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6 July 2010
by Admin
Through the Camera Lens:
The Korean War (4)
November 25 -
December 24, 1950:
The Second Phase
of Counter Offensive
[1]
[2] [3] [4]
In
late November 1950, PVA's 38th Army was
ready for Offensive Campaign Phase II and
got into the position for carrying out
ambush attacks on the US force.
On
November 24, the Home-by-Christmas
Offensive was launched by the US and
South Korean Force with the US 8th Army
assulting northwest front of North Korea,
and the US X Corps attacking along North
Korean east coast, with the goal to
conquer the North Korea in the entirety.
On
the night of November 25, PVA launched
counter attack, hitting the 8th Army's
center and right. The Worst defeat in
U.S. military history was thus unfolding.
The
U.S. 9th Infantry Regiment was one of the
hardest hit units and could only account
for one-half of its assigned members next
day.
The
heavy fighting continued for several
days. Then the PVA advanced along the
snowy mountain ranges in the weather
condition of minus 30 towards the
Chongchon River.
The
PVA proved themselves masters of
infiltration by moving mainly at night,
skilfully covering their tracks and
taking full advantage of the US and South
Korean armies' thinly-manned front and
inadequate patrolling.
Having
over-ran South Korean Army divisions in
the vicinity of the Chongchon River, the
PVA advanced to struck the back flank of
the US X Corps.
The
U.S. 1st Marine Division had to shoot its
way down from Yudam-Ni, in face of the
strong attack of PVA 40th Army. And
Chinese decided to block their retreat.
Chinese
soldiers quickly positioned themselves on
the hilltop overlooking the mountain road
leading to the sea.
On
Novement 27, 1950, they fell on U.S. 1st
Marine Division and two battalions of the
7th Division retiring from the Chongchon
River and stormed a nearby U.S. Army task
force which was almost wiped out.
Just
in a few days, the PVA onslaught had
reversed the military situation on the
battleground completely. They destroyed
several South Korean divisions, badly
tore up the U.S. 2rd Division and forced
the rest to flee southwards to escape a
total destruction.
On
29 November, General MacArthur ordered UN
force to withdraw from all fronts. By
November 30, the PVA 13th Army Group had
expelled the US 8th Army from northwest
Korea.
What
Americans and South Koreans left behind
in the North Korea were a large quantity
of armoured and unarmoured vehicles ...
Crashed
choppers ...
The
bodies of dead US and South Korean
soldiers, with those survived becoming
the prisoners of war ...
And
big smile on the faces of the US captives
since they were well fed, warmed clothed
and kindly treated by the PVA.
After
a group of US soldiers from 25th Regiment
surrended to Chinese troops, they happily
gather together for a photo opportunity.
"We
face an entirely new war," MacArthur
notified Washington on November 28, 1950.
On the following day he instructed
General Walker of the US 8th Army to make
whatever withdrawals were necessary to
escape being enveloped by Chinese force.
On
December 6, PVA captured the North Korean
capital Pyongyang and pursued the US 8th
Army fleeing the town.
Over
the following two weeks, the remaining US
Marines battled their way to the port of
Hungnam, from which they were evacuated
by sea.
By
December 15, US and South Korean forces
were back at the 38th parallel where they
began their military invasion.
On
December 16, US President Truman declared
a national emergency with Presidential
Proclamation, which remained in force
until 14 September 1978.
On
December 23, the commanding General
Walton Walker was killed in a car
accident, and the morale of US force hit
rock bottom.
Chinese
Volunteers and North Koreans concluded
the second phase counter offensive by
joining forces at the east coast after
delivered a crushing blow to US dream of
the Home-by-Christmas (and they never
recovered from the blow, not even by
now).
The
diagram indicates the second phase of PVA
counter offensive operations that became
the turning point of the Korean War. The
red arrows represent PVA force and the
black lines signify the UN(US) force.
Over 36,000 UN military personnels were
killed with over 30,700 casualties on PVA
side.
[1]
[2] [3] [4]
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