Chapter 9 Chapter VIII The Third Campaign of the Great Offensive

Under the heavy blows of the Chinese People's Volunteers and the Korean People's Army, the "Christmas General Offensive to End the Korean War" launched by the "United Nations Army" led by the United States and the South Korean Army completely went bankrupt and became a celebration of the Holy Saliva Festival. The total collapse and total retreat south of the "Eighth Front".The occurrence of this situation was too unexpected for the U.S. ruling and opposition parties, so it immediately fell into chaos.American public opinion exclaimed that this failure was "the biggest defeat in the history of the US Army" and a "nightmare".The US ruling group criticized each other on the issue of responsibility for the failure, and the contradictions became more acute.Some people accused Douglas MacArthur of misjudgment and clumsy command, and demanded that he be removed as commander-in-chief of the "United Nations Army"; Duties, "thoroughly clean the State Department," and even recommended that Congress impeach President Harry Truman.Former U.S. President Herbert Hoover concluded even more dismayedly: "The United Nations was defeated by Communist China in North Korea. Now there is no army in the world strong enough to repel the Chinese." Britain, France and other countries were more worried about the Korean War situation and deeply Afraid of trapping power in North Korea and weakening its power in Europe.

In this extremely embarrassing situation, the U.S. government hastily convened a meeting of the National Security Council, a cabinet meeting, and a meeting of the "big three" of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and immediately dispatched important officials to consult with the front-line commanders to seek A way out of crisis and recovery from defeat.After a series of meetings and consultations, they agreed with MacArthur's view that the Korean War is now "a completely new war with a completely new power with a strong military force under completely new circumstances", and recognized that North Korea The development of the situation made the United States "face a serious crisis", "we may have to retreat steadily, just like the failure we suffered last time", but still determined to stick to its policy of aggression against North Korea, claiming that "the troops of the United Nations do not intend to Abandon their mission in North Korea."Its specific measures are, on the one hand, politically manipulating the United Nations General Assembly to pass the resolution establishing the so-called "Three-member Commission for the Korean Armistice", under the guise of "ceasefire first, then negotiations", in an attempt to gain breathing time and prepare for another war; In the military, military expansion and war preparations were stepped up, a "national emergency" was declared, and the American people were required to make "any necessary sacrifice" for the war of aggression against North Korea.Establish the National Defense Mobilization Bureau, expand the conscription plan, increase the number of U.S. troops from 2.5 million to 3.5 million, and increase the production capacity of aircraft and tanks by five times and four times respectively within one year.Then, on December 23, 1950, he ordered Matthew Ridgway (formerly the deputy chief of staff of the U.S. Army) who had just taken over the post of Walton Walker, commander of the U.S. Eighth Army who died in a car accident during the retreat, to organize the "United Nations Army" and South Korea’s 13 divisions and 3 brigades, with a force of more than 200,000 people, added to the original positions on the "38th Parallel", established a deep defense line and reorganized the army, preparing to resist the new attack of the Volunteer Army and the People's Army.

After Li Qiwei took office, he saw that he was taking over a panic-stricken army, so he "gave up the plan to turn to the offensive immediately", and had to increase the defense line of the "United Nations Army" and the South Korean Army from the depth to the north latitude On the 37th parallel, the South Korean Army is placed on the front line, and the US and British troops are placed behind the second line.At the same time, explain to the troops that if they are forced to abandon their positions, they will retreat in an orderly manner according to the adjustment line. The Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China and Chairman Mao Zedong made an in-depth analysis of the development trend of the war as early as when the "United Nations Army" and the South Korean Army began to retreat to Pyongyang and the "38th Parallel", and made an in-depth analysis of the policies that should be adopted. Full consideration.The Central Military Commission and Mao Zedong believed that although they had achieved major victories in two battles and reversed the situation in the Korean War, they had not wiped out a large number of the enemy's vital forces, and great efforts had to be made to win this war.When he learned that the "United Nations Army" and the South Korean Army retreated to the "38th Parallel" and that the U.S. authorities were playing with the strategy of "ceasefire first, then negotiate", Mao Zedong called Commander Peng Dehuai, demanding that the volunteers must overcome and endure all difficulties, Cooperate with the People's Army to fight the "38th Parallel".He pointed out that the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries are currently asking the volunteers to stop north of the "38th Parallel" so that they can regroup and fight again.Therefore, the Volunteers must cross the "38th Parallel".If we stop at the north of the "38th Parallel", it will give us a great political disadvantage.He also instructed the Volunteer Army: For this southward advance, we hope to find and wipe out a few enemies in the north and south areas of Kaesong, that is, the area not far from Seoul. If the enemy abandons Seoul, rest for a period of time between Pyongyang and Seoul, and then fight again.

