Meta tags:
Headings (most frequently used words):
the, capture, of, advance, to, line, operation, ripper, contents, background, objectives, battle, aftermath, see, also, references, bibliography, albany, buffalo, kpa, and, pva, buildup, hongcheon, seoul, chuncheon, eastern, front,
Text of the page (most frequently used words):
the (938), and (243), corps (105), division (97), had (85), kpa (82), pva (74), was (72), that (60), forces (58), march (57), line (55), rok (52), army (51), seoul (50), with (49), from (45), were (44), #operation (40), north (40), divisions (40), river (39), area (38), korea (37), 1st (37), ridgway (36), zone (36), for (35), hongcheon (35), this (33), above (32), korean (31), miles (31), would (30), its (30), two (30), ripper (29), chuncheon (29), war (28), west (27), east (26), ground (26), advance (25), into (23), but (22), which (21), through (21), their (21), not (21), offensive (21), south (20), 2nd (20), moved (19), infantry (19), during (19), front (19), general (19), edit (18), also (18), force (18), route (18), town (18), eighth (18), his (18), been (17), positions (17), while (17), 38th (17), left (17), han (17), units (17), all (16), time (16), battle (16), reached (16), cavalry (16), 3rd (16), attack (15), 24th (15), armies (15), united (14), intelligence (14), when (14), iii (14), parallel (14), forward (14), city (14), central (14), february (14), far (13), group (13), resistance (13), regiment (13), move (13), about (12), operations (12), 1950 (12), enemy (12), three (12), small (12), out (12), idaho (12), only (12), between (12), against (12), marine (12), right (12), commander (12), they (12), more (12), hill (12), 1951 (11), center (11), command (11), after (11), before (11), hoge (11), phase (11), made (11), battles (10), new (10), first (10), one (10), along (10), objectives (10), 15th (10), patrols (10), than (10), day (10), then (10), eastern (10), task (10), just (10), battalion (10), morning (10), buffalo (10), four (10), across (10), 25th (10), headquarters (10), january (9), occupied (9), these (9), supply (9), high (9), lines (9), following (9), coast (9), capture (9), major (9), northeast (9), meanwhile (9), main (9), troops (9), western (9), half (9), 6th (9), pukhan (9), toward (9), wonsan (9), mid (9), artillery (9), tarkenton (9), search (8), contact (8), involving (8), military (8), fire (8), some (8), patrol (8), region (8), near (8), entered (8), staff (8), northwest (8), sector (8), who (8), moving (8), since (8), well (8), road (8), mountain (8), brigade (8), manchuria (8), chinese (8), wikipedia (7), under (7), states (7), there (7), 26th (7), withdrawal (7), landing (7), taken (7), unit (7), air (7), began (7), almost (7), both (7), without (7), opposition (7), even (7), other (7), marines (7), immediately (7), delaying (7), recently (7), regiments (7), now (7), killer (7), san (7), may (6), last (6), september (6), second (6), most (6), imjin (6), airborne (6), supplies (6), date (6), again (6), located (6), reservoir (6), night (6), return (6), until (6), 7th (6), within (6), heights (6), action (6), lee (6), withdrawn (6), inchon (6), milburn (6), crossed (6), late (6), further (6), advanced (6), part (6), pyongyang (6), 42nd (6), already (6), opening (6), 5th (6), behind (6), kim (6), capital (6), support (6), page (5), short (5), article (5), 1953 (5), fell (5), appeared (5), lower (5), crossing (5), over (5), thus (5), could (5), attacks (5), plans (5), 187th (5), although (5), 10th (5), principal (5), sent (5), remained (5), days (5), continuing (5), information (5), ordered (5), dark (5), continue (5), next (5), advances (5), flank (5), attacked (5), much (5), clear (5), end (5), discovered (5), strong (5), continued (5), prepared (5), early (5), side (5), fourth (5), effort (5), point (5), ridge (5), join (5), five (5), bank (5), buildup (5), month (5), changes (5), same (5), imminent (5), reserves (5), nam (5), hungnam (5), 13th (5), them (5), albany (5), campaign (5), nations (5), contents (4), references (4), retrieved (4), original (4), oclc (4), history (4), press (4), third (4), see (4), destroy (4), any (4), vicinity (4), below (4), frontline (4), less (4), known (4), taebaek (4), terrain (4), lost (4), groups (4), 000 (4), men (4), still (4), light (4), attempt (4), instructed (4), cairo (4), opened (4), once (4), itself (4), movements (4), valley (4), buster (4), particular (4), preparations (4), easily (4), large (4), position (4), macarthur (4), enter (4), segment (4), combat (4), bridges (4), each (4), afternoon (4), remaining (4), lincoln (4), long (4), northern (4), defensive (4), beginning (4), found (4), another (4), gains (4), feaf (4), company (4), assault (4), replaced (4), location (4), withdrew (4), being (4), entering (4), final (4), reports (4), currently (4), either (4), 9th (4), 45th (4), defending (4), sea (4), yong (4), ridges (4), coastal (4), placed (4), efforts (4), team (4), amphibious (4), japan (4), june (4), hide (4), sidebar (4), toggle (3), view (3), policy (3), additional (3), organization (3), use (3), source (3), articles (3), isbn (3), 311 (3), july (3), courageous (3), results (3), sources (3), uijongbu (3), find (3), rct (3), called (3), 334 (3), munsan (3), numerous (3), captured (3), bulk (3), range (3), eliminate (3), chief (3), mountains (3), own (3), deep (3), control (3), later (3), assigned (3), defend (3), hands (3), offered (3), indicated (3), due (3), vacant (3), set (3), became (3), take (3), 19th (3), basin (3), plan (3), 4th (3), attached (3), came (3), empty (3), few (3), adjacent (3), met (3), heavy (3), sun (3), killed (3), held (3), encountered (3), chongpyong (3), however (3), reaching (3), sending (3), aerial (3), bordering (3), 330 (3), past (3), occupy (3), hold (3), tanks (3), paik (3), soule (3), bridgehead (3), expected (3), 348 (3), damaged (3), local (3), pusan (3), too (3), making (3), unopposed (3), running (3), saw (3), strength (3), movement (3), objective (3), abandon (3), mass (3), 27th (3), having (3), motorized (3), passed (3), begin (3), defenses (3), around (3), xiii (3), 50th (3), where (3), 39th (3), 40th (3), assembled (3), 66th (3), china (3), fresh (3), independent (3), commanded (3), mission (3), because (3), arrived (3), xix (3), have (3), possible (3), quickly (3), eight (3), those (3), recovered (3), autumn (3), lieutenant (3), background (3), sinuiju (3), vii (3), proceeded (3), viii (3), arriving (3), yellow (3), what (3), roads (3), choe (3), concluded (3), withdraw (3), believed (3), make (3), might (3), open (3), estimate (3), protect (3), attacking (3), abreast (3), andong (3), zones (3), hoengsong (3), equipment (3), six (3), 321 (3), bradley (3), reach (3), particularly (3), dong (3), towns (3), petroleum (3), railroad (3), threat (3), ships (3), help (3), rail (3), bombardment (3), losses (3), switch (3), outpost (3), hook (3), kowang (3), counteroffensive (3), 127 (3), tools (3), add (2), languages (2), table (2), mobile (2), code (2), privacy (2), text (2), available (2), terms (2), using (2), foundation (2), attribution (2), categories (2), pages (2), needing (2), 2023 (2), description (2), wikidata (2), april (2), asia (2), kingdom (2), canada (2), australia (2), philippines (2), zealand (2), archived (2), york (2), 1988 (2), books (2), 978 (2), college (2), university (2), bibliography (2), ice (2), opportunity (2), according (2), generally (2), stretch (2), require (2), difficult (2), materiel (2), keeping (2), total (2), result (2), territorial (2), success (2), destroying (2), included (2), fighting (2), dead (2), totaled (2), 151 (2), extent (2), aftermath (2), problem (2), pressed (2), heavily (2), managed (2), engagements (2), reduced (2), reorganize (2), duty (2), 333 (2), prisoners (2), withdrawing (2), searching (2), beyond (2), precaution (2), retake (2), base (2), rapid (2), evident (2), companies (2), block (2), coming (2), link (2), easy (2), 21st (2), armored (2), scattered (2), soyang (2), assist (2), 16th (2), threaten (2), cavalrymen (2), accordingly (2), current (2), completed (2), received (2), sharp (2), counterattacks (2), 18th (2), faded (2), advancing (2), minor (2), assembling (2), hong (2), sides (2), took (2), weapons (2), battalions (2), farther (2), planned (2), limited (2), portion (2), reinforced (2), regain (2), put (2), commanders (2), changed (2), bombing (2), fires (2), months (2), required (2), minimum (2), food (2), soon (2), successful (2), returning (2), government (2), national (2), 65th (2), away (2), provide (2), value (2), outside (2), edge (2), observers (2), extensive (2), simply (2), decided (2), number (2), 12th (2), important (2), nearer (2), way (2), 328 (2), double (2), bend (2), descending (2), approach (2), newly (2), clearing (2), possibility (2), envelopment (2), lay (2), steadily (2), little (2), arms (2), rejoined (2), need (2), reserve (2), upon (2), relief (2), returned (2), start (2), reorganization (2), resupply (2), province (2), antung (2), peninsula (2), thought (2), nor (2), refurbishing (2), employ (2), tactics (2), back (2), hurt (2), entry (2), replacements (2), begun (2), did (2), chosin (2), brigades (2), including (2), gave (2), nearly (2), indicate (2), fact (2), 41st (2), leadership (2), recent (2), change (2), old (2), training (2), officer (2), close (2), solid (2), december (2), world (2), initial (2), 11th (2), 324 (2), 63rd (2), peng (2), dehuai (2), soviet (2), southward (2), yalu (2), replacement (2), gen (2), assumed (2), chang (2), dok (2), middle (2), aware (2), whose (2), operating (2), chinnamp (2), 37th (2), lesser (2), jin (2), 323 (2), haeju (2), good (2), higher (2), form (2), evidence (2), off (2), slopes (2), 322 (2), ungam (2), points (2), northeastward (2), rear (2), maintained (2), chungbong (2), gangneung (2), pohang (2), moderate (2), bodies (2), targets (2), roundup (2), daily (2), frequently (2), approaching (2), joined (2), pushed (2), secure (2), special (2), territory (2), attention (2), traced (2), soksa (2), get (2), 315 (2), salient (2), levels (2), products (2), severely (2), course (2), order (2), arizona (2), troop (2), destruction (2), hoped (2), leave (2), demonstration (2), followed (2), departure (2), illusion (2), proposed (2), proposal (2), 82nd (2), 313 (2), intended (2), conceived (2), here (2), maximum (2), earlier (2), partially (2), preparing (2), published (2), setting (2), shortages (2), damage (2), tunnels (2), level (2), established (2), such (2), douglas (2), recapture (2), actions (2), rugged (2), mountainous (2), hongch (2), people (2), matthew (2), naval (2), chumonchin (2), chan (2), sunchon (2), alley (2), maryang (2), wonju (2), uijeongbu (2), october (2), perimeter (2), naktong (2), bulge (2), wounded (2), 867 (2), 733 (2), learn (2), appearance (2), upload (2), file (2), links (2), read (2), log (2), create (2), account (2), donate (2), menu (2), topic, cookie, statement, statistics, developers, conduct, legal, safety, contacts, disclaimers, apply, site, you, agree, registered, trademark, non, profit, wikimedia, inc, creative, commons, sharealike, license, rendered, parsoid, edited, august, 2026, utc, hidden, gadget, wikiminiatlas, dmy, dates, 2024, different, https, org, index, php, title, operation_ripper, oldid, 1370699048, schnabel, james, 1972, washington, 2011, 2008, 186037004, direction, year, 1963, macmillan, 412580, kind, study, unpreparedness, fehrenbach, 69655036, 8129, 1670, forgotten, america, blair, clay, appleman, roy, edgar, 1990, station, texas, 44956046, 585, 17479, duels, public, domain, incorporates, mossman, billy, 2012, 310, ebb, flow, november, varhola, michael, 2000, capo, bercuson, david, 1999, toronto, 0802009808, blood, hills, canadian, size, appearing, vulnerable, backs, primarily, blocked, extremely, escape, mind, enlarged, concert, overland, supplemental, squeeze, play, suspected, bare, caches, elsewhere, relatively, sum, succeeded, inability, reflected, period, harder, accelerated, figure, increased, great, consolidated, retreating, separated, ways, flurry, infiltrating, fronts, remnants, northwestern, reorganizing, mechanized, retrain, ongju, advisory, stiff, prepare, confirm, reconnoiter, hwach, midafternoon, greet, observing, plane, overhead, landed, longer, streets, leaving, unnecessary, instructing, proceed, southern, lip, alerted, named, hawk, ranger, drop, paratroopers, hours, progress, projected, profitable, canceled, ahead, body, chunchon, 332, authorized, intention, anticipated, negligible, several, daylong, fight, dominating, rapidly, rearguard, highlight, occurred, van, swiftly, deployed, 231, quantity, suffering, casualty, 331, occupants, run, putting, investigate, observation, offer, ceremony, dramatizing, reoccupation, climax, visited, elected, inspection, assigning, encompassing, shorter, platoons, send, place, increase, full, shambles, shelling, toll, buildings, transport, communications, utilities, systems, work, produce, power, water, insufficient, estimated, hundred, thousand, population, million, reoccupied, therefore, concerted, entirely, via, radio, police, prevent, former, residents, livable, restored, guidance, civil, assistance, teams, officials, temporary, seat, robert, yup, deserters, checked, activity, limits, observed, disposed, depth, roughly, halfway, assured, nearest, commanding, designated, arched, angled, holding, decide, cross, restricted, patrolling, restriction, applied, moment, explained, follow, 