In the fifties of the last century, when US imperialism forcibly intervened in the Korean War, the situation between North and South Korea changed dramatically.
Many people know that in this campaign to resist US aggression and aid Korea, many tragic battles took place, such as the Battle of Shangganling, the Battle of Changjin Lake, and the Battle of Feihushan.
However, in fact, in the entire battle to resist US aggression and aid Korea, there was one battle in which our army suffered the most serious lossesThe 180th Division of the Volunteer Army had a combat strength of more than 11,000 people, of which more than 3,000 were captured in this battle, it can almost be said that there is a complete loss of combat effectiveness!
Volunteer Army) so this campaign is also called"The most serious defeat in the history of the Volunteer Army".So, what is the real situation of this battle? Why is there such a tragic battle?
The defeat of this campaign occurred in the latter part of the Fifth Campaign, and many people know that in order to expand its superiority in Korea, our army launched several large-scale battles on the Korean battlefield, and the results of this Fifth Campaign were also very fruitful, blocking the enemy near the 38th parallel.
Schematic diagram of the Fifth Campaign to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea).
But it also came at a great cost, when the fifth campaign was in its second phaseThe 180th Division of the Volunteer Army received an order to block the well-equipped and more than 50,000-strong American troopsIn the end, with the heroic resistance of the volunteer soldiers, this task was successfully completed.
Originally, the fifth battle had ended at this time, but because the battle line was too far, the supply of the volunteer army could not keep up at all, so in the face of the sudden attack of the American army, the higher authorities ordered the 180th Division to rely on favorable terrain to block the enemy and cover the retreat of friendly troops.
U.S. military).The 180 Division has been without food for several days, and ammunition is very short of itThese fighters have been raiding north for more than an hour, and they can only endure hunger and fight against the enemy, and they have to save food and bullets at all times to avoid running out of ammunition!
It is worth mentioningAlthough the 180th Division at that time claimed to have 1There were more than 10,000 people, but in fact, less than 10,000 people actually gathered, the rest of the warriors were either killed in the previous battles or had already been captured.
180 Division Commander Zheng Qigui).
The next day, all friendly troops had withdrawn, and the 180th Division wanted to retreat with it, but the heavily armed American troops had already surrounded the 180th Division at this timeIn desperation, the 180th Division quickly retreated in the direction of Eagle Peak!
However, when the soldiers of the 180th Division arrived at Eagle Peak, what awaited them was not friendly troops, but countless flares from the enemy, which presented them all naked in front of the American army, and the 180th Division was once again under siege!
At this time, the soldiers were suffering from hunger and cold, and did not have any suppliesEven if they want to pick up the gun in their hand and fight the enemy, they will run out of bullets!
180th Division) immediately used flares to illuminate our soldiers, and the Americans immediately bombed this place with powerful firepower, and sent soldiers to encircle and suppress our army, the situation was very critical!
The soldiers of our army really had no choice but to hide in caves and forests, try to find some places to hide, or go directly to the battlefield to start a final battle with the enemy, but there are fewer people who choose the latterBecause of the lack of bullets, these brave and fearless fighters had no way to kill themselves!
Battlefield to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea).
Later, the military headquarters issued another order for the 180th Division to break through in the direction of Shicangli, where other divisions would assist them, but by coincidence, it was at this critical momentThe troops went in the wrong direction and kept going back and forth near Eagle Peak, and the entire army was trapped and died at Eagle Peak!
At this time, there were more than 1,000 people left in the 180th Division assembled at Eagle Peak, and you must know that the entire 180th Division strictly counted 1More than 10,000 people, but now they are withering here! The rest of the soldiers were either killed, captured, or separated by the American army, and the situation was very serious!
In order to allow more people to escape, the top of the 180th Division issued a temporary order: disperse and break through!
The 180th Division was heavily encircled).
From the end of March to the middle of JuneThe fighters of the 180th Division were scattered throughout Korea, and in the end, only more than 4,000 people remained, but also the head of the Political Department of the 180 DivisionWu ChengdeLater, he broke away from the large army, and had no choice but to carry out guerrilla warfare with the enemy in the depths of the mountains for more than a year, and then he was also captured by the US army, which is also the highest-ranking general captured by our volunteers on the Korean battlefield!
To sum up, the reason for the defeat of the 180 Division was, first of all, the command error of the corps, which led to the laterThe 180 Division did not have time to retreat and was even surroundedOf course, the command headquarters, which is hundreds of kilometers away, cannot completely understand the specific situation of the 180th Division at this time, and the rapid changes in the battlefield have led to tragic results!
In the end, most of the soldiers of the 180th Division were either captured or heroic, and only a few were able to disperse and escape.
180 Division Operational Map).
This battle attracted the attention of a lot of people, and ***, who was far away in Beijing, had also been paying attention to the breakout of the 180th Division, in mid-JuneIn the face of this defeat, I can't help but sigh: I played in a hurry!
** He later reviewed and admitted that the battle was one of the four military mistakes in his life.
**and**Commander had actually been paying attention to the situation of the 180th Division at that time, and often couldn't sleep at night, and this situation was not what they wanted to see, so they could only say,The battlefield situation is ever-changing, and people are not as good as heaven!
After talking about this "eternal pain of the volunteers" battle, let's review why this battle was fought like this!
Volunteer soldiers).
The first thing that should be affirmed is the Volunteer ArmyThe 180 Division was still deficient in its pre-war preparations。As a result of the early victory, the top brass of the 180th Division may have overconfidence in the enemy's strength and counterattack ability, and did not fully predict and prepare for possible unexpected situations.
Of course, this should be combined with the actual situationAt that time, the troops were already too deep into the front line, and the supplies in the rear could not keep up at allCoupled with the enemy's obstruction, the 180th Division would have no conditions and time to prepare before the war.
Another point is that the war itself is extremely cruel and unpredictable, and the 180th Division faces a strong enemy on the battlefieldThe U.S. military not only has a large number of people, but also has extremely sophisticated equipment, coupled with the complex terrain and harsh climate in North KoreaThe double pressure of human factors and natural factors pressed on the head of the 180th Division like two mountains.
Volunteer fighters who froze to death)
In such a situation, even the best army can fail, let alone a unit that is already facing fatigue from a long battle and a lack of resources.
In short,The defeat of this battle is not a problem of one person or one unit, but a systemic and overall problem.
Although the 180th Division suffered defeats and setbacks in the Korean War, they also made many important contributions on the battlefield. They fought for a long time and made great sacrifices to defend the security of their homeland.
In addition, the unit took an active part in other military operations and made an active contribution to the development and construction of the country.
Books published by veterans of the 180 Division).
Therefore, we should take a comprehensive look at historical facts, see their mistakes and shortcomings, and affirm their merits and contributions.
The 180th Division of the Volunteer Army: 60 years of honor and disgrace. Digest, December 14, 2013