Chapter 16 2. Mao Zedong's decision

After the volunteers captured Pyongyang, on December 8, Peng Dehuai, Hong Xuezhi, and Xie Fang decided to concentrate the main force on the western front to attack and wipe out the enemies in the Zhonghe, Xiangyuan, and Suian areas. At this time, after two consecutive battles, the Volunteer Army had suffered more than 40,000 casualties, and there were still some non-combat attrition. The troops were extremely tired and urgently needed to rest and replenish.Volunteers do not have an absolute advantage in front-line forces.At the same time, the Volunteers marched southward, the supply line was extended, and enemy aircraft harassed, the roads, railways and bridges in the rear were severely damaged, and the supply of materials was very difficult. The Volunteer troops often lacked clothing and food.

Based on the above situation, Peng Dehuai drafted a telegram to Mao Zedong: The next battle is scheduled to be completed on the 16th and 17th, and the attack can begin on the 18th and 9th, and it is estimated to end at the end of the month.If we can annihilate the Puppet 1st and 6th Divisions, the 24th US Division, and the 1st Cavalry Division, or give them a devastating blow, I will soon cross the 38th parallel and capture Seoul.If the above-mentioned enemies cannot be wiped out, or cannot be dealt with annihilating blows, even if we can cross the 38th parallel or take Seoul, it is not appropriate to do so.Because we moved too far south and drove the enemy back to Daegu and Daejeon, which will increase the difficulty of future operations, we plan to stop fighting tens of miles north of the 38th parallel and let the enemy occupy the 38th parallel.Wait for me to fully prepare so that I can annihilate the main force of the enemy when I fight again next year.However, the Second and Fifth Corps of the People's Army must be sent southward to strategically cut off the enemy's rear.

After Mao Zedong received Peng Dehuai's telegram, he seriously thought about the difficulties faced by the volunteers.In order not to give the U.S. military a chance to take a breather, and to prevent the international community from having the illusion that the Volunteers would stop fighting at the 38th parallel, Mao Zedong decided to take advantage of the internal chaos and uncertainties of the "United Nations Army" to immediately cross the 38th parallel and fight again. rest.He called Peng Dehuai on December 13 and told Gao Gang: (1) At present, the United States and the United Kingdom are asking our army to stop north of the 38th parallel, so as to facilitate the reorganization of the army and fight again.Therefore, our army must cross the 38th parallel.If it stops north of the 38th parallel, it will be very disadvantageous politically. (2) In this southward advance, we hope to find and annihilate several parts of the enemy in the north and south areas of Kaesong, that is, in the area not far from Seoul.Then, depending on the situation, if the enemy sticks to Seoul with a large force, the main force of our army can retreat to the Kaesong line and the area north of it to rest and prepare to attack Seoul, and then use several divisions to approach the north bank of the middle stream of the Han River to support the People's Army in crossing the Han River. The Han River wiped out the puppet army.If the enemy abandons Seoul, our six armies on the western front will rest for a period of time between Pyongyang and Seoul.

After Peng Dehuai received Mao Zedong's telegram, he resolutely overcame the difficulties caused by the abnormal fatigue of the continuous combat troops, insufficient soldiers and insufficient supply, and decided to launch the third campaign. On December 15, Peng Dehuai called Kim Il Sung and Mao Zedong: I am attacking the Kaesong, Yeoncheon, and Kimhwa lines with six armies, seeking to annihilate part of the enemy army north of the Seoul and Wonju lines, and we will see the situation after we succeed. On the same day, Peng Dehuai, Deng Hua, Pu Yiyu, Hong Xuezhi, Han Xianchu, and Xie Fang called all armies on the western front and Song Shilun on the eastern front and reported to the Military Commission:

In order to smash the enemy's plot to use the 38th parallel as the boundary and reorganize the remnants to prepare for another battle, we are determined to continue marching south of the 38th parallel according to Chairman Mao Zedong's order, so as to annihilate the U.S. troops in the areas north of the Seoul, Wonju, and Pyeongchang lines. With the first part of the South Korean Army, the first step is to attack Shibyeon-ri and Yeoncheon north of the 38th parallel.