329, belgian, discerned, sign, flying, opposite, shoreline, vacated, peak, prominent, 175, peaks, hugging, southeast, raised, dome, none, sighted, flag, capitol, building, gate, prompted, recommended, extend, mouth, approved, scant, slowly, oum, organizing, perimeters, overlooking, won, stood, fast, wait, come, stalled, noon, ruined, undefended, trip, explosion, truck, bombers, liberally, sprinkled, bombs, explode, disturbed, engineers, uncomfortable, explosives, turkish, ordering, allowed, stout, frontal, directed, envelop, actually, boundary, 14th, clearer, meet, genuine, delay, 327, restoration, l0th, southwest, relieve, opposing, sukch, relieving, completing, yangdok, midway, like, seen, home, paraded, complement, given, 139th, 140th, 141st, construct, airfields, sunan, sunch, namyang, respectively, means, transportation, mule, larger, 60th, process, koksan, sin, ggye, ich, 29th, risen, supported, separate, sensed, preparation, originate, positioning, reinforcements, remainder, fully, ready, turn, doctrine, elastic, defense, exceptions, give, concentrations, 326, zhang, tianyun, 47th, hebei, seriously, extra, inactivated, distributed, among, picked, accept, 325, 20th, altogether, numbered, attempting, understrength, many, reconstituted, scarcely, worthy, broken, others, nevertheless, measurably, depleted, condition, forty, years, service, grade, associate, premier, political, post, reassembled, tactical, echelon, apparently, died, served, led, invasion, tactician, ablest, field, surge, weeks, yang, teh, chih, kumch, kuhwa, rivers, yesong, 64th, lin, piao, 8th, ung, chaek, kumhwa, kanggye, sung, union, identified, caught, midmonth, reentry, drawn, series, subordinate, closing, reentered, manp, ojin, similarly, accumulated, besides, composition, yet, discover, northeastern, pak, chong, kok, sinanju, 105th, tank, inje, 46th, 32nd, reported, seven, largely, nine, retraining, ongsongjin, avoiding, favor, nearby, lieurenant, namch, onjom, 23rd, previously, stationed, yonan, hwanghae, 36th, estimates, backing, parent, system, presenting, something, barrier, flowed, meandered, expect, whom, counter, count, continuation, prove, error, collected, nonetheless, valid, incomplete, mark, identification, evening, bulging, chunchron, confined, leading, conjunction, maintain, concentrated, eliminating, corridor, fought, kept, diminishing, adjustments, consolidate, hwangbyong, arisen, isolated, bid, though, thereafter, formal, surviving, slip, irwol, withstanding, approached, intercept, clashed, briefly, become, cat, mouse, affair, lasting, ten, yongdok, chumunjin, wide, narrower, gradually, pinched, accompanying, astride, recovery, detailed, supporting, 250, mostly, members, strikes, requested, abandoned, flown, evacuated, trucks, least, spare, parts, tractors, 155, howitzers, yongmun, averaging, similar, cleared, narrow, yebong, outskirts, 35th, promise, default, employing, stubborn, opposed, model, daylight, preparatory, simulated, crossings, shore, forded, ferried, helped, daybreak, machine, gun, mortar, profusion, antitank, antipersonnel, mines, retain, 500, 600, tons, unloaded, thanks, engineer, brigadier, confluence, flowing, 317, joseph, frank, northerly, present, almond, pay, corridors, pangnim, responsibility, divided, believing, needed, strengthened, ambush, detached, rejoin, reestablishing, reorganized, lateral, inland, onto, anchored, looped, steeply, gently, southeastward, hap, carry, concentration, prize, hubs, seize, deepest, undergoing, refresher, should, arise, profitably, daegu, regimental, william, items, except, taxed, facilities, complete, shipments, meantime, provided, confirming, clues, immediate, evaluating, likely, predicted, described, 69th, requirements, finishing, indication, hand, 314, interdiction, carriers, gunnery, blunting, laying, emphasized, net, capacity, greater, stressed, originally, overestimate, capabilities, underestimate, countermeasures, selection, dropping, unserviceable, usable, george, stratemeyer, amid, acquire, fuller, arranged, fix, distract, minesweepers, sweeps, estuary, cruiser, destroyer, contingent, bombard, pretended, areas, cargo, steamed, reversed, ostentatious, impending, coupled, occupation, offshore, island, party, added, impression, learned, federalized, guard, enlarge, publicized, deception, developed, extending, idea, creating, forthcoming, increments, patches, wear, basis, indicating, nothing, taedong, regardless, meeting, logistical, requirement, cancel, raise, disclosed, neither, retention, essential, features, merely, instrument, accomplishment, inflicting, cost, maintaining, intact, giving, colonel, tie, existing, tracing, passing, lending, judgment, arrayed, spine, carried, locating, tentatively, 