and then UN forces pushed the Chinese back to the 38th and a political decision was made not to press on North the second time. All the while, Chinese aircraft based North of the Yalu were immune from attack at their bases and the huge supply depots on the other side of the Yalu were immune as well. Sound familiar?
Final Battles and Wars End
The Chinese began their offensive on the 22nd of April and pushed 8th army units back a ways. But Ridgeway had done his job well,and the line steadied and held. After inflicting heavy casualties on the Chinese 8th Army started an offensive of their own a month later. It was started with a tremendous artillery barrage and the Communists started a retreat.Its been estimated that the Chinese lost 200,000 men in the six months leading up to and including this failed attack. Russia now called for a cease fire and the Chinese let it be known that they would like one too. At the end of June Ridgeway said he would be willing to discuss a cease fire. The Chinese agreed and on July 10th,1951 peace talks began in the town of Kaesong (in communist hands) Hopes were high, but it would be two more bloody years before the shooting would stop. In the meantime, new battle names, such as "Bloody Ridge", "Heartbreak Ridge,"and "Pork Chop Hill" would make their way into the annals of the U.S. military.
The lst Marine Division, in an area known as the "Iron Triangle" (between Chorwon,KumHwa, and PyongYang) bore the brunt of the April 22nd offensive. (the 5th such offensive in the war thus far) The 5th Marines were left stranded when the ROK Division on their flank fled as soon as the shooting started. The regiment had to swing their line around to cover this flank and were able to stand their ground. Two days later they had to pull back aways, but not before inflicting extremely heavy casualties on the attackers, breaking the momemtum of the assault. On the Imjim River,the British 29th Brigade took a savage mauling,but inflicted even moire casualties on the Chiese before retreating.
Despite the failings of this major attack, the Chinese sent 30 more divisions (including 9 newly manned North Korean Divisions) against the U.N. Force on May 15th, 1951. Most of the ROK divisions fled but the U.S. 2nd Division held despite suffering almost 1,000 casualties. The 38th Infantry was hit again and again on the night of May 16th and were still in their positions when the sun came up.There were hundCommunists of dead Chinese in front of their lines at day break. The U.S. 3rd Division and the 187th RCT (Airborne) filled in the gap left by the ROK's and the Chinese were stymied. This offensive had cost them 90,000 men by U.N. estimate.
On May 22nd Van Fleet started a counter attack. The lst marine Division and the 187th RCT reached the Hwachon Resevoir (this supplied Seoul water and electrical power) and I Corps regained the Imjim River line previously held by the British 29th Brigade.
The Communists were badly mauled and Van Fleet started another limited offensive. "Operation Pile Driver" regained Chorwon and Kumwha, and X Corps cleared all enemy from a heavily fortified area called "the Punch bowl." In any of our previous wars the way to victory would now be evident, but the U.N. didn't want complete victory in 1951. It only wanted the old border of the 38th parallel re established.
By August the truce talks at Kaesong were called off when it became evident that the Communists were just stalling and trying to get every concession from the U.N. that they could. It now also became evident that the Communists used this time to fortify their positions and bring up more artillery while the U.N. forces remanied in the status quo. This foolhardy trusting of the Communists would lead to more American deaths.
The Hwachon Resevoir was ringed by heights that would be aptly called "Bloody Ridge" and "Heartbreak Ridge." American and Chinese troops would fight over these hills continously from Summer to October 1951. Finally the 2nd Division, after much bloodshed, took the heights for good, dealing the Chinese a severe defeat.
8th Army was now almost 20 miles above the parallel and the Chinese called for another round of truce talks. The U.N. agreed but only if they took place at a neutral site,and on October 25th.1951 the talks resumed at Panmonjom.
Van Fleet was ordered not to start any offensives except local attacks no larger than batallion size. Once more the Communists would use the talks as an opportunity to bolster their defenses. From now on, thousands of men on both sides would die taking or defending a hill that would change the tactical situation very little. These men would die only to give one side or the other a bargaining chip at the conference table. The mode of fighting would now closely resemble the trench warfare of WWl.
Interesting read; if you read it, let me know and we can argue over that assessment.
