In 1950, the Communist Chinese military suffered heavy losses in the Korean War, with approximately 2 million troops entering the battlefield at different times. Despite claiming to have fought the 30,000 American troops and UN forces to a standstill, they falsely proclaimed victory internally. The initial arrogance of the Chinese military evolved from a sudden attack to being pinned down at the 38th parallel, repeatedly stunned in battles that still hold current significance in the history of the Korean War.
In October 1950, following the conclusion of the Battle of Kunu-ri, the US 1st Cavalry Division’s 7th Cavalry Regiment’s 2nd Battalion continued to advance northward, occupying Namsanjang on October 15.
On October 16, the 3rd Battalion of the US 1st Cavalry Division’s 7th Cavalry Regiment, after fierce fighting, captured Sunan, located 64 kilometers southeast of Pyongyang.
On October 17, the 21st Infantry Regiment of the US 24th Division defeated the Korean defenders, capturing Haeju; while the 19th Infantry Regiment moved northward toward Sariwon. The Commonwealth’s 27th Brigade and other US forces followed suit in the northward advance.
The 7th Cavalry Regiment of the US 1st Cavalry Division quickly maneuvered between Sariwon and Pyongyang’s main road on October 17, preventing Korean forces from retreating to Pyongyang.
That day, the Commonwealth’s 27th Brigade advanced toward Sariwon head-on, surrounding the area with the American forces. Following a day and night of battle, with over 215 casualties from the British and American coalition, Sariwon was captured, over 3,700 Korean soldiers were taken prisoner, completing the second encirclement battle.
After the UN forces occupied Sariwon in southern Pyongyang, the gateway to Pyongyang was opened. South Korean forces swiftly maneuvered to the north of Pyongyang to cut off the Korean troops’ escape route to the north.
On October 18, the US forces attacked Pyongyang, while the South Korean 1st Cavalry Division also launched an attack. By October 20, American and South Korean forces ended the urban warfare, eliminating the Korean troops and fully occupying Pyongyang.
On October 20, the 187th Airborne Combat Team of the US landed north of Pyongyang in Sukchon and Suncheon, further cutting off the Korean troops’ retreat routes and planning the rescue of American and South Korean prisoners of war. On October 21, the unit advanced from north to south, engaging in intense combat with Korean troops, with the 27th Brigade providing support to the Americans, decisively defeating the Korean 239th Regiment, almost annihilating it.
Unfortunately, following local guides, the American forces discovered multiple sites of American prisoners of war being massacred, with around 200 American prisoners found slain. The Korean forces systematically shot the American prisoners while transporting them northwards. Survivors were located, describing how they were separated into three groups, taken off the train, and slaughtered while waiting for dinner.
The US set up forward supply points in Kaesong, with about 200 trucks transporting supplies northward daily, while roads and bridges were urgently repaired. A 230-meter large pontoon bridge was airlifted to South Korea and placed over the Han River in Seoul, with 3,034 vehicles crossing it by September 30. On October 7, the second bridge over the Han River was completed. A pipeline completed in October transported aviation fuel from Incheon to Kimpo Airport. With the assistance of numerous Korean workers, US engineers made substantial repairs to the northern railroad, with at least five trains departing daily from Busan to transport supplies northward.
By October 21, Kim Il-sung had fled to Sinuiju on the Yalu River and later to Manp’o Town, preparing guerrilla warfare in the surrounding mountain areas, ready to escape to northeastern China at any time.
On October 22, the US forces advanced north from Pyongyang, followed closely by the South Korean 1st Division, rescuing some escapees American prisoners of war along the way and once again discovering a site where American prisoners of war were collectively shot.
The US pushed towards the Ch’ongch’on River, with two additional South Korean divisions joining the offensive. The South Korean 6th Division advanced northeast from Punggi, with the South Korean 8th Division arriving first at the Ch’ongch’on River.
The South Korean forces seized two trains near Kumnyangni, loaded with eight tanks and 50 ammunition cars, later engaging in fierce battles south of Hŭich’ŏn with the Korean troops, entering Hŭich’ŏn on the night of October 23, capturing 20 T-34 tanks. The South Korean forces surged ahead of other UN forces towards the Yalu River.
MacArthur had previously restricted other UN ground forces from advancing further north before October 17, but lifted the restriction on that day. By October 24, the main UN forces crossed the Ch’ongch’on River. The US Joint Chiefs of Staff questioned this decision, with MacArthur asserting that the lifting of restrictions was due to military necessity, as the South Korean forces couldn’t handle the situation alone, mentioning discussions on the matter at the Wake Island meeting with President Truman.
The Ch’ongch’on River runs roughly parallel to the Yalu River, about 105 kilometers apart, forming the final major water barrier on the border of northwestern Korea. The sprawling mountain ranges stretch from the Yalu River to the Ch’ongch’on River valley, with rugged terrain and little human presence between the Ch’angjin Lake and the Yalu River in central Korea, forming a natural defensive barrier.
The South Korean 6th Division rapidly advanced along the Ch’ongch’on River valley, with its vanguard forces reaching the banks of the Yalu River on October 26, discovering Korean forces crossing a narrow bridge over the Yalu River into Chinese territory, with American and South Korean officers immediately commanding machine gun placements to halt the Korean forces from crossing while avoiding extending fire into Chinese territory.
On October 25, following the crossing of the Ch’ongch’on River by the 27th Commonwealth Brigade, advancing north toward Unsan, a concrete bridge was discovered in Kusung, but its middle section had been destroyed by the Korean troops. The 27th Commonwealth Brigade defeated the Korean guards across the river, capturing 350 individuals.