43rd, assembly, substance, agents, brought, postponed, interrogation, substantiated, agent, stating, launch, report, enough, conclusion, mainly, grounds, employment, deferred, ammunition, resulted, conscious, especially, down, stockpiles, dumps, hedge, forced, abandonment, addition, stocks, expended, caused, rains, melting, snow, hampered, wanted, best, week, predictable, involved, primary, purposes, interdict, attempts, organize, secondary, purpose, outflank, interest, recapturing, preferring, avoid, direct, gain, flanking, posing, induce, average, geographic, goal, proved, elusive, often, suffered, hub, finally, constantly, ascending, steep, sometimes, clouds, retreated, northward, conducting, skillful, utilized, muddy, advantage, despite, obstacles, throughout, methodically, staunch, secured, 22nd, preceded, largest, elements, liberated, marking, compelled, threatened, encirclement, aimed, bring, heels, push, launched, arc, apex, republic, volunteer, template, uss, incident, walke, kickoff, buzz, fireball, tailboard, strait, sui, dam, strangle, mig, panmunjom, declaration, big, armistice, agreement, samichon, berlin, outposts, boulder, kumsong, harry, nevada, complex, 187, pork, chop, vegas, chatkol, noris, jackson, triangle, arrowhead, white, horse, kelly, bunker, blaze, baldy, eerie, rat, polecharge, haktang, commando, heartbreak, punchbowl, minden, bloody, stalemate, chail, kapyong, hwacheon, yultong, spring, dauntless, tomahawk, maehwa, chuam, chipyong, twin, kumyangjang, thunderbolt, happy, evacuation, retreat, faith, wawon, ongch, pakchon, unsan, onjong, intervention, tunnel, chongju, kujin, yongyu, sariwon, 282, jangsari, yongsan, tabu, haman, kyongju, bowling, taegu, ohang, masan, notch, hadong, hwanggan, yongdong, sangju, taejon, chochiwon, chonan, pyongtaek, osan, suwon, airfield, ongjin, kaesong, gorangpo, pokpung, thousands, unknown, 566, 220, casualties, leaders, belligerents, victory, map, how, remove, message, please, unsourced, material, challenged, jstor, scholar, newspapers, news, removed, adding, citations, reliable, improve, relies, single, free, encyclopedia, item, projects, printable, version, download, pdf, print, export, legacy, parser, shortened, url, cite, permanent, related, english, talk, deutsch, subsection, top, personal, community, portal, contribute, random, events, navigation, jump, content,
Text of the page (random words):
since that time under the command of lieutenant general pak chong kok and operating with the 4th 5th and 105th tank divisions and the 26th brigade the iv corps had had the mission of defending the yellow sea coast between chinnamp o and sinanju 3 324 with the return of forces from manchuria kpa reserves by early march altogether numbered four corps 14 divisions and three brigades these and the units at the front including the 10th division currently attempting to return to its own lines gave the kpa an organization of eight corps 27 divisions and four brigades this force was not nearly so strong as its numerous units would indicate most divisions were understrength and many of those recently reconstituted were scarcely battle worthy before march was out in fact two divisions the 41st and 42nd would be broken up to provide replacements for others nevertheless the kpa had recovered measurably from its depleted condition in early autumn of 1950 there was also fresh leadership in to kpa high command in a recent change lieutenant general nam il replaced general lee as chief of staff nam about forty years old had a background of college and military training in the soviet union and world war ii service as a company grade officer in the soviet army a close associate of premier kim il sung nam had a solid political if not military foundation for his new post nam s headquarters was in pyongyang where in december lee had reassembled the general headquarters staff from manchuria and kanggye front headquarters the tactical echelon of general headquarters was again in operation apparently in the town of kumhwa located