U.S. air power in Korea; U.S. air attacks on Pyongyang
1950 - 1953
The Korean War was the first time for major military combat between jet aircraft. At first, US jets and bombers had no opposition. They could destroy Communist bases, shoot down troops, and provide aid to UN troops. The United States supplied their troops with 150 F-86 Sabre Jets, and a bomber, called the Night Intruder, which flew mainly in the nighttime. This bomber used radar to destroy North Korean establishments and could fly in any type of weather. When the Soviets saw that their side was being overpowered they supplied their supporters with MIG-15’s which resulted in an increase of dogfights in the Korean airspace. Most of the aerial combat happened between the Yalu River and Pyongyang. Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, was a modern city. But, during the Korean War the United States dropped about 635,000 tons of bombs onto North Korea. Many of these bombings were directed towards Pyongyang and at the end of the war there was nothing left of the city. The United States also used napalm as well as bombs during the Korean War. The United States used around 36,000 tons of napalm during the Korean War. The use of jets during the war gave the United States and the other UN troops a great advantage during the war. The destruction of Pyongyang left North Korea weakened after the war because they had to rebuild their country after the massive loss of development across Korea.