UNITED NATIONS FORCES ADVANCE ON A 200-MILE FRONT; REDS GIVING WAY

Wanganui Chronicle, 20 November 1950, Page 5

UNITED NATIONS FORCES ADVANCE ON A 200-MILE FRONT; REDS GIVING WAY

SEOUL November 19 (Recd. 6 p.m.).-—United Nations forces advanced along the whole 200-mile-long North Korean front yesterday, meeting with practically n? resistance.

A spokesman at General Mac- I Arthur’s headquarters declared 1 that the communists are giving ‘ way in all sectors. He emphasised, however, that it could not. be called a general withdrawal.

Apparent Communist reluctaance to join battle with slowly, advancing Allied troops has become a major “Chin-

ese puzzle” which senior American staff officers frankly admit so far has baffled them. In the western sector of the front, Chinese and North Korean forces have du.g in along a strong defence line, the spokesman said. There was strong evidence that this line extends from Taechon to south of Unsan, to north of Wonni and east to a point just north of Tokchon. The line Is believed to be manned by 100,000 Communist troops. The United Nations line runs almost directly east and west from about six miles north of Pakchon to Tokchon. Along this 85-mile line 120,000 United Nations troops are drawn up facing an estimated 100,000 Communists. The two armies are separated by a lightly-held defence zone, which the Communists left in front of the main lines of resistance. Elements of the American 7th Division yesterday captured Sangi, 26 miles from the Manchurian border, and 40 miles north-east of the Fusen reservoir. Advance patrols are even closer to the border. An armoured column of the 7th Division drove through a snowstorm to within two miles of Kapsan. 21 miles below the Manchurian border.

In the north-west sector, the bridgehead across the Chonrchon River continues to expand. Routine patrols along the entire sector of the American First Corps failed to make contact with the Communists, except nt Tokchon, 47 miles inland, where Communists are fighting a delaying action north of the important Tokchon-Kun-uri road. British Commonwealth troops pushed ahead “000 yards over difficult mountain country north of Pakchon. while elements of the American 24th Division on the right Rank, advanced two miles Air activity over the rain-drenched 'ront was again limited by low cloud esterdav. but fighters were active -round Tokchon. where Communists ere strafed and rocketed.