Due to the two consecutive battles of the Volunteer Army, the troops are quite tired, and logistical supplies are also more difficult.After receiving Mao Zedong's telegram, Peng Dehuai expressed his views on the war situation based on the situation of the troops at that time: the Korean War is still quite long and difficult.The enemy shifted from offense to defense, shortening the front line, concentrating troops, and narrowing the front, which naturally strengthened the depth, which was beneficial to combined arms operations.Although the morale of the enemy army is lower than before, there are still about 260,000 troops.Politically, it is very unfavorable for the imperialist camp if the enemy immediately abandons North Korea, and Britain and France do not require the United States to do so.If the enemy suffers one or two more defeats and another two or three divisions are wiped out, they may retreat to several bridgehead positions (Busan, Incheon, and Gunsan), and they will not withdraw all of them immediately.Therefore, the Volunteer Army should still adopt steady progress.

Mao Zedong agreed with Peng Dehuai's opinion that Peng Dehuai's estimate of the enemy's situation was correct, and long-term plans must be made, and the idea of ​​quick victory is harmful.But at this time, it is necessary to cross the "38th Parallel" and fight another battle, and then take a rest.However, before a campaign is launched, whenever possible, rest for a few days to recover from fatigue before committing to battle.Because the initiative is in the hands of the Volunteer Army and the People's Army, they can fight calmly without making the troops too tired.On December 24 and 26, Chairman Mao again telegraphed Peng Dehuai regarding the deployment of the campaign.

In accordance with Mao Zedong's instructions, Peng Dehuai made up his mind to launch the third campaign, concentrating 6 armies of the Volunteer Army (the 9th Corps had a large loss of personnel due to frostbite, and stayed in Wonsan and Hamhung to rest), and suggested that the People's Army newly arrived. At the same time, the army launched an offensive to smash the enemy's defense on the "38th parallel". If the development goes well, it will take the opportunity to occupy the Seoul, Hongchuan, and Gangneung frontlines, and then turn to rest and prepare for the spring offensive.At the same time, according to the defense of the "United Nations Army" and the South Korean Army, the South Korean Army is the first echelon, and the US and British troops are the second echelon. The east of the "38th Parallel" is surrounded by mountains, and the west is mostly alluvial plains. According to the terrain characteristics of the hills and hills, the specific combat deployment was determined: the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 50th armies of the Volunteer Army and strengthened 6 artillery regiments to form the right column, commanded by the deputy commander of the Volunteer Army Han Xianchu, from Gaolang Puli to Yongchuan Carry out multiple frontal breakthroughs, and detour from the two wings to Qifengshan and Xianyanli respectively to cut off the enemy's retreat. First, concentrate forces to annihilate the 6th Division of South Korea in the south of Yeoncheon, and then wipe out the 1st Division of South Korea in the Munsan area. After succeeding, the 42nd and 66th armies of the Volunteer Army formed a left column with the reinforcement of an artillery regiment, commanded by Wu Ruilin, the commander of the 42nd army, and Zhou Biao, a political commissar, and made a breakthrough in the area from Yongping to Mapingli First, concentrate the main force to wipe out 1 or 2 regiments of the 2nd Division of South Korea in the area from Yongpyeong to Yongsodong, and then expand the results in the direction of Gapyeong and Cheongpyeong-ri, cut off the traffic between Seoul and Chuncheon, and use 1 division from Hwacheondu The North Han River actively feinted an attack on the South Korean 5th Division north of Chuncheon to support the southward advance of the 2nd and 5th Army Corps of the People's Army.It is recommended that the main force of the 1st Army Corps of the People's Army feign an attack in the direction of Wenshan in the area east of Dongchangli, and cooperate with the right column of the Volunteer Army to annihilate the 1st Division of South Korea; Attacking in the direction of Sichuan, cooperate with the left column of the Volunteer Army to encircle and wipe out the 7th Division of South Korea.

In order to successfully complete the task of this campaign and meet the more difficult struggle in the future, the Volunteer Army and the People's Army stepped up preparations.Increased combat troops, railway soldiers, and engineers to go to North Korea from home; after negotiating with the North Korean government, the volunteer army raised 30,000 tons of food on the spot to meet emergency needs; mobilized the masses to make fried noodles for the volunteer army in provinces and cities in Northeast China, North China, and Central South China.Premier Zhou Enlai also personally went to some institutions in Beijing to inspect the production of fried noodles, and made fried noodles with the masses. In late December, a batch of fried noodles was shipped to the front line. The volunteer soldiers were very moved when they learned that the fried noodles were made day and night by the people of the motherland.After the units of the Chinese and North Korean People's Armies arrive at the designated positions, they will start combat training, reconnaissance, and prepare equipment for forcibly crossing the river, etc.

