Chapter 59 3. Volunteer troops fully withdraw

Due to the obstruction and sabotage of the US government, the political meeting stipulated in the armistice agreement failed to be held, and the Geneva meeting failed to reach any agreement on the peaceful settlement of the North Korean issue. In order to promote the peaceful settlement of the Korean issue and further ease the tension in the Far East, the Chinese People’s Volunteers publicly and voluntarily withdrew 19 divisions from North Korea in three batches over a period of more than a year from September 1954 to October 1955. Troops: From September 16 to October 3, 1954, a total of seven divisions of the 47th, 67th and 33rd armies were withdrawn; from March 31st to April 20th, 1955, a total of 50th and 68th armies were withdrawn Six divisions; from October 10 to October 26, 1955, a total of six divisions of the 24th and 46th armies were withdrawn.This initiative was unanimously supported by the people of the DPRK and China and generally praised by the international public opinion.

In addition, from the Korean armistice to the end of 1955, the Chinese People's Volunteers secretly withdrew from North Korea successively six armies including the 60th, 63rd, 64th, 65th, 12th, and 15th armies, and the artillery 2nd, 3rd, and 15th armies. The 7th, 21st, and 22nd Divisions, the 61st, 63rd, 64th, and 65th Antiaircraft Artillery Divisions, the 1st Public Security Division, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 6th Railway Corps The 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th Divisions and other special forces units.The leadership of the 3rd Corps and the 9th Corps withdrew from North Korea in January and early April 1955, respectively. After the end of 1955, there were only five voluntary armies in North Korea: the 1st, 16th, 21st, 23rd, and 54th armies, as well as artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, armored, engineering, and logistics units.

In 1957, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China prepared to withdraw the Chinese People's Volunteers from North Korea in view of the international, domestic and North Korean situations. In November 1957, Mao Zedong and Kim Il Sung talked about the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers from North Korea during their visit to the Soviet Union.Mao Zedong said: "In view of the fact that the situation in North Korea has stabilized, the mission of the Chinese People's Volunteers has basically been completed, and they can all withdraw from North Korea. The Korean people can solve the internal affairs of the nation according to their own strength." Kim Il Sung fully agreed with Mao Zedong's opinion.

After Kim Il Sung returned from his visit to the Soviet Union, he wrote to Mao Zedong on December 16 and 25, 1957, proposing two plans for the withdrawal of volunteers from North Korea.One was that the North Korean government issued a statement proposing to withdraw all foreign troops from North Korea, and the Chinese government responded positively; the other was that the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea wrote a letter to the United Nations, asking the Soviet Union to put forward proposals at the United Nations to push the United Nations to take action. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China attaches great importance to this. On December 30, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Secretariat conducted a special study on this matter. On the basis of the discussion, Zhang Wentian drew up the "Plan for Withdrawing the Chinese People's Volunteers from North Korea."The plan proposes that the Chinese government issue a statement supporting the North Korean government’s proposition that the “United Nations Army” and the Chinese People’s Volunteers withdraw from North Korea, and formally expresses its readiness to negotiate with the North Korean government on the issue of the withdrawal of the Volunteers from North Korea in batches. Governments are taking similar steps.The way to withdraw troops is that the Volunteers will be withdrawn in three batches before the end of 1958.On the same day, Zhou Enlai reviewed the draft plan and sent it to Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, Peng Dehuai for approval and forwarded it to Mao Zedong for review. On the 31st, Mao Zedong commented on the plan: "Agreed." Subsequently, the Chinese government notified the Soviet government of the plan to withdraw volunteers from North Korea and asked for their opinions.

After receiving the opinion of the Soviet government, on January 24, 1958, Mao Zedong telegraphed China's consideration of the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers from North Korea to Kim Il Sung.The Telegram states: We feel that it is more appropriate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to initiate the request for the withdrawal of foreign troops from North Korea, and then for the Chinese government to respond to the request of the North Korean government. ... For this proposal, we put forward some specific comments.We have discussed these opinions with the Soviet government and they fully agree with them.

On January 13, 1958, the Central Military Commission held a regular meeting to study the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers.According to the decision of the Central Military Commission, the Operation Department of the General Staff and the Volunteer Army Headquarters deployed and arranged for the withdrawal of the Volunteer Army. In early February, the Operations Department of the General Staff researched and reported the specific deployment plan for the Volunteer Army leadership and troops after returning home. On January 28, Yang Yong, Commander of the Volunteer Army, pointed out in a letter to Defense Minister Peng Dehuai that since the situation of withdrawing the Volunteer Army from North Korea has been determined and the time for action is imminent, the Volunteer Army should not relax its combat readiness and save money. The following measures have been initially taken: the construction of barracks, warehouses, and hospitals has been suspended; the construction of permanent fortifications on the front line has been reduced, but the construction of permanent fortifications in depth has been accelerated; combined with the mobilization of family members to return to their hometowns for production, it has been decided that the families of military officers will not be allowed to enter the DPRK in the first half of this year. ; Military supplies that are not needed this year will no longer be shipped to North Korea; all relevant materials for the handover of defense are being prepared.The letter put forward opinions and suggestions on issues such as the time and method of troop withdrawal, the garrison positions of each army after returning to China, and the handling of the leading organs of the Corps and the Volunteer Army.At the same time, the Volunteer Army also formulated a withdrawal plan.

