In November 1950, a battle broke out in the area of Changjin Lake. This battle was the most critical battle of to resist the United States and aid Korea The big ace Marine First Division, the Volunteer Army fighters blew up the Watergate Bridge three times, putting the US military in trouble for a time. This battle has also become a lingering nightmare for the US military. So, how important is the Watergate Bridge to the US military? ?
How did the volunteer soldiers blow up the Watergate Bridge?
How did the US military respond? Did our army win in the end?
Watergate Bridge
In this issue, I will tell you the story behind the Battle of Watergate Bridge
New friends remember to pay attention,
In November 1950, in order to shatter the beautiful dream of the end of publicity in the Changjin Lake area of the Qingchuan River, the volunteer army Ambush the U.S. military, and the second battle to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea officially broke out.
On the Eastern Front, 150,000 soldiers of the Ninth Corps to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea were ambushed in the icy Changjin Lake, and more than 100,000 volunteers from the 1st Marine Division and the 7th U.S. Army Division of the U.S. ace in Ryudam-ri in northern North Korea were ambushed for a long time. Surrounded, with clever interspersed, the U.S. military was accurately and quickly cut into five pieces, and the U.S. military ace polar bear regiment was successfully annihilated. This army, known as the ace of the U.S. Army, was hit hard by the volunteers.
The polar bear regiment flag
In Changjin Lake, the US troops were intercepted by the volunteers in layers. From Liutanli to Hajiyuli, 22 kilometers, the US military ace troop walked for 38 hours, This was the most mechanized in the world at that time. The highest troop, blocked by the volunteers, only advanced 500 meters per hour on average.
On the afternoon of December 7, the 14,000 main force of the first division of the U.S. Marine Division, , finally evacuated to the country one after another. At that time, the temperature of Changjin Lake was very low. In the face of the absolute superior firepower of the US military, the Volunteers never gave up. Even if there were many difficulties, they had to set up layers of levels on the road of the US military's retreat, making the US military pay a heavy price.
When heading to Tuguri, both sides focused on an extremely critical area. This place is the Water Gate Bridge. The Water Gate Bridge is located about 5.6 kilometers southwest of Gutuli and has a total length of 8.8 meters. It was originally built by Japan when it colonized Korea. The dam of Huangcaoling Hydropower Station was later used as a bridge deck.
The northern part of North Korea is mostly mountainous equipment, and the first Marine Division with heavy equipment can only retreat from the road, so the Watergate Bridge is for the US military. There can be no problems, otherwise once you set foot on it, there will be no turning back. In the face of this emergency situation, our volunteers also noticed the particularity of this area. Soon, the news reached the superiors. Song Shilun, commander of the Ninth Corps, immediately ordered the bombing of the place, turning the First Marine Division into a meal on a plate.
Therefore, this water gate bridge, which is less than ten meters, has become the key to determining the entire Korean War.
The U.S. Army on the Watergate Bridge
On December 1, a reconnaissance team of the Volunteer Army came to the Watergate Bridge area after a long journey against the wind and snow. In order to ensure the speed of the march,
did not carry much explosives with him. He quickly blew up the bridge deck with the only explosives and completed the task easily. According to common sense, it is impossible to resume traffic in such bad weather without ten days.
On the other hand, the first division of the US Army passed byAfter several days and nights of fighting, I was exhausted to the extreme in the ice and snow at minus 20 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, division commander Smith received shocking news that the Watergate Bridge was blown up by Chinese volunteers. Once the news was released, it caused a sensation in the military camp. Many soldiers felt that they would never be able to return to the country, and they began to bury the bodies of their fallen comrades. There is no strength to break out of the watergate bridge
blown up
At this time, Smith ordered the engineering battalion to rush to the watergate bridge and repair the bridge as quickly as possible, which stabilized the military's heart
But for the US military, it was a nightmare just started. After bombing the bridge, the volunteer army team arranged observation posts to monitor. Soon, the observation post found that the American sappers had rebuilt the bridge in a very short time with some strange equipment and wood. After the reconnaissance team learned the news, they quickly assembled. But it was not easy to blow up the bridge this time. In the middle of the night on December 4th, the volunteer soldiers buried themselves in the snow and darkness, skillfully avoiding the searchlights, flares and guards' inspections, unknowingly Explosives were installed on the heavily guarded Watergate Bridge, and with a loud bang, they evacuated after successfully detonating, destroying the available wood around them.
The picture comes from the network
This time, the team thinks they have done almost everything they need to do, and the rest is to watch the retreating UN troops be blocked before the bridge is broken, and then be followed by The main force of the volunteers who came was wiped out.
