When the volunteers fought bloodily at Changjin Lake, what did Chiang Kai-shek do in Taiwan?
Text | History of Jiuding
Edited by | Jiuding Jianshi
The Battle of Chosin Lake is a battle that cannot be ignored in the entire Korean War, and under the extremely difficult situation of the combat environment, on November 27, 1950, the 3 corps of the 9th Corps of the People's Volunteer Army bravely killed the enemy without fear of sacrifice, and the US army that was armed to the teeth at that time was hit with flowers and flowers, and our army also created a record of annihilating a whole regiment of the US army.
After the Battle of Chosin Lake, the Koreans regained most of the area north of the 38th Parallel, and the entire war situation was reversed, laying a solid foundation for the final victory.
So the question is, just when the People's Volunteers risked being frozen to death to kill the enemy, what was Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan doing? As a Chinese, did he think of fighting for his country or being proud of the volunteer army?
Facts have proved that Chiang Kai-shek is undoubtedly the "dog's leg" of the United States.
Before we can understand this period of history, we need to first look at how Chairman Mao made the difficult decision to resist US aggression and aid Korea.
The President's difficult choice
When the Korean War broke out, our country had just been established for two years. At this time, the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communists had not yet ended, and the whole country had not yet completely come out of the cloud of war. In addition to the country's poverty and weakness, many internal hidden dangers have not been solved.
However, when the news of the outbreak of the Korean Civil War reached the Central Committee, Chairman Mao and many leaders were very concerned, because it was very likely to implicate our country and plunge our country into the vortex of war again.
In July 1950, an act of the United States even touched the bottom line of our country. MacArthur, the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces, made a blatant visit to Taiwan, and his photo with Chiang Kai-shek was later published in the local Taiwanese press. By making such a move, the United States is announcing to the whole world that "they will help Chiang Kai-shek defend Taiwan." We can also see from this incident that since the outbreak of the Korean War, Taiwan has played a certain role in this.
In the face of the us actions, Chairman Mao immediately set up a border guard army in the northeast region and was ready for the possibility of war in the future.
Chairman Mao had long been prepared for the possibility that the United States might take the opportunity to invade China's borders, but he hesitated whether to send troops to Korea. If we look at it from the perspective of a military expert, Chairman Mao thinks so: "As long as the US imperialists are only three or eight lines, we will not care, but if we cross the three or eight lines and a half steps, we will definitely fight it!" ”
On October 1 of the same year, the first grand celebration after the founding of New China, the Chinese People's Liberation Army accepted a review at Tiananmen Square, but before the review ceremony was officially over, the US-ROK coalition army brazenly crossed the 38th Line. Shortly thereafter, the Soviet Union telephoned the central government expressing the hope that our country would send troops to help. Kim Il Sung also sent a rescue signal to our country at the first time, and they were eager for China to send troops to North Korea.
After receiving the urgent telegram, Chairman Mao immediately withdrew from the joy of the National Day and held the first Politburo meeting in Zhongnanhai. The meeting lasted for five hours, and the chairman smoked a lot at the conference, but he was unable to make up his mind to send troops to Korea. On October 4, the Central Committee held another meeting, and Chairman Mao, after listening to the opinions of people from all sides, was still hesitating whether to go to war with the United States.
The Campaign to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea
In fact, the Chairman's delay in making a choice is nothing more than the following concerns:
First of all, his old man's consideration was, if we go to war with the United States, what is the probability of winning the war? You know, the United States in the 50s was one of the most powerful military powers in the world at that time, and even the Soviet Union was afraid of three points. At that time, our country was not comparable to the United States at all. People produce more than 80 million tons of steel a year, and we only have a pitiful 600,000 tons. People have many advanced weapons such as atomic bombs, but we are still backward "millet plus rifles". Even more fatal is the disadvantage of air superiority, china's air force at that time was almost zero, and the United States had all kinds of bombers and reconnaissance aircraft.
Second, Chairman Mao considered whether China's economic construction could be carried out smoothly. Before the outbreak of the Korean War, our country set the focus of development for the coming years. Developing the economy and doing a good job in infrastructure construction is the most important task, and if we rush into the war, all plans will certainly be disrupted.
Finally, there is whether China's involvement will trigger World War III. At that time, the international situation was not stable, and if it was not careful, the United States could turn around and go to war against China in an all-round way. At that time, the Soviet Union may also be involved in war, and the global stability will be broken.
But even though it was difficult to make a choice, the chairman finally sent troops to Korea out of concern for the safety of the people of the whole country and the safety of the people of the whole world! In the words of the old man: "One punch is thrown, so as not to have a hundred punches coming." ”
Majestic across the Yalu River
Chiang Kai-shek's reaction and attitude
After the outbreak of war on the Korean Peninsula, it can be said that it was a good thing for Chiang Kai-shek, because he could use this opportunity to counterattack the mainland again!
In fact, long before Chiang Kai-shek collapsed and retreated to Taiwan, he was already "in the same stream" with South Korea. At that time, Chiang Kai-shek was gradually defeated and retreated, and the Korean Peninsula was divided into two countries, North Korea and South Korea, and Chiang Kai-shek's Nanjing government immediately established diplomatic relations with the South Korean government.
In their days in Taiwan, Chiang Kai-shek and his men had been quietly waiting for the opportunity to counterattack, hoping for the outbreak of World War III on the one hand, and the South Korean government for them on the other.
