Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 374 The Battle of Seoul! Ridgway's All-in!

Seoul, inside the UN Command Headquarters

"General, the ironclad defenses on the western front are impregnable, even stronger than the Maginot Line of France back then!"
The Chinese poured a huge amount of their main force into this place, like a tide crashing against a reef, but they gained nothing but piles of corpses and depleted supplies!
Most importantly, time is on our side!

We possess an inexhaustible supply of resources, like the ocean, and air superiority.

Every day, every hour, the Chinese people's food sacks are getting thinner, and their ammunition boxes are getting emptier!

And we, in our consumption, are accumulating immense power!
General, just hold on a little longer. When the exhausted behemoth of the Chinese army is out of breath, you will be the one to sound the horn of counterattack!

You will lead our invincible UN army down the western front, crushing their crumbling defenses like a hurricane, and advancing all the way north!
The Yalu River is right in front of us!
Let those arrogant leaders of the new China sign a ceasefire agreement in Washington and make them bow down in submission!

At that time, General, your name will not only be engraved on the Pentagon's wall of honor, but it will resound throughout the free world.

You will become an American hero, a legend of our time!

Chief of Staff Van Fleet stood beside the sand table, his pointer slamming heavily on the long line of confrontation on the western front, speaking with a deliberately rousing air.

This blatant compliment acted like a stimulant, instantly igniting the long-suppressed atmosphere in the command center.

Other U.S. military staff and officers seemed to have found an outlet for their frustrations and echoed the sentiments.

"General Van Fleet is absolutely right!"

The Chinese army's offensive on the western front was already at its last gasp!

"General Ridgway's magnetic tactics perfectly exhausted their last remaining manpower!"

"The dawn of a counterattack is just around the corner!"

"Fight to the Yalu River and end this war!"

"Only General Ridgway's vision and courage could have led us to this glorious victory!"

Praises poured in, like a layer of sweet syrup coating the air in the command post.

Ridgway leaned back in the large, high-backed chair, his body sinking slightly into the soft leather.

The scenes Van Fleet described and the flattery he received were indeed like a strong whiskey, giving his tense nerves a brief moment of heat and relief.

A rare, almost imperceptible smile flickered across his face, and his eyes seemed to reflect the victorious banners on the banks of the Yalu River.

However, the smile vanished almost as soon as it appeared.

Ridgway leaned forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over the sand table and settling on Li Yunlong's Eastern Front Assault Group, surrounded by blue arrows, in Jiaping on the eastern front.

"Van Fleet, while stability on the Western Front is important, the outcome of a war often depends on the weakest link."

On the eastern front... there lurks a true evil dragon—Li Yunlong and his assault group.

They drove themselves deep into our front lines like nails.

We withstood the pressure on the western front, but if the eastern front falls, this thorn will become a sharp knife that tears apart our entire defense.

Tell me, is the eastern front really as secure as it appears on the sand table?

Has Iverson's new 1st Marine Division really locked down Li Yunlong?

Freeman's 1st Cavalry Division completely blocked that... Wu Wanli?

Ridgway's concerns elicited drastically different reactions in command.

Van Fleet's excitement was immediately replaced by an eagerness to prove himself.

He almost rushed to answer, raising his voice a few decibels, trying to cover up the exposed pretense with a more resolute tone: "General!"
Your concerns demonstrate your unparalleled insight into the battle situation!

But please rest assured!
The eastern front is absolutely no problem!
Li Yunlong?
That's right, he's a ferocious beast, daring to fight and charge!
But he charged too fast!
His supply lines have long been cut off by us, like a spider web in the wind!
Beneath the walls of Gaping, he and his more than 100,000 troops fought fiercely against our valiant New Marine Division for many days, suffering heavy losses and already at their last gasp!

Their food sacks were empty, and their ammunition boxes were almost empty!
They are not Chinese dragons, but trapped beasts with nowhere to escape!

As he spoke, Van Fleet brandished his pointer, pointing sharply at the blue arrows representing the new 1st Marine Division, the 7th U.S. Infantry Division, and the 1st Cavalry Division, as if trying to nail them to the sand table with sheer force.

"Look! General!"
Encircled from three sides!

