Chapter 366: The Situation on the Battlefield

As we entered November, the weather took a turn for the worse and became unusually cold. 【Reading Network】Read novels on mobile phones, update them synchronously\! Everyone on the front line wore a thick military coat and had to wrap their faces in scarves so that they could withstand the colder and colder air. Lieutenant Colonel Winters has recovered from his last battle injuries. The 187th Regiment was crippled in the battle for the defense of Busan, a total of more than 300 people were killed, more than 500 were wounded, completely lost its combat effectiveness, and was forced to tear it off to rest. Moreover, with the successful landing of the US troops at Incheon and the smooth progress of the war, the 187th Regiment was temporarily without combat missions, and the soldiers transferred to Korea from the Japanese garrison were given priority to supplement the 187th Regiment.

The battalion led by Winters suffered the heaviest casualties, but they were the most successful in the defense of Pusan, resisting more than 6o% of the North Korean army. Because while Winters was recuperating from his wounds in the rear field hospital, he was awarded a cross. But Winters didn't look happy in the slightest. Half of his melancholy was due to the fact that his dead brothers, even when he was leading the E Company and the 2nd Battalion, did not suffer such great losses, which made his mood calm. Another reason is that as his injuries gradually improve, the replenished 187th Regiment is likely to be sent to the battlefield again, although the war is going well now, but he is not optimistic about this war at all, at least his views are the same as Parkes's.

Lieutenant Colonel Winters had returned to the battalion headquarters, and he would continue to serve as battalion commander, but Major Cook was dead, and there had been no candidates, and in terms of personnel, Winters did not know who to appoint, and the battalions were not very familiar to him. Every day, the soldiers would come out on time and participate in regular training, a habit that has not been put down since the defensive battle. Many brothers also understand that more training means they have a better chance of survival.

The camp of the 187th regiment was located close to the sea, from which the high mountains overlooked the sea. And Winters was accustomed to walking out of the battalion headquarters and liked to think about things by the sea. He knew that his life in North Korea would not be easy, and to make matters worse, he and his brothers in the battalion had not yet established a relationship of complete mutual trust.

"I've heard from the brothers in the camp that you'll be here a lot, so I'm here to try my luck!" At this time, a voice came from behind Winters, interrupting Winters's thoughts as he sat on the reef facing the sea, and then he turned his head and looked at the man who spoke, dressed in an orthodox military uniform, the rank of major with oak leaf insignia was particularly eye-catching on the collar, he did not have a ship's military coat, but he looked energetic, and he didn't know the feeling of cold.

"Christine?" Winters looked at the major and couldn't help laughing, then walked over, their hands clasped tightly, "You came all the way from Takoya, definitely not to come to see me, you were recruited here?" ”

"Yes, I heard there was a lack of a spot here, and you needed a helper, so I came here!" Major Rudolph couldn't help but nod and said, "I heard that you have suffered heavy losses?" And there was a lack of a deputy battalion commander, and we had a tacit understanding in Takoya, so - I came over! Of course, there are a lot of officers who came with me this time, and they will all be enriched into the various companies, in addition to the 187th Regiment, and MacArthur's Marine Corps. Of course, I asked for the 187th regiment! ”

Winters smiled slightly: "I never expected that we would cooperate again in North Korea, of course, I welcome your arrival very much, it is much better than the assignment of Hu 1uan of the regimental headquarters, we have a tacit understanding!" Winters said, then motioned for Rudolph to walk in the direction of the battalion headquarters. Along the way, the two changed their views again, Winters wanted Rudolph to introduce some things in the battalion, and Rudolph told Winters about Takoya's training, and the 1O1 Airborne Division could only be trained as a reserve until now.

"Heard about Major Parks making a bet with cadets at West Point? A lot of people are talking about this now! Rudolph chatted with Winters as he walked, "Obviously, although I am very optimistic about Major Parkes, I still expect him to lose, but now it seems that he has a better chance of winning!" ”

"I don't like to bet, but this war is likely to go its way to Major Parkes' prediction." Winters nodded slightly, "This is something I didn't expect, but there is no way, we are still stationed here, ready to go to war at any time!" ”

The two returned to the camp headquarters as they spoke, and Winters sat Rudolph down, then carried a coffee pot and placed it on the stove and said, "Coffee? Somewhat? ”

"Okay, come a little!" Rudolph nodded, "Yes, Dick, I'm not here for a vacation. Regardless of success or failure, I will make this trip worthwhile for my ability to participate in this war. ”

"I wish I had that mentality like you!" Winters shook his head and smiled, casually placing the coffee cup, ready to make coffee, he didn't let the orderlies do it, he now likes to do it himself, which can calm his mind even more.