in central korea some 30 miles 48 km north of chuncheon general kim chaek the original commander of this forward headquarters had died in february now in command was lieutenant general kim ung who during world war ii had served with the chinese 8th route army in north china and more recently had led the kpa i corps in the main attack during the initial invasion of south korea a solid tactician he was currently the ablest kpa field commander the pva forces in korea also were under new leadership in either january or february peng dehuai had replaced lin piao as commander of the pva in company with the change in command a surge of fresh chinese units from manchuria had begun during the last two weeks of february the xix army group with the 63rd 64th and 65th armies crossed into korea at sinuiju and during the first half of march the group commander yang teh chih assembled his forces not far above the 38th parallel northwest of seoul in the kumch on kuhwa ri area between the yesong and imjin rivers also entering in late february were the 9th independent artillery regiment and the 11th artillery regiment of the 7th motorized artillery division 3 324 5 as these forces entered the ix army group which had been seriously hurt in the battle of chosin reservoir and which now had been out of action for two months was well along in refurbishing its three armies the 20th 26th and 27th at the time of this group s entry into korea each of its armies had been reinforced by a fourth division the extra divisions had been inactivated and their troops were being distributed as replacements among the remaining units by 1 march the 26th army had begun to move into an area near the 38th parallel behind the central sector of the front the eighth army intelligence staff quickly picked up the move of the 26th but even at mid march the staff had only a few reports which it did not accept that any part of the xix army group had entered korea 3 325 6 as part of the buildup four armies of the xiii army group all in need of restoration were replaced at the front during the first half of march by the l0th the 26th army moved southwest out of its central reserve location to relieve the 38th and 50th armies which had been opposing the 25th division and 24th division upon relief the 38th withdrew to the sukch on area north of pyongyang where it came under the control of headquarters pva the 50th returned to manchuria reaching antung by the end of the month the 39th and 40th armies which had left the line before the start of the operation and had assembled in the hongcheon area meanwhile began relieving the 42nd and 66th armies in the central sector completing relief on or about 14 march on being replaced the 42nd moved north to yangdok midway between pyongyang and wonsan for reorganization and resupply like the 38th the 42nd also passed to headquarters pva control the 66th had seen its last day of battle in korea en route to hebei province its home base in china the army paraded through antung manchuria on 2 april as these frontline changes were made another complement of fresh chinese forces began entering korea first to enter in march was the independent 47th army commanded by zhang tianyun the army was assigned to the xiii army group but not given a combat mission its divisions the 139th 140th and 141st were sent to the area above pyongyang to construct airfields at sunan sunch on and namyang ni respectively coming into korea at the same time was the 5th artillery division which because of its means of transportation was known also as the mule division this unit too was assigned to the xiii army group following these units into korea was a far larger force the iii army group with the 12th 15th and 60th armies at mid march this group was still in the process of entering the peninsula and assembling in the koksan sin ggye ich on region north of the area occupied by the newly arrived xix army group the final force due to enter korea in march made up the bulk of the 2nd motorized artillery division entering late in the month the division would join its 29th regiment already in korea when all chinese movements in march were completed the strength of the pva would have risen to four army groups with 14 armies and 42 divisions these supported by four artillery divisions and two separate artillery regiments as sensed by eighth army intelligence the buildup was in preparation for an offensive but the offensive