An E x c lu sive o n -th e -sp o t P h o to S to r y b y Ku ss Hillman
The Bing’s Business magazine’ s reporter-photog rapher Russ Hillman was the only American representing a Christian magazine or film com pany at the signing of the truce. Before the cease fire he visited the front lines and then sat in on the actual signing. This is his eye-witness report.
In the evangelical field Russ Killman (Biola '49) scored a complete scoop when he got through to the front lines for the truce-signing. While there he filmed a full-length documentary film to be released soon by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. While Korea has spelled heartache and tragedy for many American and United Nation families the greatest tragedy of Korea is to be seen in the broken and tom land and destitute and homeless Korean people. All the men that South Korea could muster were fighting in the ROK forces, who had as their aim the unification of North and South Korea. One day we visited the famed Capital division of the ROK army. A few months ago the enemy hit this division with an overwhelming force. In the bitter fighting that followed the division lost 4,000 of their 10,000 men, and were forced to retreat. We spoke with the chaplain who had been on the front during that crucial hour. He told us of the outstanding courage of the men under fire, a courage that can only come from a strong faith in Christ. For the Korean civilians life is a grim struggle to survive. Those who fled from North Korea have left their homes and fields which gave them their livelihood. Today in the Taegu- Pusan area millions of refugees have fashioned homes out of the cardboard boxes discarded by the G.I’s. These shack-towns are often hit by fire and when one is, the entire town is usu ally gutted. The inhabitants of one such shack-town in Pusan, their card board homes having been burned, were living in tents. Their fervor for Christ still strong, they determined to build a chinch in their tent-vil lage. They wanted to show their gratitude to God for His faithfulness toward them thus far. In order to build their church they, pooled all their valuables and sold them on the THE KING'S BUSINESS
T he truce story of Kawsong and Panmunjom started on June 24, 1951 with the suggestion that a Korean cease-fire and armistice be ar ranged. It ended this July 26, after 575 bitter meetings spread over two years and 17 days. Here is the story of this land of Korea as I saw it. After traveling north from Pusan via a military train I came to the bombed-out city of Seoul which had been overrun four different times in battle. The United Nations Armies had fought their way back north of the 38th parallel about 30 miles at each point. Visiting the front for four days I saw the various nations bunkered in on the low hills with the enemy holding all the high hills to the .north. The war turned into a stalemate with our forces feel ing a sense of frustration in their futile attempt to rout the enemy. One night while with a tank corps I witnessed the odd humor of the Communists. While the tanks were rolling through no man’s land the enemy played “Pomp and Circum stance” on the tank corps radio fre quency. When the tanks swung into position on the main line of resist ance the music stopped and a voice in English said, “Welcome gentle men to the line.” The payoff came when on the same frequency this voice welcomed the new lieutenant into the line for the first time. As we returned to the tank corps camp the. officers told us many stories of their contacts with the enemy. Yet with all the modem implements of warfare the battle seemed stifled with a new piece of equipment called higher authority.
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