After the outbreak of the Korean War, Chiang Kai-shek immediately told South Korean President Syngman Rhee: If the ROK side needs Taiwan to send troops, we will certainly support it.
From Chiang Kai-shek's words, we can hear that he is still quite confident. Immediately, Chiang Kai-shek prepared to mobilize the Nationalist 52nd Army into the Korean battlefield. After retreating to Taiwan, the Nationalist 52nd Army can be said to be Chiang Kai-shek's ace unit, and since he can devote his blood to helping South Korea, it seems that he hopes to get the affirmation of the South Korean government.
South Korean President Syngman Rhee
However, just when Chiang Kai-shek was full of self-confidence, the Americans poured a basin of cold water. The U.S. Secretary of State expressed doubts about Chiang Kai-shek's troop dispatch and gave reasons:
First of all, Taiwan is now too busy to take care of itself, and it still needs to be protected and has the ability to protect others.
Second, at that time, China had not yet intervened in the war, and the United States was afraid that Taiwan's intervention would cause the mainland to participate in the war, which would bring greater trouble to the war situation.
Finally, the U.S. government has never been able to trust Chiang Kai-shek's troops. During the Kuomintang-Communist Civil War, the United States gave great assistance to the Nationalist army, but they still lost the war and retreated to Taiwan, which made the United States seriously doubt the combat effectiveness of Chiang Kai-shek's troops.
Three reasons pierced Chiang Kai-shek's heart, and he was speechless.
Chiang Kai-shek and his subordinates
As soon as the Battle of Chosin Lake broke out, MacArthur turned to Chiang Kai-shek for help
Chiang Kai-shek can be said to have "put a hot face on a cold ass", and he basically gave up the idea of joining the battle. But just a month after the volunteers joined the fighting, things took a turn for the worse.
At the end of November 1950, MacArthur sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek expressing the hope that he would join the Korean Theater. At this time, the U.S. army looked a little stretched in the face of the brave volunteer army.
Thinking about MacArthur's remarks before the war now, it is really a bit of a slap in the face.
He has said that the battle will end before Christmas and let the soldiers go home happy to spend Christmas. But reality was not what he imagined. The People's Volunteers sent a "Christmas gift" to the Americans in North Korea.
Since the first campaign of the Volunteers on October 25, nearly 20,000 Americans have been killed and taken prisoner, forcing them to retreat from the Yalu River to the area south of the Cheongcheon River.
The gradual defeat of the Korean battlefield made MacArthur think of Chiang Kai-shek, who quickly ordered Taiwan to send someone to discuss the 52nd Army's support for the battlefield. The reason why MacArthur thought of Chiang Kai-shek at this stage may have the following two considerations. First of all, the U.S. military has no hope for the upcoming Battle of Chosin Lake, and after all, the Nationalist army has been fighting with our army for so long, sending them to battle may have a miraculous effect. Second, the United States believes that Chiang Kai-shek's participation in the war will put pressure on our army, which will distract our army and thus win the Battle of Chosin Lake.
Frozen warriors
On November 20, 1950, a week before the Battle of Chosin Lake began, Chiang Kai-shek, after receiving MacArthur's telegram, immediately convened a meeting to give instructions. He ordered the 52nd Army to be ready to go to war at any time, and to enter the war as soon as the United States needed it.
On November 30, the 52nd Army was fully assembled, and with a single order, the force would rush to the Korean battlefield. But in the end, Chiang Kai-shek still did not send troops to Korea, not because he did not want to, but because there were changes again in the United States.
After seeing the telegram from MacArthur, the American authorities immediately rejected Chiang Kai-shek's idea of entering the war, believing that it was an indirect launch of World War III. And Truman also publicly stated that it was foolish to let Chiang Kai-shek enter the war.
This was the second time chiang kai-shek had been vetoed by the U.S. government, and he was furious and made frequent remarks to prove how powerful he was, and if he could enter the war, it would definitely bring a decisive role to the United States. He was obviously a little overconfident, wasn't the defeat in the Liberation War enough for them to remember it for a long time?
MacArthur
Let's take a look at the Chosin Lake battlefield at that time. On November 30, the fourth day of the Battle of Chosin Lake, our army defeated the "Polar Bear Regiment", the ace unit of the American Army. Defeated the myth of the undefeated US army, and beat the American soldiers armed to the teeth to cry. However, the price paid by our army is also not small, in the environment of minus tens of degrees, our army due to insufficient logistical supplies, the soldiers are still wearing single clothes, but in this way, the soldiers are still lurking motionless in the snow for several hours, and many soldiers are not killed in battle but are frozen to death. This battle has also made many veterans look down.
The warriors lay in ambush in the snow and ice
In 1952, MacArthur had been recalled by the U.S. government, replaced by Clark. At this time, the war situation in the Korean battlefield has gradually become clear. However, Chiang Kai-shek, who was far away in Taiwan, still had a glimmer of hope for sending troops to Korea. He told Clark that he was willing to fight with the U.S. military.
However, the rout of the United States at that time was no longer something that Chiang Kai-shek's troops could reverse, and moreover, the investigation of the US military showed that most of Chiang Kai-shek's troops had low combat effectiveness, and their training in peacetime did not have a good appearance, and they could not play any role at all when they were sent to the battlefield.
Three failed battles left Chiang Kai-shek watching the entire Korean War. I have been watching the United States sign the truce. Looking at Chiang Kai-shek's behavior during the Korean War, he can be said to be the "dog's leg" of the United States.