would not originate in the hongcheon area as tarkenton thought possible nor was it imminent the movement and positioning of reinforcements from manchuria would continue through most of march the remainder of the ix army group would not be fully ready to move south until the turn of the month and the refurbishing of other units both north korean and chinese would require even more time in line with the doctrine of elastic or mobile defense small forces meanwhile would continue to employ delaying tactics against the ripper advance with some exceptions the delaying forces would give ground even more easily than they had during the opening phase of the operation as they fell back toward the concentrations of major units above the 38th parallel 3 326 7 capture of hongcheon edit in ordering the second phase of ripper to begin ridgway allowed for the possibility that the pva would set up stout defenses in the ground immediately below hongcheon and instructed the ix corps commander to take the town by double envelopment not by frontal assault accordingly hoge directed the 1st cavalry division to envelop it on the west and the 1st marine division to move around it on the east hongcheon actually lay in the marine zone near the boundary between the two divisions as hoge s forces attacked north on the morning of the 14th it became steadily clearer that they would meet little resistance in the ground below their objectives long range small arms fire and small scattered groups of pva who made no genuine attempt to delay the advance toward hongcheon were the extent of the opposition the 1st cavalry and 1st marine divisions encountered during the morning the 24th division and the rok 6th division which had rejoined the advance in a new zone on the right of the 24th met no resistance at all in making their short advances in the western half of the corps zone 3 327 8 prompted by the easy morning gains hoge recommended to ridgway that the 24th and rok 6th divisions extend their advances to the lower bank of the hongcheon river and to the chongpyong reservoir located within a double bend of the pukhan just west of the mouth of the hongcheon ridgway approved and through the afternoon the two divisions continued to advance still unopposed within 2 4 miles 3 2 6 4 km of the river line in continuing the attack on hongcheon the 1st cavalry division advanced against scant resistance and reached the hongcheon river west of town late in the afternoon the 1st marine division moving more slowly in descending the oum mountain mass on the eastern approach advanced to within 3 miles 4 8 km of hongcheon before organizing perimeters for the night on 15 march the 24th division at the far left of the corps advance moved without opposition to the lower bank of the chongpyong reservoir while the rok 6th division in the zone between the 24th and 1st cavalry divisions also advanced against no resistance to high ground overlooking the hongcheon river the 25th division at the right of the i corps zone moved just as easily through the ground west of the pukhan by dark on the 15th the 24th infantry and 27th infantry reached the seoul chuncheon road at the left and center of the division zone while the attached turkish brigade having taken over a zone bordering the pukhan at the far right moved about 2 miles 3 2 km above the road adjacent to the newly won positions of the 24th division in the hongcheon area the 1st cavalry division stood fast along the hongcheon river on the 15th to wait for the marines to come up on its right strong pva positions on a ridge due east of hongcheon stalled the marines in that area but at the far left of the marine zone the town itself fell to the 1st battalion 7th marines at noon a motorized patrol first to enter found the town ruined and undefended on the return trip following an explosion that damaged a truck the patrol discovered that feaf bombers had liberally sprinkled the eastern half of the town with small bombs set to explode when disturbed a company of marine engineers began the uncomfortable task of clearing these explosives while the 1st battalion passed through and occupied high ground immediately northeast of the town 3 328 capture of seoul edit by the time hongcheon fell ridgway discerned that the pva kpa high command had decided to abandon seoul the first sign appeared on 12 march when aerial observers flying over the pva kpa s han river positions between seoul and the 25th