Chapter 30 2. Volunteers are preparing to "pass the battle"

After the United States unilaterally announced an indefinite adjournment, on October 14, it launched the so-called "Showdown Operation" (also known as the "Jinhua Offensive") against the Shangganling position defended by the Chinese People's Volunteers. With the support of aircraft, artillery and tank firepower, the offensive lasted for more than 40 days, not only failed to occupy the position, but paid more than 25,000 casualties.Clarke called the offensive "a vicious gamble to save face" and admitted "I think it's a failure." Although the U.S. military has a huge advantage in weapons and equipment, on the front line, the Volunteer Army and the People's Army, which have built a solid defense system with tunnels as the backbone, have no choice but to carry out "strangulation warfare" and germ warfare, which have not met expectations. military and political purposes.By this time, the United States was almost at the end of its rope in the Korean War. Except for the atomic bomb, the United States had used all the modern weapons of war they had at that time in the war.However, the war is always a joke with the U.S. authorities, and it does not develop according to the wishes of the United States at all.On the contrary, it is getting farther and farther away from the aspirations of the United States.Clark said that since the beginning of the armistice negotiations, the "United Nations Army" has only continued to increase casualties and lose positions on the battlefield, but has gained nothing.The longer the war drags on, the more America's "decency" will be lost in the war.Not only are the American people and American soldiers on the battlefield tired and dissatisfied, but the American authorities also believe that such an unbearable and indefinite delay can no longer be tolerated.Either resolve the issue of prisoners of war honestly and in accordance with international law and practice through negotiations, or put all your eggs in one basket and take a final military adventure.Where to go, the U.S. decision-making authorities must make a choice.

However, the truce negotiations were suspended because the US delegation unilaterally announced an indefinite adjournment on October 8. On October 14, the Seventh United Nations General Assembly was held. The United States moved the North Korean issue to the United Nations General Assembly in an attempt to exert pressure on China and North Korea through the United Nations.U.S. Secretary of State Acheson, who attended the conference, still stubbornly adhered to the so-called "voluntary repatriation" principle of the United States. On October 24, he said at the UN Political Committee: As long as the Communist Party accepts the "voluntary repatriation" principle, the United States can restore Panmunjom at any time. negotiations.On the same day, 21 countries including the United States and the United Kingdom put forward their proposals to adhere to the principle of "voluntary repatriation" and submitted them to the General Assembly for approval.This plan was opposed by the Soviet Union.The Soviet Union put forward a proposal on November 10, proposing an armistice in Korea and then a "peace Committee on the Settlement of the Korean Question” and ordered the committee to take measures to resolve the Korean issue in the spirit of unifying Korea by the Korean people themselves, including “measures to assist both parties in the repatriation of all prisoners of war as far as possible” in accordance with the principles of the Geneva Convention. On the 16th, India proposed a so-called "compromise" plan.This plan is almost a replica of the American plan, so in the debate, it was opposed by the Soviet Union and other democratic countries, but supported by the United States. On December 3, the United States manipulated the UN General Assembly to pass this proposal.This shows that the United States has no desire to resume negotiations.

It was the 34th U.S. presidential election.How to resolve the issue of the Korean War is the prominent content of this general election campaign. On October 24, Republican candidate Dwight Eisenhower publicly promised in his campaign speech that if he was elected president, he would personally go to North Korea to end the war.This promise played a key role in defeating his opponent to be elected President of the United States. After Eisenhower was elected as the 34th President of the United States in November, he visited North Korea in early December and held a series of talks with Clark, Van Fleet and other senior US military generals who invaded North Korea, as well as South Korean Syngman Rhee.The senior military officers of the US military all advocated that if the negotiations are not successful within a certain period of time, the only way is to launch an offensive with all their strength.Syngman Rhee is even more advocating this, and wants to expand the war to the north of the Yalu River, attacking supply bases in China.Although Eisenhower did not make a decision, he stated at a press conference held on December 14 after returning to China: "For an enemy we face, we cannot expect to move it with words, no matter how eloquent the words are. It sounds good; but we can only use actions—actions that we choose to implement.” After Eisenhower took office, he announced the lifting of the so-called “neutralization of the Taiwan Strait” and encouraged the Chiang Kai-shek clique to launch an attack on the mainland.MacArthur, who was dismissed, actively suggested to Eisenhower to use the atomic bomb at this time.On the Korean battlefield, as early as October, Clark planned to organize a joint landing exercise of the sea, land and air force, and formulated a large-scale military adventure plan including a joint landing attack.