General Iverson's new 1st Marine Division withstood Li Yunlong's most frenzied attacks like a rock in Gapin!
General Wayne's main force of the US 7th Division is on the flank, ready to deliver a fatal blow to Li Yunlong at any time!
General Freeman's 1st Cavalry Division held firm control of Chuncheon, a vital strategic pass.

They completely blocked the young Chinese general Wu Wanli and his "most elite" troops from advancing, making it impossible for them to make an inch!

Moreover, our powerful Pacific Fleet, the entire massive main fleet, is already sailing day and night on the waves!
Before long, their carrier-based aircraft will completely cover the skies over the eastern front!

Their naval guns will have ranges covering the coastal battlefield!
By then, Li Yunlong and his assault group, along with that Wu Wanli guy, will be defeated and killed in a pincer attack and air force bombing!
"On the Eastern Front, General, we will surely achieve a great victory on the Eastern Front! There is no doubt about it!"

Van Fleet almost shouted it out, trying to use the volume to completely dispel the gloom in Ridgway's heart.

The surrounding U.S. military staff immediately seized on this topic, and another wave of agreement and praise ensued.

"Chief of Staff Van Fleet's analysis is extremely insightful!"

"Li Yunlong is already trapped!"

"The arrival of the Pacific Fleet will mark their doom!"

"Victory on the Eastern Front is just around the corner!"

However, at that moment, the heavy oak door of the operations room was suddenly kicked open with a loud bang!

The loud noise was like a bomb exploding indoors, causing everyone to turn around in astonishment.

Deputy Chief of Staff Eckelberg practically stumbled in, clutching a newly translated telegram tightly in his hand.

"General! General! Something terrible has happened! Gaping! The eastern front! The eastern front has collapsed!"

Eckelberg's hoarse, shrill voice instantly shattered all the feigned optimism and arguments in the command room.

Dead!

Absolute silence!
The sounds of heated debate, the disgruntled snorts, the faint crackling of burning cigars... all the sounds vanished.

The air seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.

All eyes, from Ridgway to Van Fleet, and then to the staff who had just been arrogantly mocking Advisor Chu, finally settled on the dejected Eckelberg at the door.

Ridgway abruptly stood up, the movement so forceful that it knocked over the high-backed chair behind him, which crashed to the floor with a deafening thud, but he seemed oblivious.

He stared intently at Eckelberg, speaking slowly and deliberately, his voice as cold as the Siberian wind:
"Explain yourself! What happened to Kahei?!"

An ominous premonition, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly coiled around his heart.

Van Fleet's face drained of color instantly, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a sound.

Those advisors who had mocked Chu were now like ducks with their necks being choked, their eyes wide open and their faces filled with disbelief and terror.

Eckelberg practically lunged at the sand table, his trembling fingers jabbing sharply at the spot representing Gapin, the little red dot that had just been surrounded by blue arrows!

"Gaping...Gaping City...has fallen!"

General Iverson's new 1st Marine Division... has been defeated!
They couldn't withstand Li Yunlong's all-out attack!

A huge breach was blown into the city wall!

Li Yunlong's troops surged like a tide... no!

They surged in like demons emerging from hell!
Urban warfare... urban warfare is happening everywhere!
The New Marine Division suffered heavy losses, and General Iverson... was forced to order the abandonment of Gapin!

Break through to the west!

"boom!"

This news struck like a bolt from the blue, hitting everyone hard on the head.

Li Qiwei swayed and had to grab the edge of the table to steady himself.

Van Fleet took a step back and bumped into the sand table behind him, causing several small flags to fall down with a clatter.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

The new 1st Marine Division has mobilized a large number of veterans from various divisions, with veterans accounting for half of the total, as well as a large number of armored units and artillery!
Iverson is a seasoned veteran!

What makes Li Yunlong so special?!

Van Fleet felt slapped in the face and said.

"It's not over yet! It's not over yet!"

After the remnants of the 1st Marine Division broke through, General Wayne's 7th Division dispatched a 3,000-strong elite vanguard regiment to Qingping Canyon to establish a blocking position to support them!
However... in Qingping Canyon, the vanguard regiment of the 7th Division was ambushed!
It was the 7th Steel Detachment of China, along with a large number of North Korean troops, who were involved in the ambush!
It was a devastating ambush!

