Sudden Threat Develops To Allied Forces In Korea

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 November 1950, Page 5

Sudden Threat Develops To Allied Forces In Korea

10,000 Chinese Communists Helping The Defence Of Two Cities

SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Rec. 11.55 pm).—A United States Marine Division today was ordered to rush north from the east coast port of Wonsan to defend the twin cities of Hamhung and Hungnam from a threat from two Communist divisions, which have made a daring thrust at the coast around the cities. This thrust may sever the I

United Nations communications and split the forces strung out along the coast road.

The United States 7th Division landed at Iwon earlier this week well north of Hungnam. It has now struck inland and has run into Communist resistance near Pungsan, 37 miles south of the Manchurian border. In their attack on the Hamhung area the North Koreans are aided by 10,000 Chinese Communists. The attack has carried them within 12 miles of the city of Hamhung. The United States Seventh Marine Regiment hastily dug in on the hills west of Hamhung today, waiting for the Commnnists to continue the onslaught, while South Korean officers called up reinforcements to help the defence

Front-line reports said the Communist attack against Hamhung began with a frontal assault against regimental spearheads of the South Korean 3rd Division near Paegam Sau, nine miles south of the vital Pujon (Fusen) reservoir, and 34 miles north of Hamhung. The Communists, at the same time, sent three other groups racing in from the flanks to cut the highway between Hamhung and Paegam San. Air Force pilots reported that one Communist force cut the highway and established a roadblock 12 miles north of Hamhung. Prisoners indicated that the main threat to Hamhung would come from 10,000 Chinese Communists driving down from a point 25 miles north. Reorganised and reinforced North Koreans are fighting fiercely ‘n other parts of North Korea Prisoners.’ reports indicate that the North Kc'eans have the support of one Chinese Communist division in the north-west corner. This force is trying to protect the big Suiho hydroelectric dam network along the lower Yalu River, which supplies power to the Manchurian industrial centre of Mukden, and the Russian-controlled ports of Dairen and Port Arthur. The American 24th Division and the British Commonwealth Brigade are

1 advancing in this direction. A task force leading the 24th Division’s advance plunged 15 miles from Chongpu during the night and this morning was within seven miles of the key city of Conchon, 33 miles from the border town of Sinuiju, a North Korean refugee capital at the mouth of the Yalu River. This force leapfrogged the British brigade at Chongju early today, and broke through the Communist defence line with a surprise night attack. Spearheaded by tanks, the task force caught the North Koreans, estimated at battalion strength of 700, on the wrong foot. A statf officer said: “At least naif of the enemy battalion was destroyed.” During the attack the task farce overran and destroyed seven Commun.st tanks.

Meanwhile the American Ist Cavalry Division has gone to the aid of the South Korean forces heavily engaged since last Thursday by large well-armed Communist formations in the Unsan region, north of Sinanju. An Bth Army spokesman said today that the Sth Regiment of the division had relieved elements of the Ist South Korean Division about four miles north-west of Unsan. Fierce fighting continues at several points in the general area from Unsan, 25 miles west to Kusong, but the latest reports in dicate that the United Nations forces have stabilised a local situation that was serious at the week-end. Several centres north and northeast of Unsan, including Onjong ano Hunchon, have been abandoned in this process, and the South Korean 6th and 7th Divisions have withdrawn for reorganisation.

A spokesman said the Ist South Korean Division elements which have been relieved by the Cavalry Division, received five counter-attacks northeast of Unsan in the 12-hour period ending at 3 a.m., local time, today. The first four were repulsed and the [South Koreans withdrew about half a mile after the fifth. They regained the lost ground before daylight today.