The U.S. military suffered its first frontal defeat in the Battle of Changjin Lake since the end of World War II, marking a major reversal in its military history.
Battle of Changjin Lake].
This battle is still the focus of discussion on the United States. A US military general once commented that if it were not for the volunteers' lack of understanding of the US military and their tactical mistakes, the US military might have suffered total annihilation. The battle left a deep impression on the U.S. military, as evidenced by the nervous-looking statues of U.S. soldiers at the Korean War Memorial Park in Washington.
Korean War Memorial Park].
The park is most famous for its sculptures depicting American soldiers from the Battle of Changjin Lake, who were nearly wiped out by the harsh winter and the continuous attacks of the Volunteer Army. The Changjin Lake area is mainly mountainous, and during the conflict, it is the coldest season in the region, and the temperature is as low as minus 40 degrees, which is extremely unsuitable for human habitation.
Volunteers and Changjin Lake].
Smith, the commander of the 1st Marine Division, once described Changjin Lake as a desolate place that is inaccessible. But part of the reason why the U.S. military fought fiercely with the volunteers here was MacArthur's much-hyped war propaganda, claiming to open up the Eastern Front battlefield to the Yalu River in an attempt to end the war before Christmas, which directly threatened China's national defense and security and contributed to the outbreak of the Battle of Changjin Lake.
The dilemma of the U.S. military].
The dilemma faced by the U.S. military was not only due to the strong resistance of the volunteers, but also from the harsh environmental conditions. Most of the officers and men of the Ninth Corps still wore clothing suitable for winter in East China, and could hardly withstand the low temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius in the Changjin Lake area. The U.S. Army, which has always regarded itself as an elite Marine Division, has never encountered such a challenge before.
Evaluation of the U.S. military].
Although the U.S. military has many explanations for the failure of the Battle of Changjin Lake, including underestimating the enemy, the fundamental reason is that the U.S. did not expect the Volunteer Army to secretly transfer large-scale troops to the theater of operations. Although the U.S. military has complete winter equipment and logistical supplies, it is still suffering from severe cold invasion, and it is difficult to believe that the volunteers can continue to fight under such conditions.
Retreat from Lake Changjin].
The hardships of the U.S. troops during the retreat were documented by a photographer for Life magazine, and one soldier's uncertainty about whether he would survive until tomorrow reflected the despair of the U.S. troops at the time. Although the U.S. military suffered heavy losses in the Changjin Lake area, the tactical and strategic mistakes of both sides have also left many reflections on history.
**Ten Thousand Fans Incentive Plan [Reflection on the Battle of Changjin Lake].
Even though the volunteers made great sacrifices, they were not actually able to annihilate the American army on a large scale. Mr. Peng once mentioned that in the Korean War, only the Battle of Changjin Lake really achieved the total annihilation of US regiment-level units. The US general also admitted that the lack of logistics and communications has hindered the effective coordinated operation of the troops, which has given the US military a chance to escape from the encirclement.