Colonel Harris... killed in action!
The vanguard regiment was almost completely wiped out; only a few stragglers escaped!

Eckelberg's voice was already trembling with tears as he reported.

"What?! The Seventh Steel Brigade?!"
Wu Wanli's Seventh Steel Brigade?!
How did they end up in Qingping Canyon?!
What about Freeman's 1st Cavalry Division?!
Where's Chuncheon?!

Didn't they report that they were engaged in fierce fighting with Wu Wanli's main force?!

Ridgway's voice suddenly rose, filled with astonishment and bewilderment.

A barrage of questions, like a storm, revealed the immense shock and anger within him.

Van Fleet was ashen-faced, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word in response.

He was completely stunned by this information.

The 1st Cavalry Division has been reporting fierce fighting with Wu Wanli's troops, and the Chuncheon defense line is solid...

How could Wu Wanli's main force suddenly appear like a divine army in Qingping Canyon, hundreds of miles away, and annihilate an elite vanguard regiment of the US 7th Division?!
The immense shock, the unbelievable absurdity, and the anger of feeling betrayed by the frontline commanders plunged the entire command post into a deeper silence and chaos.

The U.S. military staff looked at each other, some of them already sweating profusely.

Amidst this deathly silence and chaos, a calm voice from a U.S. military staff officer rang out: "You all seem to be still immersed in the perception of the new China's naval power during the Inchon Landing a few months ago."
It seems that the lesson from Gangneung Port was not profound enough and failed to fully awaken everyone.

Their navy, having fought a bloody battle off the coast of Incheon, also achieved a victory against overwhelming odds at Gangneung Port, annihilating the US Navy's Seventh Fleet, including the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid.

Isn't that enough to prove anything?

The Soviet aid had already arrived, and new warships had been added to their fleet.

More importantly, they captured the Seventh Fleet's massive, intact transport ships and auxiliary vessels!

Do you all naively believe that Wu Wanli would ignore these readily available transport resources and insist on launching a direct attack on Chuncheon, which is heavily fortified by Freeman?

As he spoke, the U.S. military staff officer took two steps forward, stood in front of the sand table, and pointed his long finger at the east coast of the Korean Peninsula: "He doesn't need to get through Chuncheon at all!"
He has a boat!
There are enough ships, big enough!

He only needed to secretly load the main force onto the ships and sail along the coastline under the cover of night or bad weather.

Then, bypass Chuncheon, the so-called vital passage, and choose a coastline where our defenses are weak or even non-existent to make a covert landing!

Then, leave a small elite force to harass and launch feint attacks in the direction of Chuncheon, creating the illusion that the main force is still on a strong offensive!

By the time General Freeman reacted, Wu Wanli and his main force had already charged straight into the heart of the Eastern Front battlefield—Jiaping—like steel blades drawn from their sheaths!
To be honest, I could think of that method too, but I definitely wouldn't dare to use it.

After all, the Pacific Fleet could arrive at any time, and if they collided, the entire fleet would be wiped out.

Even if they collided with a group of land-based fighter jets, they would likely be completely destroyed at sea.

What a gambler with guts…

The U.S. military staff officer stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the battle map and sighing.

This analysis, like a flash of lightning in the darkness, instantly illuminated the fog in everyone's minds!
The logic is clear, the probability is extremely high, and it connects all the previous unbelievable things!
Why does the 1st Cavalry Division report constant fierce fighting?
That was Wu Wanli's feint!

Why was Wu Wanli able to suddenly appear in Qingping Canyon?

He came by sea!
He has a boat!
There are large transport ships captured from the Seventh Fleet!

A navy forged through bloody battles!

And they, the UN High Command, were still stuck in the outdated perception that the Chinese navy was "weak and vulnerable," completely ignoring the possibility of such a deadly strategic maneuver!
The overwhelming sense of absurdity, the belated fear, and the anger of being thoroughly fooled caused Ridgway's face to turn from a shocked ashen color to a furious purplish-red.

He slammed his fist on the mahogany table with a loud thud, making the water glasses on the table jump.

Ridgway stared intently at the east coastline on the map, his gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce through it.

Yes, a ship!

So many transport ships of the Seventh Fleet have fallen into Chinese hands!
How could they possibly not use it?!

I... I actually made such a basic strategic misjudgment!