At this time, taking large-scale military adventures is an important option considered by the US authorities.Eisenhower later said in his recollections: Since the Chinese Volunteers and the Korean People’s Army have established canine-toothed solid underground fortifications on the front line and have defensive positions in depth, if the "United Nations Army" launches a frontal attack, the failure of the "Golden Offensive" has shown that , Breaking through the position "is a big tactical problem."In addition, the Volunteer Army and the People's Army have overcome the shortcomings in logistical supplies, the front-line supplies are sufficient, and the number of troops has a great advantage. The "United Nations Army" launched "any such attack will pay a great price" from the front.Of course, if it cooperates with amphibious landing, it is also possible to advance the front to the waist of North Korea, but this is not "decisive", because the front is close to Northeast China, which will put the "United Nations Army" in an "extremely difficult situation."Therefore, this type of attack is the "least attractive" option.In addition, it would not hesitate to carry out a large-scale military adventure, expand the war beyond Korea, "at the same time attack China's airports in Manchuria, blockade China's coast, and take other similar measures."This requires an increase in the strength of at least three American divisions and an additional two divisions of the South Korean Army.In order to "avoid paying too high a price in the attack", the atomic bomb will also be used.However, the atomic bomb has little effect on the Chinese and North Korean troops with solid underground fortifications, and the approval of the allies, mainly the United Kingdom, must be obtained, otherwise it will "create divisive sentiments with the allies."The biggest worry is that the Soviet Union will react. The Soviet Union has atomic bombs, and Japan, which is occupied by the United States, may be attacked by the Soviet Union.

Peng Dehuai, who presided over the daily work of the Central Military Commission, made a judgment on the possibility of large-scale military adventures by the United States when the Battle of Shangganling was about to end. On November 23, he pointed out in a telegram to Yang Dezhi, the deputy commander of the Volunteer Army: The loss is relatively large, the winter is approaching, and the old and new presidents of the United States are in the transition period, so the possibility of a large-scale attack this winter is less likely.As the Korean War drags on, the U.S. military will focus on the east, and the longer it takes, the more unfavorable it will be.In the past, the United States tried to force me to submit through military pressure many times in an attempt to achieve the "glorious truce" they expected, but they all failed. The recent attack on the frontiers of the Five Sacred Mountains (the "Golden Offensive") is also an attempt of this kind.The enemy will not give up because of this defeat.We must prevent the enemy from landing from our flank in the coming spring to cooperate with the frontal attack.

Deng Hua, who was asking the Volunteer Army in Beijing for instructions on the 1953 Korean combat policy, also judged that if the U.S. military took military risks, there were only two options.And think that the United States does not dare to use the atomic bomb lightly, so the last resort the United States may use is to take a landing adventure.There are also two possibilities for landing, one is tactical landing, the other is strategic landing, and the strategic landing on the west coast poses the greatest threat to me, because the main transportation lines of the Volunteer Army and the People's Army pass through this area.The landing time may be in the spring of 1953, or it may be in February.Mao Zedong agreed with this judgment and asked the Volunteer Army to prepare for the enemy's strategic landing on the west coast.Mao Zedong instructed Deng Hua: "It should be estimated that the enemy has already decided to land on the line from Hanchuan to the Yalu River, and we are actively preparing. We must urgently prepare to confront the enemy and smash his landing plan." And Deng Hua on December 4, 1952 The report noted: "It should be confirmed that five to seven divisions of the enemy will make a massive landing on the Hanchuan and Yalu River lines, and airborne behind us. The time should be prepared in the spring, or maybe earlier. We should greatly strengthen bunkers and tunnels, deploy Five armies are on this line, and four of them must be experienced armies. Delineate the defense area and resolutely prevent the enemy from landing. There must be no mistakes." log in."

On December 16, 1952, Mao Zedong sent a telegram to Stalin.In this telegram, he analyzed the situation of the Korean War and pointed out: The Korean War has come to a standstill due to the armistice negotiations, and the losses of the US military in North Korea have not yet reached the level that it must stop. It is estimated that it will tend to intensify in a certain period of time (assumed to be one year) in the future.Eisenhower was preparing for military action in North Korea when he came to power.Based on the estimation of military operations on the Korean battlefield alone, the possibility of the enemy attacking our relatively solid deep fortifications from the front is not as great as the possibility of landing operations on both sides of our rear.Various signs prove that the enemy is currently vigorously strengthening and expanding the Syngman Rhee puppet army. The enemy navy is constantly conducting exercises in the North Korean sea, and the enemy agents are also actively collecting intelligence on the east and west coasts of North Korea.The tactical landing site may be Tongcheon on the east coast, Ongjin Peninsula and Mongjinpori Peninsula on the west coast.The strategic landing sites may be Wonsan and Hamhung on the east coast and Jinnampo, Sinanju area and Cheolsan peninsula on the west coast.The greatest threat to me is the strategic landing on the west coast, because my main line of transportation passes through this area.The time for the landing operation may be in the spring of next year, but it may also start earlier in February next year.In order to cooperate with this landing operation plan, the enemy may take diversion actions against the Chinese mainland, for example, bombing the airport in the Andong region of China, conniving with the Chiang Kai-shek bandit army in Taiwan to invade the coastal areas of China, and assisting the Chinese Li Mi bandit army in Burma to harass the Chinese border .But the key to the war still lies in North Korea. If I can stick to the east and west coasts of North Korea, make the enemy's landing plan fail, and cooperate with the tactical attack on the front front to inflict more and greater damage to the enemy, then the Korean war will be even more difficult. Stable, and develop in a direction that is more beneficial to us.