The South Korean Capital Division continued its northern advance from the eastern axis, with the division’s vanguard cavalry regiment motorized and receiving naval and aerial support from the US. On October 28, the cavalry regiment of the division captured Sŏngjin in the northeastern part of Korea, while two other regiments penetrated key points in the northeast of Korea, forcing the Korean troops into continuous retreat.
By the end of October, the UN forces detained approximately 135,000 Korean prisoners of war and advanced northward, with a significant mountainous area dividing the UN forces on the western and central-eastern fronts.
From the end of June to the end of October 1950, approximately 200,000 Korean troops were casualties of the conflict, in addition to the 135,000 taken as prisoners, totaling around 335,000 losses. The UN combat forces in Korea consisted of a total of 229,722 individuals, including 125,126 Americans, 82,786 South Koreans, with 119,559 logistical personnel, and 36,667 participating aviation personnel.
MacArthur believed in launching air strikes on Chinese supply stations near Korea, but Truman did not approve, insisting on caution along the Sino-Korean border.
On October 19, under strict secrecy, the Communist Chinese forces entered Korea. The US intelligence agencies failed to obtain relevant information promptly.
From October 25 to 29, 1950, the secretly deployed 40th Army of Communist China engaged in a series of ambushes against the 6th Division of South Korea in the area of Unsan, known as the Battle of Unsan. It marked the first formal engagement between the Chinese Communist forces and the South Korean troops during the Korean War. Prior to this, North Korean forces with Chinese Communist support had already attacked South Korea, engaging in multiple battles with the South Korean forces.
On October 23, the 2nd Army composed of the 6th, 7th, and 8th Infantry Divisions of South Korea headed towards the Yalu River from Unsan Village. The hilly terrain in the area limited troop movements and served as an ideal ambush location.
On the night of October 24, the 118th Division of the 40th Army of China established ambush positions near Unsan.
After the 6th Division of South Korea took Unsan on October 24, its 7th Regiment turned northwards to Kojang, while the 2nd Regiment pushed northwest from Unsan to Pukchon. The UN Command expected the North Korean forces to have collapsed, anticipating no resistance. The 7th Regiment of South Korea encountered no North Korean forces along its route, remaining unaware of new threats.
On October 25, the 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Regiment of South Korea was attacked by artillery strikes 13 kilometers west of Unsan. Initially, it was believed to be a small North Korean force, but Chinese troops on high ground fiercely attacked the South Korean forces. The 3rd Battalion was defeated, with about 400 individuals retreating to Unsan.
The 2nd Regiment of South Korea immediately mobilized its 2nd Battalion for support, while the 1st Battalion rushed to regroup in Unsan. As the supporting forces from the 2nd Battalion advanced, they were repulsed by the Chinese forces. However, they captured several Chinese prisoners of war, who revealed that nearly 10,000 Chinese troops were ambushed in the vicinity.
In the early hours of October 26, the 118th and 120th Regiments of the Chinese 40th Army launched an offensive towards Unsan. The 2nd Regiment of South Korea was defeated, consisting of 3,100 soldiers, with about 2,700 individuals eventually retreating back to the Ch’ongch’on River. Two American advisors were captured during this engagement.
Although the Chinese forces attacked the South Korean troops with superior numbers, they were unable to overwhelm them. Feeling disappointed, Mao Zedong ordered Peng Dehuai to use the surrounded forces to lure the enemy in, intending to annihilate the South Korean forces entirely.
The 118th Division of China began to outflank, seeking to encircle the retreating 7th Regiment of South Korea while the 119th and 120th Divisions of China simultaneously set up ambushes. However, the plan failed, as the 7th Regiment of South Korea did not retreat promptly and did not enter the Chinese ambush positions.
The 19th Regiment of the 6th Division and the 10th Regiment of the 8th Division of South Korea were tasked with recapturing Unsan. Frontline Commander Peng Dehuai, seeing the failed ambush, then ordered the 119th and 120th Divisions to attack the two South Korean regiments heading for Unsan. On the night of October 28, the two Chinese divisions ambushed and repulsed the two South Korean regiments, forcing the South Korean troops to retreat.
The 7th Regiment of South Korea became isolated and, on October 29, while retreating south, fell into an ambush by the 118th Division of the Chinese forces. Ultimately, 875 Korean officers and 3,552 soldiers withdrew without being captured by the Chinese forces entirely, but one American advisor was taken prisoner.
On October 25, the Chinese troops engaged in Korea for the first time, attacking South Korean forces, marking the beginning of their active involvement in the Korean War. Faced with the modernized American military, the Chinese lacked confidence and agreed to temporarily avoid engaging the Americans directly, launching limited offensives against the South Korean forces first.
While the Chinese originally planned to encircle a South Korean division, they orchestrated multiple ambush battles near Unsan but only managed to encircle a South Korean regiment, failing to stop the South Korean forces from breaking out. Unable to account for specific gains, the Chinese vaguely claimed that the 6th Division of South Korea suffered a “destructive” blow but did not report Chinese casualties.
The Chinese forces failed to achieve their objectives in the Battle of Unsan and subsequently launched an attack on Unsan again, choosing to target the South Korean forces once more. However, in a joint operation, American and South Korean forces engaged in official combat on the Korean battlefield, marking the first formal confrontation between Chinese and American forces.
(To be continued)