First Battle of Seoul

First Battle of Seoul
Part of the Korean War
Date June 25 – June 28, 1950 Location Seoul, South Korea Result North Korean victory North Korean capture of Seoul
Belligerents
South Korea	North Korea
Commanders and leaders
Syngman Rhee	Kim Il-sung

The First Battle of Seoul (North Korean name: Liberation of Seoul) was the North Korean invasion of South Korea during the start of the Korean War. It resulted in the capture of the capital by North Korean forces.

Background

On 25 June 1950, Korean People's Army (KPA) forces crossed the 38th Parallel. The KPA utilized a blitzkrieg style invasion using T-34 tanks supported by artillery. The Republic of Korea Army had no methods in stopping the onslaught of tanks as they lacked anti tank weapons and had no tanks at all. In addition, the South Korean forces had blown up the bridge across the Han River trapping their own soldiers and killing hundreds of refugees evacuating the city. Within three days, North Korean troops had taken over the capital.