In order to achieve the suddenness of the battle, it was also decided to set the time for launching the battle on New Year's Eve in 1950. At 17:00 on December 31, the Volunteer Army and the People's Army launched an offensive across the board after a short artillery preparation according to the scheduled plan.At that time, near the "38th Parallel", a sudden cold wind howled, heavy snow fell, and the temperature dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius.The Volunteer Army and the People's Army encountered great difficulties when they crossed the Imjin River, Hantan River, Yongping River, and climbed over obstacles such as Daochengxian, Ayangyan, Guowangfeng, Huayue Mountain, and Gaoxioling at an altitude of 600 to 1,000 meters.

The 40th, 39th, and 38th Corps of the Right Column of the Volunteer Army, each responsible for breakthrough missions, braved the enemy's artillery fire and the bitter cold wind, bravely wading through the icy Imjin River and Hantan River.After more than an hour of fighting, they successively broke through the forward positions of the South Korean Army, and then quickly developed an offensive in depth to the Osmunda defense.After the 39th Army broke through from the junction of the 6th Division and the 1st Division of the Shang Dynasty, the main force of the army occupied Dacun and Wujianli in the northeast of Wenshan before dawn on January 1, 1951, advanced 10 kilometers, and supported the 50th The army crossed the Linjin River.The 117th Division of the army penetrated deeply into the enemy, and at dawn on the 1st, it arrived at the designated location at Seonam-ri, south of Dongducheon-ri, advanced 15 kilometers, and intercepted and wiped out more than 600 people from the 6th Division of South Korea.After the 39th Army, which assaulted from the right wing of the South Korean Army, crossed Hanweicheon, the main force of the army attacked in the direction of Pocheon, and occupied Pocheon and Sineup-ri to the west on the morning of the 1st.The 114th Division of the army, which was responsible for interspersed roundabout tasks, entered the designated location Qifeng Mountain at noon on the 1st and found that more than 1,000 people from the 6th Division of South Korea were fleeing south in Fengyangli on the west side of Qifeng Mountain. They immediately launched a blockade and wiped out more than 400 people .After the 40th Army, which attacked from the frontal assault of the 6th Division of South Korea, broke through the Imjin River and Hantan River, the 119th Division of its former peak occupied Dongshan in Dongducheon.That night, the right column of the Volunteer Army continued to attack, and the 1st Corps of the People's Army also crossed the Imjin River and marched towards Pacheon-ri.By the evening of the 2nd, the Right Column of the Volunteer Army and the 1st Army Corps of the People's Army had entered Pacheon-ri, northeast of Uijeongbu to the south of Pocheon, and had penetrated 15 to 20 kilometers deep into the defense of the South Korean Army.

The 42nd Corps of the Left Column of the Volunteer Army crossed Yongping River and broke through the Daochengxian and Eyangyan positions of the 2nd Division of the South Korean Army in one fell swoop.The 124th Division of the army, regardless of the high mountains and deep snow and the threat of enemy planes, continued to attack fiercely. The retreat route of the division, on the 2nd, cooperated with the main force of the 66th Army to wipe out the enemies in the upper Namchong and Xianamchong areas, and successfully completed the task of cutting off the enemy's retreat and encircling and annihilating the enemy; Annihilated more than one battalion of the 2nd Division of South Korea in the Banli and Chimoki areas, and then launched an offensive in the direction of Gapyeong, occupying Gapyeong at 10:00 on the 2nd.The main force of the 66th Army stepped on the snow more than two feet deep, overcame obstacles such as minefields, barbed wire fences, and deer villages set up by the enemy, and broke through positions such as Guowangfeng, Huayue Mountain, and Gaoxiuling.Afterwards, they rushed to the enemy's defense in depth, and with the cooperation of the 124th Division of the 42nd Army, they wiped out the 31st and 32nd regiments and 32nd regiments of the 2nd Division of South Korea in Shanghongqili, Xiahongqili, Shangnancong, Xianancong and other places. Most of the 36th Regiment of the 5th Division of the South Korean Army and a Battalion of the Artillery of the South Korean Army killed and wounded more than 3,200 prisoners, seized more than 60 artillery pieces and more than 1,500 guns of various types, and successfully completed the scheduled tasks .For this reason, the Volunteer Army leadership sent a telegram to congratulate the 66th Army on its major victory and gave a circular of praise.Zhang Xuji, the squad leader of the 587th Regiment of the 196th Division of the army, captured 5 bunkers in a row by himself, opened up passages for the troops, and won special meritorious service.The 4th company of the 586th regiment served as the sharp knife company that broke through Huayue Mountain. After 5 hours of fierce fighting, they captured the main peak of Huayue Mountain and won a pennant of "the first company to break the 38th parallel".After the divisions of the 2nd and 5th Corps of the People's Army broke through the positions of the South Korean Army, they marched towards Hongcheon, Hengcheng, and Wonju respectively, forcing the 3rd South Korean Division to flee south in panic.

