Communists Launch Attack To Cut Off United Nations Units North Of The Chongchon River

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 November 1950, Page 5

Communists Launch Attack To Cut Off United Nations Units North Of The Chongchon River

New Development From That Which Hit Americans And S. Koreans Earlier

SEOUL,, Nov. 3 (Rec. 11.20 pm).—The Communists today launched an attack apparently aimed at cutting behind all the United Nations forces north of the Chongchon River. .These forces include the American Ist. Cavalry and the 24th. Divisions, and four South Korean divisions which an? fighting in the Unsan area.

An Eighth Army spokesman said enemy troops, thrusting south-west from Huichon. reached to within 4000 yards of Kunuri, which is the headquarters of large elements of the 2nd. South Korean Corps. First Corps staff officers said that the Communist attack opened with a tarrage of mortar fire and so many rockets it was believed the enemy brought up multiple rocket launchers. The enemy also blew whistles anti sounded bugles before attacking. Meanwhile, apart from this new development, a largescale battle appears imminent in the Unsan area, where North Korean and Chinese Communists yesterday inflicted a stunning reversal on the Americans and South Koreans. Both sides are rushing reinforcements to the area. American commanders today reshuffled their battle lines across North Korea and withdrew advanced units which appeared in danger of encirclement. Some units of th? 24th Division, which had pushed within 15 miles of the Manchurian border, pulled back 50 miles to the vicinity of Chongju, on the main Pyongyang - Sinan ju - Anlung highway. The American 2nd. Division, which has been in reserve since the end of the Seoul fighting, was thrown into the line along the Chongchon River running north-east from Sinanju. The division’s troops took up positions on the south bank of the river to head off any Communist drive across the river, but reports do not state whether they engaged an enemy force driving from Huichon towards Kunuri. An American Ist. Corps spokesman Raid tonight that about 500 of 1000

Ist. Cavalrymen who had been trapped in the Unsan area had filtered through the Communist lines and rejoined the American forces. They abandoned all their heavy equipment and vehicles. The spokesman said the situation in the Unsan area was “not as good as it could be and not as we would like it to be." General MacArthur’s spokesman said today that the overall picture on the Unsan front "was not at present critical." He added: ‘lt is a major battle which I think can be taken care of.” American fighters and bombers blasted Communist troops in the Unsan sector for the second successive day. Woods on the surrounding hills have been set allre by the battle and drifting clouds ut smoke are hampering pilots in their efforts to identify ground targets. The United States 7th. Marine Regiment front this morning launched an attack against a Chinese Communist force defending rhe strategic Changjin reservoir, but a Communist encircling movement caused the Marines to pull up sharply shortly after the attack started. A briefing officer identified the enemy as Chinese Communists. A front line radio report to division headquarters told of an encircling move on the Marines’ east and west flanks. The regiment had jumped from Sudong, 20 miles south of the Changjin reservoir, after Marine patrols probed the area last night and returned with three Chinese Communist prisoners. Air observers reported today: “Considerable enemy movement in the Ya'lu River area towards Korea.” Correspondents believe this to mean Chinese activity in Manchuria.