In order to ensure the success of the war in North Korea and do everything possible to win the war, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea the first of the three major national tasks in 1953, and requested the Soviet Union to provide various artillery and shells of different types. Possibly, it was agreed to provide 332 artillery pieces from January to February 1953, and 600,000 rounds of various shells from January to April. On December 15, the General Staff Headquarters issued instructions to the major military regions, pointing out that: The situation from all sides and the public opinion of the enemy show that the enemy seems to be preparing for a risky landing behind our army in North Korea next spring.It is reported that Taiwan's Chiang Kai-shek Group has clamored to set next year as the "Counterattack Year", and the remnants of Li Mi who fled to Burma also ordered his troops to actively prepare in December and start operations in January next year.According to this, Taiwan’s Chiang Kai-shek Group “is very likely to carry out a surprise attack on certain coastal areas of our country next year in order to cooperate with the U.S. emperor’s landing in North Korea.” , as well as internal hidden secret agents taking advantage of the opportunity, a detailed study should be made to make a predetermined combat plan."According to this instruction, the major military regions have made research and deployment. On the 28th, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission also issued a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong to the East China Bureau, the East China Military Region, the Fujian Provincial Party Committee, and the Fujian Military Region, instructing that the Fujian Military Region must prepare to use its existing forces and not rely on any foreign aid to crush Taiwan. , The Kuomintang army in Kinmen may attack the coastal islands of Fujian and the mainland of Fujian with one army.On the must-defend islands, permanent and strong fortifications must be made, food, ammunition and drinking water must be stored in advance, preparations must be made for long-term persistence, and reinforcement plans must be made.Take out Ye Fei to be a full-time military officer and concentrate on fighting against the enemy.Two months from now is the most critical time.In addition, Mao Zedong also instructed to strengthen Shanghai's air defense deployment to ensure the safety of the Shanghai area.

Because the Volunteer Army and the People's Army do not have a navy to participate in the war, and their air force is also very weak, therefore, preventing the U.S. side from landing has always been a big problem in strategic guidance. In September 1951, after negotiating with Kim Il Sung, the joint headquarters of the Volunteer Army and the People's Army were established on the east and west coasts of North Korea respectively, and coastal defense forces were deployed. The coastal defense policy that the enemy goes deep and then wipes out.But until the autumn of 1952, the Volunteer Army and the People's Army focused on solving the problem of whether the frontal front could be defended, and it was still impossible to completely solve the problem of coastal defense (the problem of a strong coastal defense system).After the tactical counterattack in the autumn of 1952 and the Shangganling defensive operation, it proved that the frontal front had been consolidated, and it was possible to concentrate on completely solving the defense problems of the east and west coasts.As long as this problem is solved, the Volunteer Army and the People's Army will be relieved of their worries, and will be completely in an active position on the entire battlefield.The Central Military Commission and the Volunteer Army will solve this problem, which is called the "pass battle" of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.

To solve this problem, Mao Zedong drafted an instruction issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to the Volunteer Army, which was issued on December 20.The full text of the telegram is as follows: Accordingly, from late December 1952 to April 1953, Deng Hua and Yang Dezhi organized the Volunteer Army and the People’s Army to prepare for a large-scale anti-landing operation. On the basis of comprehensive and in-depth ideological and political mobilization, the main Prepare for the following: The command structures on the east and west coasts were strengthened.In addition to the appointment of Deng Hua as the commander and political commissar of the West Coast Headquarters, and Liang Xingchu as the deputy commander, Fang Hushan (People's Army) and Wu Xinquan were also appointed as the deputy commanders and Du Ping as the deputy political commissar after consultation with the People's Army. He is also the director of the Political Department, and Wang Zhengzhu is the chief of staff, and he has strengthened about half of the staff of the Volunteer Army Command and the Political Department to the West Coast Command.In order to coordinate and command the operations of various special forces, under the West Coast Command, set up the Air Force Front Command Post, the Naval Operations Office, the Second Armor Command Post and the Artillery Director's Office.The East Coast Command is run by the 3rd Corps of the Volunteer Army, with Wang Jinshan as the acting commander, Jin Xiong (People's Army) as the deputy commander, Du Yide as the deputy political commissar, Wang Yunrui as the chief of staff, and Liu Youguang as the director of the Political Department.The guiding principle for anti-landing operations is to "actively defend and resolutely annihilate", resolutely prevent the enemy from landing, and resolutely annihilate after landing, first annihilate the airborne enemy, and then annihilate the landed enemy.

