Battle of Pyongyang (1950)

The Battle of Pyongyang took place in October 1950 during the Korean War. Following the Inchon landings and the subsequent collapse of the North Korean People's Army (NKPA) lines in the south, United Nations (UN) forces, primarily composed of troops from the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army and the United States Army, advanced northwards towards the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.

The battle was fought as UN forces approached and then entered the city. The NKPA, significantly weakened and demoralized, attempted a defense but were largely unable to mount a sustained or effective resistance. The fighting involved street-to-street combat and intense skirmishes as UN forces pushed deeper into Pyongyang.

The ROK 1st Infantry Division entered Pyongyang on October 19, 1950, followed by the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division and other UN units. Despite pockets of resistance, the city fell relatively quickly to the advancing UN forces. The North Korean government had already evacuated to a temporary capital further north, and much of the NKPA had retreated as well.

The capture of Pyongyang was a significant symbolic and strategic victory for the UN forces, suggesting a near-complete victory in the Korean War. However, the intervention of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) shortly thereafter dramatically altered the course of the war and led to a UN retreat south.