At this point, the enemy did not withdraw southward in an orderly manner as Li Qiwei imagined, but the South Korean Army's defensive troops near the "38th Parallel" fled southward, causing the entire defense line to collapse rapidly. Li Qiwei described it in his memoirs. The debacle was recounted as follows: "On the morning of New Year's Day, I drove out of Seoul from the north, and saw a depressing scene. South Korean soldiers were rushing southward in trucks. They There was no order, no weapons, no leadership, and it was a total retreat. Some soldiers fled here on foot or in various requisitioned vehicles. They had only one thought—to escape as far away from the Chinese army as possible. " On January 3, Li Qiwei saw that the general situation was over, and worried that the Volunteer Army would carry out a far-reaching siege, putting more than 100,000 troops and all the heavy equipment gathered near Seoul in a desperate situation, even if divided by a force in Goyang, Dobong Mountain, North of Seoul, In addition to covering the front line of Shuiluoshan, the rest of the troops quickly retreated southward to the 37th parallel north latitude.He also personally rushed to the head of the Han River Bridge to direct the retreat. In view of the fact that the "United Nations Army" and the South Korean Army had no intention of organizing resistance and fled quickly, Peng Dehuai might abandon Seoul and retreat to the beachhead on the south bank of the Han River. He immediately decided to take advantage of the victory to launch a pursuit and expand the victory. The camera occupied Seoul, Incheon, Suwon, and Yangping; the left column of the Volunteer Army cooperated with the 2nd and 5th regiments of the People's Army to take advantage of the momentum to occupy Hongcheon, Hengcheng, Xiangyang, and Jiangling.At the same time, order all troops to stop advancing after occupying the above-mentioned points, and prepare to rest and replenish. On the evening of January 3, the Volunteer Army and the People's Army turned to pursuit operations.After repelling the resistance of about 1 battalion of the 25th Division of the United States in Bethili, north of Goyang, the 50th Corps of the Volunteer Army entered Fomidi, south of Goyang, and cut off the retreat of the British 29th Brigade.After a night of fierce fighting, the 1st Battalion of the Royal Oster Rifles and the 8th Cavalry (Tank) Regiment directly under the squadron of this brigade were wiped out.31 tanks, 24 armored vehicles and cars were captured and destroyed.The vanguard of the 39th Army encountered the 21st Regiment of the 24th Division of the United States at Huilong Temple, annihilated part of it, and then wiped out two companies of the British 29th Brigade in Bugok-ri, west of Uijeongbu.The 38th and 40th armies pursued to the Shuluoshan area southeast of Uijeongbu and defeated a regiment of the 24th US Division.The left column of the Volunteer Army crossed the Bukhan River from Gapyeong and Chuncheon and headed towards Hongcheon.The 2nd and 5th Corps of the People's Army continued to attack in the direction of Hongchuan and Hengcheng, intercepting and annihilating the enemies fleeing south. From noon to 22:00 on the 4th, one division each of the 39th and 50th Corps of the Volunteer Army and the 1st Corps of the People's Army entered Seoul successively. On the 5th, in order to prevent the United Nations Army and the South Korean Army from guarding the south bank of the Han River, controlling Gimpo Airport and Incheon Port, posing a threat to Seoul and hindering the next operation, the 38th, 39th, and 40th Armies of the Right Column of the Volunteer Army fought against the Northeast of Seoul. The east and west areas of the government were on standby, and the 50th Army and the 1st Army of the People's Army (leaving 1 division to guard Seoul) continued to pursue southward.The 50th Corps of the Volunteer Army wiped out part of the enemy at Gwacheon and Gunpojang, and occupied Suwon and Kimryangjang on the 7th.The 1st Corps of the People's Army occupied Gimpo on the 5th and Incheon Port on the 8th.The left column of the Volunteer Army also continued to pursue southward, occupying Longtouli and Toppingli on the 6th; on the 8th, they successively occupied Yangping, Lipuli, Lizhou, and Lichuan.The 2nd and 5th Corps of the People's Army occupied Hengcheng on the 6th and Wonju on the 8th. So far, the Volunteer Army and the People's Army have expelled the "United Nations Army" and the South Korean Army to the Pyeongtaek, Anseong, Jecheon, and Samcheok lines near the 37th parallel north latitude.The third battle is over. In this battle, the Volunteer Army and the People's Army worked together and fought side by side. After 7 consecutive days and nights of hard work, they advanced 80 to 110 kilometers at an offensive speed of 1 kilometer per hour. More than 19,000 people were killed, injured and captured. It smashed the attempts of the "United Nations Army" and the South Korean Army to defend the "38th Parallel", reorganize the army, and prepare for another crime.