On June 25, 1950, the Korean War broke out. The question of whether China should send troops to the war has sparked heated debate at the top level of China. Some people believe that the US military is invincible and China should not be involved in this war, while others firmly believe that as long as the command is right, the US military will be defeated. In this controversy, the views of several Kuomintang rebel generals stood out. They have a personal understanding of the US military, so how do they view the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea at this critical moment? Can China finally achieve victory? This article will reveal the mystery for you.
China's military situation on the eve of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea
In 1950, less than a year after the founding of the People's Republic of China, there were many internal and external troubles. The remnants of the Kuomintang stubbornly resisted, the Taiwan issue was unresolved, Sino-Soviet relations were delicate, and the United States adopted a hostile policy toward New China. At this juncture, war broke out suddenly on the Korean Peninsula.
In the early morning of June 25, the Korean People's Army launched an offensive on the 38th parallel, and the South Korean army was defeated one after another. The United States immediately intervened, sending the Seventh Fleet into the Taiwan Strait to prevent the liberation of Taiwan, and organizing the "United Nations Army" to support South Korea. The war spread rapidly, and the situation in Korea took a sharp turn for the worse.
On September 15, the Inchon landing campaign began, and the U.S. forces quickly occupied Seoul, forcing the Korean People's Army to retreat. On October 1, the ROK army crossed the 38th parallel and approached the Yalu River. China's security is under serious threat.
The outbreak of the Korean War put China's leaders in a dilemma. Sending troops to aid the DPRK means fighting against the United States, the world's number one power, and the risks are enormous; if the US military does not send troops to aid the DPRK, the US military will reach the Yalu River, and the security of northeast China and the geopolitical interests of the socialist camp will be seriously damaged.
At this critical moment, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held successive meetings to discuss the issue of whether or not to send troops to aid the DPRK. Mao Zedong was adamant in favor of sending troops, but there were some who opposed it. Peng Dehuai raised three concerns: first, there is no air force, second, there is no heavy artillery, and third, there is no transportation. Lin Biao also has concerns, worried that "if you can't win the war, you will be embarrassed."
During the controversy, the views of several Kuomintang uprising generals attracted the attention of the central leading comrades. These generals had dealt with the US military in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, and had first-hand experience of the US military's tactics, equipment, and morale. How will they judge the prospects of this war, and will the Chinese military be capable of defeating the American military?
The attitudes and analyses of Yang Botao, Du Yuming, and Wen Qiang have become important references for the central government's decision-making. Their military talent and strategic vision played an important role at this critical juncture.
The judgment of the rebel generals against the war of US aid to Korea
At the beginning of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, China's top leaders debated the question of whether or not to send troops. Although Mao Zedong strongly advocated sending troops, some people opposed it. At this critical juncture, the views of several Kuomintang uprising generals attracted the attention of the central leading comrades. All of them had dealt with the U.S. military in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, and had a personal understanding of the U.S. military.
Yang Botao was one of the generals who expressed his unique views. He served as a major general in the 18th Army of the Kuomintang and had an in-depth study of the tactics of the American army. Yang Botao wrote an article entitled "A Study of US Military Tactics," in which he sprinkled more than 60,000 words and comprehensively analyzed the weaknesses of the US military.
In the article, Yang Botao pointed out that although the US military has advanced weapons and equipment and strong firepower, it also has obvious weaknesses. U.S. soldiers have a short training time, lack actual combat experience, and have limited combat capabilities in complex terrain. U.S. commanders are accustomed to relying on equipment superiority while ignoring intangible factors such as tactical use and morale. Yang Botao believes that as long as the generals of our army command properly and give full play to the superiority of the people's army, they will be fully capable of defeating the US army.
Yang Botao's view was endorsed by General Du Yuming. Du Yuming was a high-achieving student who graduated from the first phase of Huangpu, served as the commander of the Fifth Army of the Kuomintang, and was also one of the main generals of the expeditionary force. He had many contacts with the U.S. military on the battlefield in Burma and knew the U.S. military well.
Du Yuming found Section Chief Li of the War Criminals Management Center and commented on the US military. He said: "The US military's weapons are good and its firepower is strong, but because of its simple training, especially its lack of strategic and tactical research, and its strategy and tactics are not determined from such intangible factors as the enemy's situation, terrain, the comparison of enemy and enemy forces, and morale, the overall combat effectiveness is not good, especially the infantry!"
