The media replayed Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning's explanation of the Battle of Changjin Lake, who did he humiliate?
Christmas Eve, also known as Christmas Eve, is a traditional holiday in the West to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Every year on December 24th, people in Western countries gather as families for a warm and peaceful evening. Just the day before, on December 23, U.S. President Joe Biden and his family went to Camp David to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with everyone. This gives us a glimpse of Christmas Eve and Christmas in Western countries.
However, in the winter of 70 years ago, on the eve of Christmas Eve in 1950, China and the United States were in full swing on the Korean battlefield. The curtain of an epic victory slowly opens here. This is the famous Battle of Changjin Lake.
We note that the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Ms. Mao Ning, recently mentioned the Battle of Changjin Lake at a press conference in April. She said that according to the records of China's war history, in this battle, our army annihilated a total of 36,000 enemy troops, including 24,000 US troops, completely annihilating an entire regiment of US troops, and the commander of US forces, Lieutenant General Walker, was also killed in the battle. Then-U.S. Secretary of State Acheson called it "the longest retreat" in the history of the U.S. military.
Ms. Mao's words seem to remind us not to forget the history of the Battle of Changjin Lake. At the beginning of the Korean War, the U.S. military did not value the Chinese army. The Battle of Changjin Lake was an important example of our army's victory over the strong with the weak and the blow to the arrogance of the US army. We should remember and commemorate this history.
The Battle of Changjin Lake took place from November 25 to December 24, 1950. In the face of the invasion of the US army, the Chinese People's Volunteers defeated the more with less and the stronger with the weak, completely smashed the large army led by the American five-star general MacArthur, and completed an unprecedented counterattack battle. A total of 24,000 U.S. troops were annihilated, which disgraced the "Napoleon" MacArthur of Asia and resigned from the post of commander-in-chief of the United Nations Forces. This battle directly affected the course of the entire Korean War. It can be said that the Battle of Changjin Lake was one of the most significant victories of the Chinese army in the Korean War.
At that time, there was a serious imbalance of power between China and the United States
To understand why the Battle of Changjin Lake is so important, we need to first understand the balance of power between China and the United States in the 1950s. What kind of era was that? At that time, China had just shaken off the shadow of civil war, lacked national strength, and its economy was in ruins. The United States, on the other hand, is a superpower that has just emerged victorious from World War II and is galloping around the world.
In 1950, the GDP of the United States reached $280 billion, more than ten times that of China. Not to mention the military strength, the Chinese army is not supplied with even the most basic food, and wears thin cotton clothes; The U.S. military was not only well-fed and warmly clothed, but also equipped with world-class aircraft, tanks, helicopters and other weapons at that time. Air supremacy is almost entirely controlled by the American side. Under such disparities, a head-on conflict between the two sides should undoubtedly be a defeat for China.
The situation at that time was extremely unfavorable for China. On the Korean Peninsula, the US-led "United Nations Army" is pressing forward step by step, and our army is no longer in danger to defend. If the enemy army is allowed to drive straight into the border between China and North Korea, it will inevitably threaten China's national security. Decisive action must be taken to turn things around.
Our great man personally decided to send troops, and in the face of various objections, he finally decided to send troops to Korea against all odds. This historic decision directly changed the course of the war. The intervention of the "Chinese People's Volunteers" surprised the US side and disrupted their deployment.
The decisive juncture of the Battle of Changjin Lake
Just before Christmas Eve, U.S. President Harry S. Truman made a phone call to MacArthur expressing concern about the Chinese military. MacArthur, a five-star general, however, is talking wildly and does not take China seriously. He arrogantly declared that the fighting would end before Christmas and that the American soldiers would "return to the furnace as soon as possible" for the holidays. Who knew that their arrogant and underestimated the enemy created an excellent fighter for the volunteers.
Next, the Volunteer Army lured the enemy into the depths with the tactics of enduring humiliation and burden, and finally launched a counterattack in Changjin County. Step by step, they led the American troops into the carefully arranged battlefield, and then besieged them with amazing bravery. This was the decisive juncture of the famous Battle of Changjin Lake.
Changjin Lake is located at the junction of the Douman River and the Jinjiang River. The Volunteers took advantage of the terrain to march and conceal themselves, trapping the enemy in a narrow area in the center of the lake. After that, with a fierce offensive from all sides, the enemy did not have the slightest respite. This tactic can be described as a Jedi counterattack, and it is surprisingly successful. In the face of the huge disparity in strength between the enemy and us, the volunteers not only did not fear, but won the battle in the cold battlefield with blood and courage.
In this battle, our army annihilated one division of the US army with four divisions, and the ratio of numbers was 1:4. This was an almost impossible task at that time, and it was a "war of annihilation in a large proportion" in the true sense, and therefore occupied an important position in the world's military history.
China has proved its strength with concrete actions
The impact of this battle on China was extremely far-reaching. In terms of international influence, it has sent a message to the world that cannot be ignored: this great power in the East will never be slaughtered by others. The Battle of Changjin Lake remembered the heroic courage and tenacious will of the Chinese people.
It also proves that weak nations can also stand up to powerful enemies. As long as the masses of the people are united and dare to fight and sacrifice, we can create miracles. This is of even more profound significance in that era when the national strength was weakened.
For China today, the Battle of Changjin Lake is still worth remembering. It warns us not to forget history, not to forget those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country, and even more to remember that today's peaceful life is all bought by them with their blood and lives. This also reminds us to be vigilant against changes in the international situation, always keep a clear head and firm will, and never forget our original intention.
Today, China is achieving tremendous development and growing stronger. Looking back on the Battle of Changjin Lake, we feel that the efforts of the martyrs 70 years ago were not in vain. With their blood, they have opened up a road to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and this road is leading to glory step by step. All Chinese should remember these turbulent years and add impetus to the next struggle.
Christmas Eve has a different connotation for every country and nation. For the Chinese, this is also a day worth remembering. Every Christmas Eve, each of us can remember the thunderous years, the heroic battle that sealed the snowfield dumplings. The inheritance of this memory will inspire us to continue to strive for self-improvement and hard work, so as to strive for a truly peaceful day.