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Introduction The December Massacres were a series of politically motivated executions following the recapture of Pyongyang by communist forces in the Korean War. The killings took place mainly in and around Seoul but in other locations in South Korea. It is believed the South Korean government executed thousands of people though accurate estimates are difficult to come by.

Background In October of 1950, United Nations and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces had succeeded in nearly destroying all of North Korea's military. The People's Republic of China warned Allied forces that if they approached the Yalu River the Chinese might be forced to intervene. In late October, Chinese forces crossed the Yalu River and engaged UN forces near the Chinese-Korean border. A number of victories by the Chinese would send United Nations and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces reeling southward. By early December it became clear that UN forces would not defend Pyongyang and the city was soon after recaptured.

The Massacres The Rhee regime reacted brutally to the fall of Pyongyang in Seoul. The regime cracked down brutally on alleged communists following the fall of the city. Following the fall of Pyongyang, mass executions and arrests of communist became commonplace, This wasn't the first time either side had executed alleged supporters of the opposition, throughout the war planned executions were a fairly common occurrence though usually on smaller more isolated scale. In October The London Times reported that nearly 300 men and women were detained and beaten with rifle butts and bamboo sticks. Other practices included inserting bamboo splinters under the nails as a torture method and mass shootings in public spaces. In the second week of December alone, Western sources suspect that around 800 people were executed in and around Seoul. Reports included truckloads of prisoners being unloaded and executed right in the trenches where they were to be buried. Victims typically included alleged communists, saboteurs and murderers. While the killings were well documented by UN forces, the South Korean government continued to deny accusations that any wrongdoing had taken place.

Reaction The international community responded with outrage to news of the mass executions in the South. Globally there were calls for the Rhee regime to immediately halt the executions. Most reports suggest UN forces reacted with disgust to the mass executions. One British soldier reported that ROK soldiers proceeded to execute prisoners a mere 150 feet from their camp; he was forced to walk away when they began executing children during breakfast. UN commanders were particularly concerned that their association with the regime would undermine their mission in Korea but did little to investigate into the killings. Rhee responded by pledging to end all mass executions and promised to mitigate death sentences for prisoners. While he gave assurances to UN leaders that the killings would stop and there would be thorough investigations and court martialing for guilty parties, it’s difficult to access if executions continued out of eyesight. Historical Significance While mass executions and arrests were common throughout the Korean War, the December Massacres put increased international pressure and criticism on the Rhee regime. Reports of mass executions continued to damage the legitimacy of the South Korean government and in turn the credibility of the United Nations intervention. Mass executions generally declined following the December Massacres but the Rhee regime further cemented its heavy-handed image.