Du Yuming's judgment is very incisive. He believes that the US military relies too much on weapons and equipment, and ignores factors such as strategy, tactics and morale, which is their Achilles' heel. As long as our military gives full play to its own advantages and flexibly applies tactics, it will certainly be able to defeat the US military.
Diametrically opposed to the views of Yang Botao and Du Yuming is General Wen Qiang. Wen Qiang held important positions in the military command, and later became the head of the first lieutenant general of the Kuomintang Pacification Office. In his article "Predictions of the US-North Korea War", he asserted that the US military is invincible.
Wen Qiang believed that the Korean War was essentially a contest between the United States and the Soviet Union. He analyzed: "I think that the Soviet army suffered a great loss of vitality in World War II and will not be able to recover in 10 or 8 years; the US military itself has not been ravaged by the war, and unless the third major war is not fought, the US army will definitely win if it is not fought." The Korean Peninsula cannot fight guerrilla warfare, nor can it fight positional warfare, and it will not be so easy for millet and rifles to fight the US military. ＂
Wen Qiang's judgment was obviously wrong. He only saw the strength of the US army, and ignored the strength of the people's army. Facts have proved that the Chinese Volunteers were able to fight not only guerrilla warfare but also positional warfare, and finally won a great victory in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
In addition to Yang Botao, Du Yuming, and Wen Qiang, some rebel generals also analyzed the prospects of the war. General Qiu Xingxiang believed that although the US military was well-equipped, it lacked the belief in victory and the will to fight, and it was difficult to win in the end. General Huang Wei, on the other hand, was pessimistic about the prospects of the war, fearing that the Chinese army would not be able to compete with the modern weapons of the American army.
The judgments of these generals have undoubtedly provided an important reference for the central authorities' decision-making. Their understanding and analysis of the US military will help the Chinese military find a way to defeat the enemy. Although their views differ, they all hope that China will win this war.
The course of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea
On October 19, 1950, the Chinese People's Volunteers secretly crossed the Yalu River and set foot on the battlefield to resist US aggression and aid Korea. This army, led by General Peng Dehuai, shoulders the sacred mission of defending national security and defending the homeland and the country. They are facing the US military, which is known as "invincible".
After the first battle began, the Volunteer Army quickly crushed the offensive of the "United Nations Army". The 42nd Army of the Volunteer Army under the command of General Wang Shusheng was outnumbered in the Yunshan City Blockade Battle and annihilated more than 1 division of the South Korean Army. Subsequently, the Volunteer Army launched a counterattack and drove the "United Nations Army" back to the south of the 38th parallel within two weeks.
On 25 November, the second battle began. This battle can be called a turning point in the entire War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. The Volunteer Army adopted a "pincer offensive", with the 13th Corps attacking on the eastern front and the 9th Corps attacking on the western front. After five days and five nights of fierce fighting, the Volunteers regained the vast area east of the Qingchuan River, completely annihilated more than one division of the "United Nations Army", and captured more than 10,000 people.
The victory in the second battle shattered the myth of the invincibility of the US army and greatly boosted the morale of the volunteers. Chairman Mao Zedong praised: "This battle is a battle of decisive significance, a battle that crushes the enemy's morale and raises the morale of our army. ＂
In 1951, the war entered a phase of stalemate. The two sides started a tug-of-war near the 38th parallel, with you coming and going, exchanging offense and defense. In October, the U.S. military launched the "Autumn Offensive" in an attempt to reoccupy the area north of the 38th parallel. The Volunteers engaged in a desperate contest with them and smashed the offensive plot of the American army.
In this battle, the 15th Army of the Volunteer Army under the command of General Wang Jinshan engaged in a tragic white-knuckle battle with the US army. The volunteer soldiers repelled the frantic charge of the American troops with bayonets and bullets, and successfully completed the blocking mission. General Wang Jinshan personally led three companies to launch a counterattack, destroying more than 700 enemies.
In October 1952, the Volunteer Army launched the Battle of Shangganling, which was the most arduous battle in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. Located north of Jinhua, Shangganling is the largest army fortress in the Far East, known as the "Gibraltar of the East". For 7 days and 7 nights, the volunteers and the "United Nations Army" fought to the death here.
The soldiers of the Volunteer Army carried forward the fighting style of "less steel and more gas" and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. The enemy built 5 barbed wire, and the volunteers sent 5 groups of "thunder-climbing heroes" to clear the obstacles with their flesh and blood. The soldiers shouted "Rush! For the motherland!" and charged again and again.
