Chapter 86 Heroes make mistakes too

In northeastern North Korea, there is a plateau called Gaima Plateau. In the northeast of Gaima Plateau, there is a mountain lake called Changjin Lake. The Changjin Lake area has an average altitude of 1,300 meters and is surrounded by mountains. This area is sparsely populated, and occasionally there are several villages. In early November, there was heavy snowfall in the Changjin Lake area, and the temperature dropped to around -30°C.The severe cold climate with mixed wind and snow, and the complex terrain with high mountains and narrow roads make the environment of this area extremely dangerous.

In such a winter and such a harsh mountain environment, the Chinese army took advantage of the convenient location and launched a duel with the US army. On the Eastern Front, the U.S. military deployed a total of two main divisions, including the 1st U.S. Marine Division, the 7th Infantry Division, 40,000 troops, more than 200 tanks, and tens of thousands of vehicles. Smith, commander of the 1st Division of the US Marine War.As mentioned earlier, he has experienced the brutal Pacific island landing operations and is a senior officer with very rich combat experience. The 1st Marine Division is also an ace division in the United States.The division has a tenacious will to fight. It participated in the battles of Guadalcanal Island and Okinawa in the Pacific War, and fought against the elite Japanese army who fought desperately.Even in terms of combat bravery, it is not inferior. There have been heroes who sacrificed their lives for righteousness. It is a military hero army.

Before the war, the commander-in-chief Mao Zedong was very cautious about fighting against such a world-class force. In his telegram to Peng Dehuai, he especially emphasized: "The combat effectiveness of the 1st Marine Division of the US Army is said to be the highest in the US military..." Reminding Peng Dehuai, it is better to be careful . When the Chinese soldiers who fought a few innocuous defensive battles suddenly disappeared on the battlefield, Commander Smith had an ominous premonition based on his battlefield instincts. He judged that the Chinese army must be hiding somewhere and was ready to surround and annihilate them at any time.

Badawi, commander of the 7th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. Like Mr. Smith, he also felt a little bad when he entered the Changjin Lake area.Moreover, Commander Badawi did not agree at all with the command art of his immediate superior, Commander of the 10th Army, Almond.He thought the arrogant commander was a bit blind. Two divisions of the U.S. military, with more than 40,000 people, marched on the rugged Yangchang Mountain Road in the mountains of eastern North Korea, with a distance of more than 100 kilometers. Looking at the vast mountain, looking at the winding and endless mountain road, facing the biting cold wind, Smith and Badawi, the two commanders of the US military, felt a little ominous and fearful in their hearts.

Commander Smith judged: The Chinese are likely to be lurking on both sides of the mountain road where the United Nations Army is advancing. As long as they cut off the road and block it at both ends, the 1st Marine Division, the ace of the US Army, and the 7th Infantry Division, a powerful force sweeping across the Pacific, will not be able to play a mechanized role. Combat power, it can be said that every day should not be used, that the earth and the earth are not working, and they all froze to death on the bank of this damn Changjin Lake, with the snow-capped mountains! But obedience is the bounden duty of soldiers, and no one can disobey Commander MacArthur's offensive order.So Smith discussed with Badawi, in this ghostly place with no road at all, we'd better be careful!

Commander Smith also came up with a good way to prevent the annihilation of the entire army. He told Badawi that as soon as he saw the Chinese army in ambush, he must not fall in love with fighting and must retreat immediately! When I entered, I thought of retreating. This is a wise and predictable decision. It's so cold in the mountains of northern North Korea!The average temperature in this area has reached -30°C, and the minimum temperature has reached -45°C to -50°C.In such a cold weather, even the highly mechanized and well-supplied U.S. military is almost unbearable. The mechanized vehicles of the US military must be started every two hours, otherwise the fuel tank will freeze into ice and it will be difficult to start again.

The carbine is also frozen like a dry branch, and it is very easy to break if it encounters a bump.No, the carbines of several American soldiers have been broken. Even steel can't stand it, let alone people.In just a few days after entering the Changjin Lake area, the feet of 18 American soldiers have been frozen off, and frostbite is not uncommon. On November 25, the battle on the Western Front began, but the Eastern Front seemed to be safe and sound. But on this day, the 1st Marine Division captured 3 Chinese soldiers on the way forward.From the mouths of the prisoners, I learned that the two reorganized armies of the 20th Army and the 27th Army of the Volunteer Army are ambushing on both sides of the advance road of the 10th Army, ready to launch an attack at any time.

After hearing this, Commander Smith shivered all over his body, and he quickly reported the situation to Commander MacArthur in detail. After receiving the information, MacArthur, who had always been calm, made the opposite interpretation. He waved his hand and said, "Impossible! How can a few ordinary soldiers know so much! Easterners are very cunning, they are clearly bragging about their strength so that their opponents can nightmare!" The MacArthur commander telegraphed Mr. Smith: "Don't worry, it's bluffing, and there is no need to make a fuss at all." Turn a blind eye.It seems that the commander-in-chief of the United Nations Army has really lost his head.

The commander-in-chief lost his head, and the complete defeat of the US military was inevitable. It can be seen that not only narrow thinking and lack of creativity can not be tolerated in doing things, but also romanticism and taking things for granted.Otherwise, you will pay the price of failure. If people who do great things and those who hold power take it for granted, they will not only be ashamed, but may even lose their lives.Commander MacArthur paid a heavy price for this "revolutionary" romanticism. Romanticism is beautiful, and romanticism kills people!