This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (May 2023) |
Battle of the Punchbowl | |||||||
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Part of the Korean War | |||||||
![]() Map of the Punchbowl, Heartbreak Ridge and Bloody Ridge | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Kim Il Sung | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
30,000 | 40,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
![]() 466 wounded |
2,799 killed (body count) UN estimate: further 2,374 killed 4,707 wounded |
The Battle of the Punchbowl (Korean: 펀치볼 전투), was one of the last battles of the movement phase of the Korean War. Following the breakdown of armistice negotiations in August 1951, the United Nations Command (UN) decided to launch a limited offensive in the late summer/early autumn to shorten and straighten sections of their lines, acquire better defensive terrain, and deny the enemy key vantage points from which they could observe and target UN positions. The Battle of Bloody Ridge took place west of the Punchbowl from August–September 1951 and this was followed by the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge northwest of the Punchbowl from September–October 1951. At the end of the UN offensive in October 1951, UN forces controlled the line of hills north of the Punchbowl.