Focusing on the west coast, the battlefield deployment has been fully adjusted.In order to strengthen the anti-landing combat force, the 1st, 16th, 21st, and 54th armies, which were originally planned to enter the DPRK in March 1953, began to enter the DPRK in December 1952 ahead of schedule, and there were 6 ground artillery regiments and 4 Battalion, 1 regiment and 1 battalion of anti-aircraft artillery, and 3 regiments of tanks entered the DPRK.The air force has 14 divisions, the navy has 2 shore artillery companies and 1 torpedo boat brigade, and they are also preparing to participate in anti-landing operations.In order to enable the new troops entering the DPRK to be tempered in frontal combat, and to deploy troops with more combat experience in North Korea to undertake anti-landing operations on the east and west coasts, the Volunteer Army has fully adjusted its deployment.The adjusted deployment situation is that there are 6 armies of the Volunteer Army (3 of which have more experience in Korean combat), 14 regiments and 9 battalions of the ground artillery, 2 regiments and 13 battalions of the anti-aircraft artillery, and 13 battalions of the tanks. 6 regiments; 1 regiment and 1 brigade of the People's Army.Responsible for the defense of the east coast are 2 corps and 1 division of the Volunteer Army (2 of which have more experience in Korean combat), 2 regiments and 3 battalions of ground artillery, 5 battalions of anti-aircraft artillery, and 1 regiment of tanks; 2 legions and 2 brigades.Responsible for frontal defense are 10 armies of the Volunteer Army, 14 regiments and 28 battalions of ground artillery, 24 battalions of anti-aircraft artillery, and 4 regiments of tanks; 3 legions and 2 brigades of the People's Army.Among them, there are 7 armies of the Volunteer Army and 2 regiments of the People's Army on the front line.As the general reserve on the battlefield, there are 2 armies of the volunteer army, 4 regiments and 2 battalions of the ground artillery.Each unit has formulated a combat plan and conducted pre-war training.Domestically, 90,000 new recruits have been added to the battlefield, and the frontline troops have basically reached full strength.At this time, the strength of the Volunteer Army in North Korea reached its peak at 1.35 million. Focusing on the east and west coasts, comprehensively strengthen fortifications.The governments and people of China and North Korea raised a large amount of equipment and materials for the construction of fortifications.Domestically provided materials for volunteers to build fortifications. Incomplete statistics include: 28,000 tons of cement, more than 4,200 tons of steel bars, more than 330,000 cubic meters of timber, and 3.6 million kilograms of explosives.A total of more than 8,090 tunnels were excavated, with a total length of more than 720 kilometers, more than 3,100 kilometers of trenches and traffic trenches were dug, and more than 600 permanent fortifications and a large number of firearm bunkers were built.Together with the previous fortifications, the total length of tunnels is about 1,250 kilometers, and the total length of trenches and traffic trenches is 6,240 kilometers, which is longer than the Great Wall of China.The east and west coasts are the same as the frontal front. Two defensive positions are built, so that the arc-shaped defense line stretching more than 1,130 kilometers between North Korea's east and west coasts and the frontal front forms a complete defense system with tunnels and permanent fortifications as the backbone. The transportation network in northern North Korea has been further transformed and improved, and a large amount of combat materials has been stored. In January 1953, 6 divisions and 5,000 railway employees of the railway engineering troop were transferred from China, and 1 brigade of the Korean railway engineering troop. The horizontal railway to Dechuan and the vertical auxiliary railway from Jiachuan to Yinshan on the Manpu Line; 1 infantry division and engineering troops were deployed to build and rebuild roads, and 4 new vertical and horizontal road lines were newly built.Greatly improved the traffic conditions in North Korea.By February 1953, more than 123,000 tons of ammunition had been hoarded (only 19,000 tons were consumed in the later Jincheng Battle), and the total grain stockpiled was more than 248,000 tons, which could be used by the entire army for 8 months. In addition, the frontal forces actively carried out combat activities. From January to April 1953, there were 47 offensive battles that wiped out one platoon to one company of the enemy. In March and April, more than 30,000 enemies were wiped out. Combat readiness on the east and west coasts. By the end of April 1953, the preparations for the anti-landing operation were basically completed, thus completely eliminating worries about the future and grasping the initiative on the entire battlefield.The last hand of the large-scale military adventure of the United States is also difficult to manifest, so it has to be stillborn. The preparations for this anti-landing operation are not only a direct battle preparation to solve the urgent need, but more importantly, major strategic measures to fundamentally grasp the initiative of the entire battlefield. An indispensable important link and a wise move in the strategic guidance of the war paved the way for the final victory of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.