He felt a surge of intense shame and frustration, but even more so, a profound anxiety about the rapidly deteriorating situation at the front!
Li Qiwei took a few deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his surging blood and the urge to smash things.

He loosened his clenched fist, slowly raised his head, and looked at Advisor Chu in the corner with a complicated expression.

His eyes held anger at being called out for his mistake, anxiety about the situation worsening, and a solemnity born from a reassessment.

"Your analysis is very reasonable and to the point."

Our understanding of our opponent's thinking and capabilities was severely outdated.

The situation has suddenly changed. Li Yunlong's troops have captured Jiaping and joined forces with Wu Wanli's troops who landed, greatly enhancing their strength, morale, and combat effectiveness.

According to the telegram, they are launching a joint attack on Seoul!

In your opinion, how should we respond now?

Ridgway looked at the staff officer and asked.

"Let's first hear from Chief of Staff Van Fleet and the generals for their insights."

The staff officer looked at the humiliated Van Fleet and lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Upon hearing this, Van Fleet suppressed his surging anger and shame, forcing himself to calm down and think things through.

He knew this was his chance to save face and regain Ridgway's trust.

He must come up with a plan that sounds powerful enough to turn the tide!

He rushed to the sand table, his eyes fixed on the position representing Seoul, his mind racing, trying to grasp at a straw amidst the chaos.

"General! Seoul is our core!"
A strong city defense is our greatest fortress!

Inside the city, there is your own guard regiment, four thousand elite soldiers!

They are well-equipped, well-trained, and loyal!

And then there's the Second Division of Han, with over 18,000 garrison troops! Although their fighting strength... well, they're definitely a rabble.

However, with the support of strong fortifications, they can definitely hold out for a while!
In addition, there were more than 8,000 brave warriors from the Turkish Brigade, who fought fiercely!

The three forces combined have a formidable military strength, and relying on the walls of Seoul and pre-established positions, they form an ironclad defense line!
Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli forced their way into the city?
That's like throwing an egg against a rock!

They'll definitely crash and burn!
But we are not alone!
General Freeman’s 1st Cavalry Division is in Chuncheon!

Although... although some of them may have been tied down by Wu Wanli's feint, the main force is still intact!

Order them to return to reinforce immediately! Although the vanguard regiment of General Wayne's 7th Division suffered a setback, its structure remains intact and its combat power is still intact!

Add to that the remnants of the 1st Marine Division that broke out from Gapin... I know they suffered heavy losses, but their skeletons are still intact!

These three main forces immediately moved towards Seoul!
Form a powerful mobile force on the outer lines!
Their combined forces exceed 50,000!
They are all elite troops with powerful firepower and mobility!

General! These 50,000-plus mobile troops are like an iron hammer hanging over Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli's heads!

While they were unable to capture Seoul after a long siege and suffered heavy casualties, we used the city's defenders as our anvil and launched a coordinated attack with these three elite corps!

With coordinated efforts from within and without, we will surely be able to annihilate Li Yunlong's eastern assault group and Wu Wanli's so-called elite forces under the walls of Seoul!

Once we annihilate Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli's most ferocious force, the balance of the entire battlefield will completely tip in our favor!

Without support, the morale of the main force of the Chinese army on the western front will inevitably collapse!
At that time, we can march westward, encircle and surround the enemy, and completely resolve the battle, just as we originally planned!
If we win this battle, not only will the crisis on the eastern front be resolved, but the entire war will also reach a turning point!
General! The opportunity is right before our eyes! Make a decision immediately!

Chief of Staff Van Fleet said confidently.

His plan sounded grand and logically sound, brimming with the allure of a strategic counter-offensive. The staff officers, who had just been reeling from the devastating news, seemed to grasp at a straw; their eyes lit up again, and they nodded and whispered their agreement.
"Chief of Staff, this plan is feasible! We have strong city defenses!"

"Fifty thousand mobile troops combined are enough to wipe them out!"

"Yes! Let them suffer a bloody defeat in Seoul!"

"Annihilate Li Yunlong, and victory will be ours!"

Major General Eckelberg listened with a chill running down his spine and cold sweat pouring down his face.

He had just personally experienced the shockwaves brought by the frontline battle reports, and he had a more direct and profound fear of the aggressiveness and combat power displayed by Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli's troops.

