Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River

Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River[1]
Part of the Korean War
A snow covered hill with the hill top on fire and the slopes filled with charging soldiers
Chinese forces overrun a UN position.
DateNovember 25 – December 2, 1950[1]
Location39°42′N 125°53′E / 39.700°N 125.883°E / 39.700; 125.883 (Kunu-ri)
Result Chinese victory[2]
Territorial
changes
South Korean and UN forces withdraw/retreat to Seoul and Inchon, KPA regains control of all areas north of the 38th Parallel[3]
Belligerents

United Nations

 South Korea
 China
Commanders and leaders
United Nations Douglas MacArthur
United States Walton H. Walker
United States John B. Coulter
United States Laurence B. Keiser
First Republic of Korea Yu Jae-hung[1]
First Republic of Korea Paik Sun-yup
Turkey Tahsin Yazıcı[1]
United Kingdom Basil Aubrey Coad[4]
China Mao Zedong
China Peng Dehuai
China Han Xianchu
Units involved
United States I Corps[1]
United States IX Corps
First Republic of Korea II Corps
United States US Fifth Air Force[1]
38th Corps[1]
39th Corps[1]
40th Corps[1]
42nd Corps[1]
50th Corps[1]
66th Corps[1]
Strength
254,571[5] 230,000[6][7][1]
Casualties and losses

Total:
11,000+[8]
Chinese estimation:
23,000[1]

United States 676 killed
3,034 wounded
2,055 captured[9][1][nb 1]
813 missing
Turkey 218 killed
455 wounded[10]
94 missing
Total:
China 45,000[1]
Chinese estimation:
20,000 battle casualties[1]
Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River is located in North Korea
Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River
Location within North Korea

The Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River (Chinese: 清川江战役; pinyin: Qīngchuānjiāng Zhànyì), also known as the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on, was a decisive battle in the Korean War that took place from November 25 to December 2, 1950, along the Ch'ongch'on River Valley in the northwestern part of North Korea. In response to the successful Chinese First Phase Campaign against the United Nations (UN) forces, General Douglas MacArthur launched the Home-by-Christmas Offensive to expel the Chinese forces from Korea and to end the war. Anticipating this reaction, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) Commander Peng Dehuai planned a counteroffensive, dubbed the "Second Phase Campaign", against the advancing UN forces.

Hoping to repeat the success of the earlier First Phase Campaign, the PVA 13th Army[nb 2] first launched a series of surprise attacks along the Ch'ongch'on River Valley on the night of November 25, 1950, at the western half of the Second Phase Campaign[nb 3] (Chinese: 第二次战役西线; pinyin: Dì'èrcì Zhànyì Xīxiàn), effectively destroying the Eighth United States Army's right flank, while allowing PVA forces to move rapidly into UN rear areas. In the subsequent battles and withdrawals from November 26 to December 2, 1950, although the Eighth Army managed to avoid being surrounded by PVA forces, the PVA 8th Army were still able to inflict heavy losses onto the retreating UN forces, which had lost all cohesion. In the aftermath of the battle, the Eighth Army's heavy losses forced all UN forces to retreat from North Korea to the 38th Parallel.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai Chinese Military Science Academy 2000, p. 110.
  2. ^ Appleman 1989, p. 75.
  3. ^ Appleman 1989, p. 354.
  4. ^ Appleman 1989, p. 201.
  5. ^ Appleman 1989, p. 40.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference roe233 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Chinese Military Science Academy 2000, p. 90.
  8. ^ Chae, Chung & Yang 2001, p. 283.
  9. ^ Ecker 2005, p. 62.
  10. ^ "Korean War (Kore Savaşi)" (in Turkish). Turkish War Veterans Association. Archived from the original on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2009-11-28.


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