On February 5, 1958, the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea issued a statement on the withdrawal of all foreign troops and the peaceful reunification of Korea.The statement suggested that in order to ease the tension in North Korea and resolve the North Korean issue peacefully, the U.S. military and all foreign troops, including the Chinese People's Volunteers, should simultaneously withdraw from North and South Korea.For this reason, countries that have troops in North Korea should promptly take corresponding measures to immediately withdraw their own troops from North Korea. The statement also suggested that after all foreign troops have withdrawn from North and South Korea, they should be under the supervision of neutral institutions within a certain period of time. Free elections in all of Korea should be implemented; consultations between North and South Korea should be realized as early as possible on the basis of reciprocity, and economic, cultural exchanges, and elections in all of Korea should be discussed; the number of troops in North and South Korea should be reduced in the shortest possible period of time in the future to the minimum in order to achieve the peaceful reunification of Korea.

On February 7, the Chinese government issued a statement expressing its full agreement and full support for the peace initiative of the North Korean government.It is believed that all foreign troops should withdraw from North Korea regularly.In order to promote the peaceful settlement of the North Korean issue and ease the tension in the Far East, the Chinese government is preparing to conduct consultations with the North Korean government on the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers from North Korea.The statement demanded that the U.S. government and other governments participating in the United Nations Forces take similar measures to withdraw U.S. troops and all other foreign troops from South Korea.This once again demonstrates the sincere desire of the Chinese government and Chinese people to seek a peaceful solution to the Korean issue.

On February 14, at the invitation of the North Korean government, a Chinese government delegation led by Zhou Enlai arrived in Pyongyang and began a friendly visit to North Korea.The delegation also included Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Chen Yi, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Wentian, Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Su Yu, Deputy Director of the Prime Minister's Office Zhang Yan, Director of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zhang Wenjin, and Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Qiao Xiaoguang.During the visit to North Korea, the Chinese government delegation held cordial and friendly talks with the North Korean government delegation and reached a complete agreement on the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers from North Korea.

On the evening of February 16, the Chinese government delegation arrived at Huicang, where the headquarters of the Chinese People's Volunteers is located.Zhou Enlai made an important speech at the meeting of cadres above the Volunteer Corps.He called on the commanders and fighters to carry forward a high degree of internationalism and humbly learn the advantages of the industrious Korean people and the heroic Korean People's Army.It is required that in the process of withdrawing troops, the North Korean government, the Korean People's Army, and the Korean people should be clearly explained to the North Korean government, the Korean People's Army, and the Korean people. The flower of friendship condensed with the blood of the Chinese people bloomed even better in the last year and borne fruitful fruits.Volunteers are not only the cutest people in North Korea, but also the cutest people after returning home.