He couldn't help but step forward, his voice filled with anxiety: "General, Chief of Staff Van Fleet's plan sounds wonderful, but it's too risky and underestimates the enemy!"

Jiaping City, which we all thought was impregnable, turned out to be so.
It was captured by Li Yunlong's relentless attack, regardless of the cost!

In Qingping Canyon, a well-equipped vanguard regiment of the US 7th Division, which was also a reinforcement force, what happened?

During the march, they were ambushed and annihilated by Wu Wanli's Seventh Steel Brigade, and Colonel Harris was killed in action!

This shows what?
This demonstrates that Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli's troops not only possessed an incredibly tenacious fighting spirit, but also that their commanders were extremely adept at seizing opportunities, daring to take risks, and had astonishing tactical execution capabilities!

Their offensive capabilities cannot be measured by conventional forces!

Now, these two formidable forces have joined forces, their morale high and their prowess fully revealed, heading straight for Seoul!

General, although the city's garrison numbers 30,000, apart from the guard regiment, can the fighting strength of the ROK 2nd Division and the Turkish Brigade withstand their frenzied attacks?

I have serious doubts!
What if... I mean, what if, before our powerful mobile forces can complete their encirclement of Seoul, they forcefully break through...

The consequences are disastrous!
If the UN Command is destroyed, it will be a devastating blow to morale across the entire front!

General, to be on the safe side, I strongly recommend that the UN Command be moved to a safer rear area immediately!
For example, Suwon, or even Daejeon!

At the same time, the Seoul garrison was ordered to withdraw its main force, except for necessary guard units, along with the headquarters!
Relying on the new city's defenses, they resisted layer by layer, delaying and wearing down the enemy forces.

At the same time, he ordered Freeman's 1st Cavalry Division, Wayne's 7th U.S. Division, and the remnants of Iverson's 1st Marine Division not to rush back to Seoul, but to set up positions on the outskirts and look for opportunities to fight.

Alternatively, we could wait for the main force of the Pacific Fleet to arrive before seeking a decisive battle; that would be less risky!

Eckelberg immediately reminded him.

Major General Eckelberg's suggestion to retreat was like pouring cold water into a boiling oil pan, causing an uproar in the command post.

Chief of Staff Van Fleet practically jumped up, waving his arm sharply, his voice drowning out all the whispers: "Absurd!"
Eckelberg, you've been completely terrified by the enemy!

Relocate the UN Command headquarters?
Do you know what this means?!

General! This means that we have personally torn this flag, a symbol of victory and authority, down from the walls of Seoul!

It means telling every soldier on the front lines, and the whole world: We are being driven to desperation by a bunch of 'beggar army,' and we even have to move our command post!
This would be a devastating blow to morale on the front lines! Soldiers would lose their will to fight, and the Allies would lose faith in us!
Seoul must not be abandoned!
The command post must remain firmly in place!

This is the bottom line!

Van Fleet's words immediately ignited the emotions of most of the U.S. military officers present.

Several US military staff officers immediately echoed:

"The chief of staff is right!"
We still have strong city defenses and tens of thousands of garrison troops!

"retreat?

What was the point of all the sacrifices and perseverance before?
If Gapyeong is lost, will we have to withdraw from Seoul?
This is utterly disgraceful!

"The guard regiment is the elite of the elite!"
The Second Division of the Korean Army can hold out by relying on its fortifications!
The Turks fight without regard for their lives!

Seoul can be defended!

But Eckelberg did not back down. He pointed to the words "Qingping Canyon Vanguard Regiment annihilated" on the telegram, his voice sharp with a slight tremor: "Disgrace?"

Isn't the fall of Kapei a disgrace?

Is it a disgrace that the 1st New Marine Division was decimated?

Isn't it a disgrace that an elite vanguard regiment was ambushed and wiped out on its way to reinforce others?!
This disgrace stems precisely from a severe underestimation of the enemy!

Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli have already proven with bloody facts that their attack power far exceeds our worst expectations!

How much stronger are the walls of Seoul than those of Gapyeong?

The guard regiment is elite, but it only has four thousand men!
Han Ershi?
Ask yourselves honestly, how long could Li Yunlong's reckless fighting style hold out against the South Korean army's positions?
The Turkish brigade's bravery could only partially offset its absolute disadvantage in firepower and tactics!

