War is one of the most brutal phenomena in human history, causing not only countless losses of life and wealth, but also deep psychological and spiritual trauma to the participants. In war, some people showed bravery and fearlessness, while others showed weakness and fear. Under the judgment of war, the brilliance and darkness of human nature are ruthlessly revealed.
At the end of 1950, the 88th Division of the 26th Army of the Ninth Corps of the Volunteer Army underwent a war trial, which reduced it from a people's army with a long history to a disbanded and abolished army. What kind of mistakes did this unit make in the Battle of Changjin Lake, and why was it punished so severely?What kind of lessons and enlightenment does its experience bring us?
The 88th Division, known as the 88th Division of the 26th Army, is a people's army with glorious traditions. Its predecessor was the Shandong Column of the Eighth Route Army during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Eighth Column of the East China Field Army during the War of Liberation.
At the beginning of 1950, in response to the call to resist US aggression and aid Korea, the 88th Division was incorporated into the Ninth Corps with the 26th Army and went to the Korean battlefield to wage a desperate struggle against US imperialism. In the early stage of the Korean War, the 88th Division, together with its brother units, experienced many battles such as Changjin Lake, Cheongcheon River, Pyongyang, and Cheongju, and many heroic figures emerged, such as Li Yunlong, Li Guanghui, and Li Baochun, who made great contributions to defending the peace and security of Korea.
With the conviction of fighting for the motherland and the people and the dream of being proud of the troops and themselves, the officers and men of the 88th Division fought bravely to kill the enemy without fear of sacrifice, and displayed the might and tenacity of the people's army. They believed that as long as they persevered to the end, they would be able to achieve the final victory and let the flag of the 88th Division fly high on Korean soil.
However, the brutality of war is often beyond people's imagination. In the Battle of Changjin Lake, the 88th Division encountered unprecedented difficulties and challenges, which led to its mistakes and setbacks in the war.
The Battle of Changjin Lake was an important battle in the Korean War, in which the Volunteers defeated the Ninth Army of the American Army, forcing it to retreat, and laying the foundation for the later strategic **. However, this battle was also a difficult one, and the volunteers paid a huge price in this battle, of which the 88th Division is a typical one.
The task of the 88th Division in the Battle of Changjin Lake was to encircle and annihilate the 1st Cavalry Division of the US Army by starting from the Western Front, joining up with other units. However, due to the lack of experience in foreign operations, unfamiliarity with the terrain and weather, and insufficient pre-war preparations, the 88th Division suffered huge losses in non-combat attrition and failed to complete the scheduled task of destroying the enemy.
First of all, the 88th Division encountered extreme cold during the march, the troops lacked sufficient cotton clothing, and the soldiers suffered from hunger and cold, and many people suffered from frostbite, freezing, and freezing to death. According to statistics, nearly 4,000 people in the 88th Division died from the cold during the march, accounting for one-third of the division. This non-combat attrition seriously affected the combat effectiveness and morale of the 88 Division.
Secondly, the 88th Division encountered strong resistance from the US army during the march, and the troops were bombed by US artillery fire, machine guns and aircraft, causing a lot of **. The 88th Division was also ambushed by American troops during the march, which led to the confusion and dispersion of the troops. The combat losses of the 88th Division on the march amounted to almost 2000 people, which accounted for one-sixth of the division.
In the end, the 88th Division encountered command and coordination problems during the march, and the troops failed to reach the intended location on time, delaying the fighters and allowing the American troops to escape. Wu Dalin, the commander of the 88th Division, failed to immediately lead the troops into action, but stayed on the march for a day, waiting for the support of other troops, which became a point for which he could not escape the blame. Gong Jie, the political commissar of the 88th Division, also failed to effectively control the emotions of the troops, but showed a negative attitude during the march, which also became one of his crimes.
Under the superposition of these problems, the 88th Division failed to complete the scheduled task of destroying the enemy in the Battle of Changjin Lake, but allowed the First Cavalry Division of the US Army to break through and escape from the encirclement of the Volunteers. Such a result made the superiors of the 88th Division very dissatisfied, believing that the 88th Division had shown a fear of war during the battle, had failed to bring into play the style and spirit of the people's army, and had a bad impact on the war.
After the Battle of Changjin Lake, the 88th Division suffered heavy punishment. Wu Dalin, commander of the 88th Division, and Gong Jie, political commissar, were both removed from their posts on charges of "fear of war," and the entire 88th Division was abolished, and the three regiments under its jurisdiction were also incorporated into other units.
This punishment has aroused widespread concern, and people have questioned what mistakes the 88th Division made and why it was punished so severelyWhether the punishment of the 88th Division was too severe or appropriate depends on the views of different people.
From the point of view of military strategy, the 88th Division did make certain mistakes in the Battle of Changjin Lake, failing to arrive at the predetermined location in time, delaying the fighters, and enabling the enemy to escape. The failure of division commander Wu Dalin to immediately lead the troops into action became a point of blame for him. Political commissar Gong Jie also failed to effectively control the mood of the troops, but showed a negative attitude during the march, which also became one of his crimes. These mistakes led to the loss of initiative of the 88th Division in battle, which further led to the confusion of the troops. Therefore, the punishment of the 88th Division was considered necessary in order to warn other troops, improve the efficiency and quality of the war, and also to ensure victory in the war.
In this kind of controversy, we cannot simply distinguish between right and wrong, but understand and analyze the experience of the 88th Division from multiple angles, and draw profound lessons and enlightenment from it. The experience of the 88th Division has also taught us that the test behind the war is not only tactics and technology, but also a great test of the tenacity and perseverance of commanders and soldiers. Every decision in war is made and deliberated under extreme circumstances and pressures. Defeat in war does not mean that it cannot be remedied, but it is necessary to learn from the defeat, constantly sum up experience, and prepare for future battles.
In the later stage of the Korean War, these troops of the former 88th Division washed away the shame of the Battle of Changjin Lake for themselves through blocking battles, and also contributed to the victory of the Volunteer Army. With their blood and lives, they proved that they are still a people's army with glorious traditions, and they also contributed to the honor of the former 88th Division.
In short, the tragedy and lessons of the 88th Division let us see the cruelty of war and the fragility of human nature from the Battle of Changjin Lake, and also let us draw lessons and enlightenment from it. We must cherish peace, respect history, uphold ideals, and devote ourselves to struggle for ourselves, for our country, for our people, and for our world.