However, they saw an extremely incredible scene next. A United Nations army with even more strange equipment came to operate various construction machinery. The remaining roots of the original bridge and the steel material carried by it actually built a steel-wood structure bridge overnight, and the tank even rumbled on the repaired bridge. This time, Smith found that he had underestimated the determination of the volunteers, and decided to send an entire tank battalion. Nearly 40 tanks were lined up on both sides of the bridge. He might as well use a lot of light and heavy firepower to surround the bridge from the inside out, with super luxurious The firepower configuration shows their attitude to protect the bridge at all costs
The bridge deck that has been repaired
The volunteers have noticed that a small-scale sneak attack cannot blow up the Watergate Bridge at all
But the order issued by the troops is to blow up this bridge at all costs bridge. Because the main force of the First Marine Division is getting closer and closer to the Watergate Bridge, if it cannot be blown up this time, there will be no chance again. If the Changjin Lake battlefield, which has been fighting for many days, can blow up the Watergate Bridge, it can stop the First Marine Division.
On December 6, the 27th Army 80th Division 240th Regiment 3rd Battalion 7th Company Commander General Qing Yun led two infantry platoons and a heavy machine gun squad to the Watergate Bridge in secret. It is difficult to be found in the vast snow, and each of them carries several kilograms of explosives with only one purpose, to blow up the Watergate Bridge for the third time.
The picture comes from the network
On the evening of December 6, the Volunteer Army's third operation to blow up the Watergate Bridge officially started
Relying on the cover of heavy snow, the seventh company was discovered less than 100 meters away from the enemy, but the U.S. heavy machine gun hit A shuttle. Only seven people were hit, and the remaining soldiers were not afraid. Under the leadership of Jiang Qingyun, they quickly advanced in the dead corner of the enemy's shooting, and quickly jumped over the bridge to meet the US military. Jiang Qingyun was shot twice in the battle and was seriously injured.
He recalled after the war that he wanted to rush forward, but there was too much blood and he could no longer rush. But they still successfully completed the task. This time, they not only blew up the deck of the Watergate Bridge, but also the foundation of the bridge. 20After seeing the situation of the Watergate Bridge, the observers of the 58th Division of the Army reported to their superiors with confidence that the bridge had been completely blown up this time, and the First Marine Division could not escape.
According to the memories of the First Marine Division Commander Smith
Smith
When the news of the Watergate Bridge being blown up for the third time came, he really had the feeling of despair.
Smith has clearly read the message from the volunteers, we are going to surround and destroy you
For this reason, he immediately reported the situation to the US military headquarters, asking for only one at all costs. After repairing the Watergate Bridge, the U.S. military, after urgent consultations, ordered Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to work overtime to manufacture a new M2-type steel-wood structure bridge kit, and then put it into operation for the First Marine Division through eight U.S. C119 large transport aircraft. The eight sets of M2 bridges are rut test bridges, and simple bridges can be erected as long as there is a solid base. The total weight of its components is only 1.1 tons, which can be transported by aircraft, while the carrying capacity can reach 50 tons, which is enough for a car tank. Wait for heavy equipment to pass.
C119 large transport aircraft
It is this unexpected new equipment that changed the outcome of the entire Changjin Lake battle. Not hindered in any way. This time, Smith was very confused. Since the volunteers spent so much energy blowing up the bridge, why didn't they ambush themselves?
In fact, the Volunteers thought of everything Smith could think of. The 6th Company, 2nd Battalion, 172nd Regiment, 58th Division, 20th Army had already climbed the hill overlooking the Watergate Bridge. However, during the retreat of the US military, this company did not fire a single shot.
When the Volunteer Army search team came here and climbed the hill, they found a shocking scene There was no breathing, and it turned into an ice sculpture festival in the heavy snow. The tragic scene made people cry. It is hard to imagine that in order to stop the US military, they would rather freeze to death than retreat. What kind of will and how heroic this is. This scene of ice sculpture even shocked the world. The will of the Chinese may be the most powerful will they have ever seen.
Since then, the battle of Changjin Lake has slowly come to an end. The three bombings of the Watergate Bridge by the Volunteers were tragic, and this battle also made countless people hate it, but it is a pity that the overall national strength of the United States was too strong at that time, otherwise they would be completely buried. It is precisely because of this that China has since caught up, and the logistical support of the military, weapons and equipment has entered an era of rapid development. After many years, when we have a comprehensive national strength that does not lose to the United States, we can finally say to our ancestors who sacrificed that year, and there will be no regrets about the Watergate Bridge from now on. In the Battle of Changjin Lake, the Volunteer Army showed the iron will that shook the past and the present. They wrote the song of ice and snow on the Korean battlefield with their flesh and blood, and wrote an epic battle that can never be forgotten. Years later, the three characters of Changjin Lake have become the representative of the steel will of the Chinese army. The Ice Sculpture Company has become a symbol and spirit, and what we have to do is to always remember and pass on the video of
. This is the end of this video. Welcome to like, follow, and comment. See you in the next issue.
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