On February 19, the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea issued the "Joint Statement".The statement solemnly announced to the world that the Chinese People's Volunteers fully agreed with the Chinese government's proposal and decided to withdraw from North Korea in batches before the end of 1958, and the first batch would be withdrawn before April 30, 1958.The Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea agrees with this decision of the Chinese People's Volunteers and is willing to assist in the complete withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers. The decision to withdraw all the Chinese People's Volunteers from North Korea not only won the warm support of the people of China and North Korea, but also received attention and welcome from the international public opinion. On February 20, the Soviet government issued a statement fully supporting the proposal of the DPRK and Chinese governments to withdraw all the Chinese People's Volunteers from North Korea.Consider this initiative to be of extremely great significance and to be one of the most important measures aimed at easing international tension, strengthening international confidence and consolidating peace. The newspapers of other socialist countries published the full text of the joint statement of the Chinese and North Korean governments and spoke highly of it. They agreed that the Chinese People’s Volunteers’ decision to withdraw from North Korea was an active measure to peacefully resolve the North Korean issue and ease tension in the Far East significant contribution.At the same time, U.S. troops are also urged to withdraw completely from South Korea.Even the public opinion of the main allies of the United States in the war of aggression against Korea has to admit that the Chinese People's Volunteers' decision to withdraw from North Korea is of positive significance to easing the situation in the Far East.Fair public opinion in the United States also believes that China's move to withdraw the Chinese People's Volunteers from North Korea is "boldly seizing the initiative" and "putting the United States in an embarrassing situation." In order to successfully complete the task of withdrawing troops, the Party Committee of the Volunteer Army made specific arrangements for the withdrawal work in accordance with the instructions of the Central Military Commission and Premier Zhou Enlai, and issued a call to the entire army to "do not be arrogant and unremitting, start well and end well; with the withdrawal of troops, friendship will last forever".The troops are required to "make friends, walk well, and arrive well."To make a good deal means to hand over everything except weapons and equipment and personal belongings to the Korean People's Army; to go well means to withdraw safely and safely; The motherland needs. On February 13, Yang Yong, commander of the Chinese People's Volunteers, and Wang Ping, political commissar, issued an instruction order, formulating 12 regulations, requiring the entire army to strictly abide by the withdrawal process. On February 21, the Political Department of the Chinese People's Volunteers issued the "Instructions on the Political Work of Volunteers Withdrawing from North Korea."After the first batch of troops withdrew from North Korea, in June, the Political Department of the Volunteer Army specially formulated the "Thirty Articles for Troop Withdrawal Work".It emphasizes the idea of ​​making good friends, going well, and reaching good, and requires the troops to start well and end well, the troops will withdraw, and the friendship will last forever. In the process of withdrawing troops, the first thing is to make friends. On February 24, the Chinese People's Volunteers and the Korean People's Army determined the deployment and organization of the handover after full consultation. On the 25th, General Yang Yong, commander of the Volunteer Army, and General Li Quanwu, chief of staff of the People's Army, signed the joint order for the transfer of defense between the two sides. According to the instructions of the Volunteer Army Headquarters, all units have thoroughly repaired, cleaned and reinforced the front tunnels, trenches, bunkers and other various fortifications and roads, and organized forces to complete all unfinished fortifications by surprise.The soldiers said: "Dig one more foot of tunnel and strengthen one more fortification is to add more strength to the Chinese and North Korean people's struggle against the enemy. This is the best gift left to the comrades-in-arms of the Korean People's Army." Commanders at all levels He and the command organization carefully re-studied the terrain and operational plan of the defense area, revised the combat documents and various charts, and then carefully handed over to the Korean People's Army's defense troops, and reported the enemy's situation, terrain, fortifications, and combat operations. The plan was clearly explained. On February 27, the Chinese People's Volunteers issued an order, deciding to hand over the Volunteer Army's intelligence, communications, military training, engineering equipment, as well as barracks, camping equipment, warehouses, and various ammunition to the Korean People's Army.All units are required to earnestly abide by the implementation. All ammunition, materials and equipment handed over according to the regulations should be checked clearly and handed over intact. Any sabotage will be dealt with disciplinaryly. On October 17, General Yang Yong, commander of the Chinese People's Volunteers, and General Jin Guangxia, Minister of Defense of the Korean People, signed the joint communiqué between the headquarters of the Volunteer Army and the Ministry of Defense of the Korean People.The joint communiqué states: In response to the proposals of the governments of China and North Korea regarding the withdrawal of all foreign troops from North and South Korea and the promotion of a peaceful settlement of the Korean issue, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army Headquarters issued a statement on February 20, 1958, deciding that before the end of 1958, the All out of North Korea.When it was about to withdraw from North Korea, the headquarters of the Chinese People's Volunteers decided to hand over all their barracks, camp equipment, barracks equipment, materials, and equipment to the Korean People's Army free of charge.The handover work was successfully completed on October 16, 1958.Both sides expressed satisfaction with this and considered this fact to be another manifestation of the fighting friendship between the Chinese and Korean peoples. The units of the Chinese People's Volunteers withdrew from North Korea in three batches according to the plan and returned to the motherland.Regarding the order of troop withdrawal, the Central Military Commission determined the policy of "front first, then the west coast, and then the middle".Withdrawing the first-line troops first can quickly expand the influence of the volunteers' withdrawal, and at the same time, you can observe the enemy's dynamics, and finally withdraw the troops in the middle to deal with unexpected situations. The first batch of troops to withdraw is the 23rd Army, six divisions of the 16th Army, part of the artillery, tanks, engineers, automobile units, engineering command post and the leadership of the 19th Corps, with a total of 80,000 people. It started on March 15. Withdraw from North Korea until April 25.In addition, the leadership of the 20th Corps withdrew from North Korea on March 12. The second batch of withdrawn troops is the Army's 54th Army, six divisions of the 21st Army, and some tanks, artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, logistics, engineering units, and tank command posts, with a total of 100,000 people. Withdrew from North Korea on the 14th. The third batch of withdrawn troops consisted of the Volunteer Army Headquarters, the three divisions of the First Army Army, the Artillery Command Post, the Volunteer Army Logistics Department, and the logistics support force. A total of 70,000 troops were withdrawn from North Korea from September 25 to October 26. .