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battle, Cold War

First and Second Battles of Wonju

First and Second Battles of Wonju was a battle fought on 31 December 1950 at Wonju, in what is now South Korea; it lasted 20 days. It was part of the Korean War, which ran from 1950 to 1953. The recorded result: United Nations victory. Recorded strength: US: 79,736; South Korea: Unknown against ~61,500.

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2d Infantry Division elements move through a mountain pass south of Wonju, Korea, 1951.
2d Infantry Division elements move through a mountain pass south of Wonju, Korea, 1951.. US Army, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought31 December 1950lasted 20 days
WhereWonju, South Korea37.352N, 127.949E
OutcomeUnited Nations victory
BelligerentsUnited Nations (UNC); French Fourth Republic; Kingdom of Greece; Netherlands; United States; First Republic of KoreaagainstChina; North Korea
Casualties and losses~600 dead; ~18 killedand~18,000 (estimated)
Part ofKorean War1950 to 1953

Where it sits in the Korean War

First Battle of Naktong Bulge, 1950Battle of Chonan, 1950Second Battle of Naktong Bulge, 1950Battle of Wawon, 1950Battle of Taegu, 1950Battle of the Bowling Alley, 1950Battle of Ka-san, 1950Battle of Tabu-dong, 1950Battle of Yongsan, 1950Battle of Uijeongbu, 1950Battle of Chochiwon, 1950Battle of Yongdong, 1950Battle of Sangju, 1950Battle of Nakdong River, 1950First Battle of Seoul, 1950Battle of Chuncheon, 1950Battle of Kaesong–Munsan, 1950Battle of Korea Strait, 1950Battle of Andong, 1950Battle of Chumonchin Chan, 1950Battle of Osan, 1950Battle of Pyongtaek, 1950Battle of Taejon, 1950Hadong Ambush, 1950Battle of the Notch, 1950Battle of Pusan Perimeter, 1950Battle of Pusan Perimeter logistics, 1950Battle of P'ohang-dong, 1950Battle of Masan, 1950Battle of Battle Mountain, 1950Battle of Cheonpyeong Valley, 1950Battle of Kyongju, 1950Battle of Nam River, 1950Battle of Haman, 1950Battle of Inchon, 1950Second Battle of Seoul, 1950Battle of Sariwon, 1950Battle of Pyongyang (1950), 1950Battle of Yongju, 1950Battle of Unsan, 1950Battle of Onjong, 1950Battle of Kujin, 1950Battle of Chongju, 1950Battle of Pakchon, 1950Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River, 1950Battle of Changjin Reservoir, 1950Third Battle of Seoul, 1950First and Second Battles of Wonju, 1950Battle of Hoengsong, 1951Battle of Uijeongbu, 1951Battle of the Twin Tunnels, 1951Battle of Chipyong-ni, 1951Blockade of Wonsan, 1951Operation Thunderbolt, 1951Battle of Maehwa-san, 1951Operation Tomahawk, 1951Battle of Kapyong, 1951Battle of the Imjin River, 1951Battle of Yultong, 1951Battle of the Soyang River, 1951Battle of Bloody Ridge, 1951Battle of the Punchbowl, 1951Battle of Heartbreak Ridge, 1951Naval Battle of the Han River, 1951Battle of Hill 355, 1951First Battle of Maryang-san, 1951Battle of Haktang-ni, 1951Battle of Sunchon, 1951Battle of White Horse, 1952Attack on the Sui-ho Dam, 1952Battle of Hill Eerie, 1952Battle of Old Baldy, 1952Battle of Triangle Hill, 1952Second Battle of the Hook, 1952Battle of Chatkol, 1953Battle for Outpost Vegas, 1953Battle of the Hook, 1953Outpost Harry, 1953Battle of Pork Chop Hill, 1953Battle of Kumsong, 1953Battle of the Samichon River, 195319501953First and Second Battles of Wonju, 1950
83 placed engagements of the Korean War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date31 December 1950
to 20 January 1951
PlaceWonju, South Korea
37.352N, 127.949E
KindBattle, Cold War
StrengthUS: 79,736; South Korea: Unknown~61,500
Casualties and losses~600 dead; ~18 killed~18,000 (estimated)
Commanders
First and Second Battles of WonjuFirst and Second Battles of WonjuSiege of YeongwonBattle of HoengsongBattle of the Twin TunnelsBattle of Chipyong-niThird Battle of WonjuSiege of YeongwonBattle of HoengsongSeoulDaejeonSuwonGangneungAndongSokchoPyongsanCheongju100 km37.352N, 127.949E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1950

First and Second Battles of Wonju is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 113 in present-day South Korea.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q5454119, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article First and second battles of Wonju, revision 1377652086, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.