"Sir!" At this time, a sergeant at the door saluted them.

"Come in!" Rudolph nodded at the soldier.

"Sir, notice from the battalion headquarters!" The sergeant said, putting down a note, then turned to take his leave. Rudolph picked up the note and looked at it, then handed it to Winters and said, "It seems that we are going to the front!" ”

Winters looked at the note and couldn't help frowning, it was clear that the 187 regiment had received an order to prepare for a campaign in mid-to-late 11 to drive the Chinese and Korean troops north of the Cheonggang River out of the Korean Peninsula.

MacArthur was confident that he wanted to get the American soldiers home for Christmas. Colonel Sweeney, the commander of the regiment, said with a smile on his face, "The general has always believed that the squadron that has entered the DPRK to fight is only a small part, at least we have not received the information that the squadron has entered the DPRK on a large scale, and the Air Force has no signs of a large-scale movement of the squadron." ”

"God, what else did he say about himself? He spends all day saying what General MacArthur said! A battalion commander suddenly lowered his voice and complained to Winters, he looked a little dissatisfied, which Winters could understand, after all, the 187th Regiment had already experienced two major battles, and both times suffered heavy losses, and now it seemed that MacArthur wanted to send the 187th Regiment to the battlefield again, which obviously made the officers and soldiers a little dissatisfied.

This is a very bad phenomenon, there were different voices or different ideas within before the start of the war, which was absolutely not good for the operation of the 187th Regiment. But Winters can't help it, it's not something he can control.

"Actually, I don't really believe in the so-called 'go home for Christmas' promise from the top commanders, which I learned in 1944." Winters could only shrug his shoulders and spread his hands helplessly, "I hope this is not the second market Huayuan operation!" Then he silently said it in his heart. Yes, the rhetoric of "going home for Christmas" before the market garden operation used to give many people confidence, but the price paid was very heavy.

But what Winters didn't expect was that his words were fulfilled. On November 24, 195o, MacArthur launched an attack on the Sino-North Korean forces north of the Cheongchon River, and made a promise in front of all the commanders and soldiers that they would return home for Christmas. Of course, at that time, he forgot the vow he had made to end the battle before Thanksgiving.

The war began to go very smoothly, and in a mood of optimism, the war situation took a sharp turn for the worse, and the squadron was used on the Western Front to assault the depth of the US 8th Army from the left flank. U.S. and South Korean forces were forced to break through and retreat south to the 38th parallel, abandoning Pyongyang on December 5. MacArthur's offensive campaign was essentially declared a failure. The US military was hit hard.

"What a bunch of hún eggs!" MacArthur lost his temper again in the command, and the general now seemed a little tyrannical, whether it was a general in the headquarters or an orderly, he would be reprimanded by him for no reason.

"Look at the guys in Washington, do they know what war is? If we want to control the situation, we must guarantee a military victory, and war is not to be dictated by politics. Damn it! He slapped a telegram on the table again in exasperation. In the telegram, many of the operational plans he put forward were all rejected, such Chinese mainland as the large-scale bombing of Northeast China, the use of atomic bombs to bomb large cities along the southeast coast, and the invitation of the Taiwan army to participate in the war, all of which were rejected by Truman.

"General, the squadron still maintains an offensive posture against us!" A staff general reminded MacArthur, "What should we do now?" ”

"What else? We must not let the squadron cross the 38th parallel! MacArthur's tone was a little heavy, but he didn't reprimand the general, but said a little dejectedly, "Use all your strength to stop the squadron!" Otherwise, I won't be able to stay with the soldiers! ”

Then, just as MacArthur was preparing to defend and counterattack, the 19th Third Campaign, advanced to the occupation of the 1st Army south of the 38th parallel. The fall of Seoul was a heavy blow to MacArthur. President Harry S. Truman, who was far away in Washington, immediately sent a telegram asking MacArthur to propose an armistice to the Chinese and North Korean forces.

However, this suggestion was rejected by Chinese President Mao Zedong, and the smooth victory made him start to misjudge the situation, believing that only one more major offensive campaign would drive the American troops out of Korea. Thus not long after the American army proposed an armistice, the fourth campaign.

MacArthur used all his strength this time, and the 187th Regiment also received an official order at this time, they would be sent to the front line to resist the attack of the squadron. On the night of February 1o, they got into trucks and drove to the front lines of the Korean War. Winters, on the other hand, sat in the jeep, curled up, looking at the snow-lit road in the distance, quietly, his body swaying with the bumps of the car. He didn't know what his fate would be.

After passing for a while, he could faintly hear the sound of cannonballs, and the fire of the cannonballs was particularly dazzling in the night sky, even in the woods, he could see the flickering of the fire, which gave him the illusion of being in Bastone.