 Aug 1951

Casey and Watt visit East and South-East Asian countries.

28 Jul 1951

The 1st Commonwealth Division is formed.

9 Aug 1951

Britain offers Australia opportunity to purchase aircraft for two fighter squadrons in return for increased commitment to the Middle East.

17 Aug 1951

Communists demand apology for alleged violation of neutral zone at Kaesong.  Request refused.

23 Aug 1951

Communists suspend armistice negotiations.

31 Aug 1951

The 1st US Marine Division opens assault in Punchbowl area of eastern sector.

1 Sep 1951

Signature of ANZUS Treaty at San Francisco.

2 Sep 1951

The 2nd US Division opens attack against Heartbreak and Bloody Ridges.

8 Sep 1951

Signature of Japanese Peace Treaty at San Francisco.

18 Sep 1951

Marines advance to Soyang River, north of Punchbowl.

Date

Activity

5 Oct 1951

Lieutenant General W Bridgeford replaces Lieutenant General Sir Horace Robertson as Commander-in-Chief, BCOF, Japan.

Australian Government announces commitment of a second battalion to Korea.

12 Oct 1951

The IX US Corps advances to the Jamestown Line, north of the Imjin River.

15 Oct 1951

The 2nd US Division takes Heartbreak Ridge.

25 Oct 1951

After two weeks of discussion between liaison officers, truce talks resume at a new site, Panmunjom.

25 Oct 1951

Conservatives defeat Labour in British general election.

26, 27 and 30 Oct 1951

Ministerial appointments in the new British Cabinet announced.  Churchill succeeds Attlee; Eden succeeds Bevin as Foreign Secretary.

12 Nov 1951

Ridgway orders Eighth Army to cease offensive operations and begin active defence, Operation Ratkiller.

28 Nov 1951

NATO Council meeting in Rome.  Eden and Acheson discuss China-warning statement.

18 Dec 1951

Prisoner-of-war lists are exchanged by UN Command and Communists at Panmunjom.

27 Dec 1951

Australian Government accepts revised draft of China-warning statement.