division s bridgehead saw a large number of troops moving northwest out of that area patrols from the 3rd division which held positions along the han opposite crossed the river on the night of the 12th and found shoreline positions vacant on the following night 3rd division patrols moved more than 0 5 miles 0 80 km above the han without making contact patrols from both the 3rd division and rok 1st division crossed the han during the afternoon of 14 march one from the 3rd division discovered that pva kpa forces had vacated an important defensive position on hill 348 the peak of a prominent north south ridge 3 miles 4 8 km east of seoul nearer the city another patrol moved as far north as the seoul chuncheon road without contact a third found that hill 175 one of the lower peaks of south mountain hugging seoul at its southeast edge also was vacant five patrols from the rok 1st division entered seoul itself one moved all the way through the western portion of the city to the gate on route 1 while another reached the capitol building near the city center and raised the south korean flag from the dome none of the patrols received fire or sighted pva kpa troops 3 328 9 in continuing to search the city on the 15th the rok discovered only a few kpa deserters who had been away from their units too long to provide information of value outside seoul a patrol from the belgian battalion recently attached to the 3rd division checked the ground along the eastern edge of the city without making contact two companies of rok troops moved unopposed through the ground just west of the city and still farther west an rok patrol crossed the han and moved more than 5 miles 8 0 km north before running into pva kpa fire aerial observers saw no pva kpa activity immediately above the northern limits of seoul but observed extensive defensive preparations and troops disposed in depth east and west of route 3 beginning at a point 5 miles 8 0 km to the north roughly halfway between seoul and uijongbu assured that the kpa had withdrawn from seoul and adjacent ground ridgway late on the 15th instructed milburn to occupy the nearest commanding ground above seoul the general line to be occupied which milburn later designated lincoln arched across heights 2 miles 3 2 km to the west and north of seoul then angled northeast across the ridge holding hill 348 to join the buffalo line in the 25th division s zone ridgway left it to milburn to decide the strength of the forces who would cross the river but restricted their forward movement once they were on the lincoln line to patrolling to the north and northwest to regain contact the restriction on further advances applied to the 25th division as well the principal objective at the moment ridgway explained to milburn was not to attack the enemy but simply to follow his withdrawal 3 329 30 assigning the segment of the lincoln line encompassing seoul to the rok 1st division and the shorter portion east of the city to the 3rd division milburn instructed general paik sun yup to occupy his sector with a regiment general robert h soule to hold his with a battalion reinforced by not more than two platoons of tanks paik was to send combat patrols in search of pva kpa forces to the northwest while soule sent armored combat patrols to regain contact to the north meanwhile as bridges were put across the river one in each division zone paik could place a second regiment on the lincoln line and soule could increase his bridgehead force to a full regiment as expected there was no opposition when the two division commanders sent forces across the han on the morning of the 16th by early afternoon the rok 15th regiment moved through seoul into position on the far side of the city and the 2nd battalion 65th infantry regiment occupied the hill 348 area seoul as it changed hands for the fourth time was a shambles bombing shelling and fires since the eighth army had withdrawn in january had taken a large toll of buildings and had heavily damaged transport communications and utilities systems two months of work would be required to produce even a minimum supply of power and water and local food supplies were insufficient even for the estimated remaining two hundred thousand of the city s original population of 1 5 million soon after seoul was reoccupied therefore a concerted but not entirely successful effort began via the press radio and police lines to prevent former residents from r...
|
