71 Into the Fire

This is a Korean movie about the defense of the Pohang Girls Middle School during the battle of Pohang-Dong fought from Aug. 5th - 20th 1950. The North and South Korean armies were both severely depleted and the battle was part of a last ditch North Korean offensive to over run the Pusan pocket.

The South Koreans had recruited substantial numbers of "student soldiers" from high schools mostly in their mid teens. On Aug. 11, 1950, 71 of these virtually untrained students, in an almost Alamo style battle, held off much stronger North Korean Forces attacking the Pohang Girls Middle School for 11 hours, inflicting substantial casualties and suffering 48 KIA before being relieved.

The movie has fictionalized elements, and its very much an Asian movie but may be worth the watch on You Tube. The final battle scene is graphic and extremely violent. Appropriate for a war that was waged with the utmost brutality on both side.

The students were issued M1 rifles and one comments on the size of the weapon. One of his buddies tells him that they were American rifles and made for people their size. I remember during my time in Korea (1967-69) seeing ROK troops on the move in route column packing M1s and BARs and thinking how those weapons looked a bit oversize in their hands.

Korean with English subtitles