In the end, at the cost of more than 25,000 casualties, the Volunteers killed, wounded and captured more than 25,000 enemies, repelled more than 900 enemy attacks, and created a miracle in the history of world wars. This battle completely crushed the arrogance of the "United Nations Army."
Throughout the war, General Peng Dehuai commanded and strategized. In light of the situation between the enemy and us, he promptly adjusted his operational policy and adopted a variety of tactics, such as "movement warfare" and "positional warfare," thus giving full play to the superiority of the people's army.
Several classic combat examples commanded by General Peng have become compulsory textbooks in military academies. For example, in the second campaign, the "pincer offensive" used both flanks to outflank the enemy, evade the real and eliminate the false, and quickly cut off the enemy's retreat; another example was the "zero position" in the Shangganling Campaign, which confused the enemy by camouflage, lured the enemy into depth, and then concentrated superior forces to annihilate him.
Under the bloody struggle of the officers and men of the Chinese People's Volunteers, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea finally achieved a great victory. In July 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, and calm returned to both sides of the Yalu River. This war shattered the myth of the invincibility of the US military, defended the security of New China, and won an international reputation for New China.
The significance of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea
On July 27, 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed at Panmunjom, ending the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, which lasted for two years and nine months. This great war, in which the Chinese People's Volunteers and the Korean People's Army fought side by side, won great victories and created many "firsts".
This was the first war fought since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and it was also the first time that the Chinese armed forces had fought against the armed forces of the world's number one power. In this war, the Chinese People's Volunteers annihilated and captured more than 735,000 "United Nations troops," including more than 369,000 US troops. This is the highest number of casualties in the war for the United States.
The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea shattered the myth of the invincibility of the US military. Until then, the Americans had always believed that they were invincible with the most advanced weapons and equipment and the most sophisticated troops. However, on the Korean battlefield, the Volunteers and the People's Army, which were poorly equipped, defeated the "United Nations Army" armed to the teeth by virtue of their bravery, resourcefulness and flexible tactics.
This war greatly enhanced the prestige of the Chinese army, and the blood, courage, and wisdom of the Chinese soldiers were recognized by the world. The British magazine "The Economist" commented: "The Chinese army has shown strong combat effectiveness...... This army was trained, and although they lacked modern weaponry, they showed great discipline and fought bravely...... ＂
The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea safeguarded the security of New China. If US troops are allowed to be stationed along the Yalu River, the northeastern frontier of New China will always be under the threat of war. Sending troops to Korea kept the flames of war out of the country and won a peaceful environment for the construction of New China.
This war greatly promoted the friendship between China and North Korea. In the test of blood and fire, the peoples of China and the DPRK have forged a friendship cemented in blood, which cannot be broken by any force. As Mao Zedong said: "The great friendship forged by the Chinese and DPRK peoples in the struggle against imperialist aggression is eternal and cannot be broken by any force." ＂
The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea also greatly enhanced New China's international status. Through this war, China has demonstrated to the world its firm stand of safeguarding peace and resisting aggression, and has won the respect and support of the vast number of developing countries. Many countries have established diplomatic relations with New China, and New China has truly stepped onto the international stage.
For the United States, the war is a major lesson. Since then, the US Government has begun to re-examine its China policy and has gradually given up its attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs by force. Despite the ups and downs in the decades that followed, the Korean War was a turning point in America's cautious approach to China.
For the soldiers who participated in the war, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea is an unforgettable memory. When the volunteers returned home in triumph, there were crowds of people everywhere who rushed to lay flowers to the heroes and thank them for their immortal exploits to the country. This kind of scene will forever be engraved in the hearts of every soldier participating in the war.
Today, more than half a century has passed since the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, but its significance has never diminished. This war was not only a great victory for the Chinese people in resisting foreign aggression, but also an important milestone in the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It shows the world that any force that attempts to invade China will be resolutely countered by the Chinese people.
As Deng Xiaoping said: "The significance of the great victory in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea is now more profound than it has ever been in the past." Because it defeated not only militarily the aggressor, armed to the teeth, but also politically, morally. ＂
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The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea will always be the pride of the Chinese nation and a source of strength that inspires generation after generation of Chinese to advance. We must always remember the great achievements of the martyrs, carry forward their heroic and tenacious revolutionary spirit that is not afraid of sacrifice, and make unremitting efforts to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.