Thirty thousand defenders—that's just a figure on paper!

If Seoul is breached before the Mobile Corps completes its encirclement and the command post falls, that would be a true catastrophe!
It is not too late!
Retreating to Suwon or Daejeon to reorganize the defenses and await the Pacific Fleet is the safest and least costly option!

"A coward's view!"

"You're boosting their morale!"

"We also have a powerful mobile force that can return to reinforce and launch a pincer attack!"

The two factions of staff officers supporting Van Fleet and Eckelberg engaged in a heated argument, with spittle flying everywhere in the command post as various proposals were put forward and rejected.

Some have emphasized the symbolic significance of Seoul and the crucial role that its defense played in boosting morale.

Some have repeatedly emphasized the terrifying offensive capabilities displayed by Li Yunlong's troops at the Battle of Gapyeong, Wu Wanli's elusive tactics, and the catastrophic consequences of the fall of Seoul.

No one could convince anyone else; the scene was chaotic and noisy, filled with the smells of tobacco, sweat, and a near-desperate anxiety.

"enough!"

Ridgway slammed his hand on the table, the loud bang bringing all the arguing to an abrupt halt.

The U.S. military staff fell silent instantly, like ducks being choked, their eyes all turning to the livid-faced supreme commander.

Ridgway didn't look at anyone; his bloodshot eyes swept across the faces of the officers in the room before finally settling on the staff officer.

What's your opinion?

Should we, as Eckelberg suggested, immediately relocate our command post and retreat to avoid the enemy's advance?
Should we follow Van Fleet's insistence, hold Seoul to the death, and call back mobile forces to seek a decisive battle?

Ridgway looked at the advisor and asked solemnly.

All eyes, filled with complex and indescribable emotions, instantly focused on the advisor.

The advisor straightened up, looked around at the various expressions on the faces of the crowd, and finally met Ridgway's scrutinizing gaze, saying, "General Ridgway has asked, and I dare not conceal my abilities."

Regarding the relocation of the command post... I believe Chief of Staff Van Fleet's statement makes sense.

If the UN Command were to leave Seoul at this moment, regardless of its strategic considerations, it would be seen as a sign of defeat by the rank-and-file soldiers and the world.

Once this flag falls, the cost of raising it again will be immeasurable.

With morale collapsing and the army's spirits wavering, subsequent battles will be much less effective.

Therefore, the command post cannot be moved. Seoul must be defended.

However, Eckelberg's concerns about the combat effectiveness of Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli's troops were by no means alarmist.

The Battle of Jiaping was the result of the elite forces of the New Marine Division being deployed and relying on the city's strong defenses, yet Li Yunlong still managed to defeat them in this way.

In Qingping Canyon, a well-equipped, mobile vanguard regiment of the US 7th Division, tasked with providing support, was swiftly and decisively annihilated by Wu Wanli in the valley.

This is enough to show that the two enemy forces we are facing have commanders who are fierce and decisive, soldiers who are tenacious and resilient in their fighting will, and whose tactics are executed swiftly and effectively, all of which far exceed any of our previous assessments.

They joined forces, riding high on the momentum of their victory at Gapyeong and the ambush of reinforcements, their morale soaring, their sharp edge fully revealed, and they marched straight towards Seoul.

If we still pin our hopes on the fact that the 30,000 garrison troops inside the city can withstand the desperate attack of their more than 100,000 fierce troops and wait for the 50,000 mobile troops on the eastern front to slowly encircle them...

Forgive my bluntness, but the risk is extremely high, almost like gambling.

To defend Seoul, we must seek a decisive battle!

To achieve victory in one fell swoop, we must completely change our approach!

We must exert all our strength and gather overwhelming power! There can be no reservations!

Chief of Staff Van Fleet recommended that the remnants of Freeman's 1st Cavalry Division, Iverson's 1st Marine Division, and the main force of Wayne's 7th Division be recalled from the eastern front to reinforce Seoul, forming an outer mobile force.

This is the right direction, but it's not enough! Far from enough!

"Not enough?"

Even with the loss of the New First Division, these three main forces on the eastern front still have more than 50,000 elite troops!

With the 30,000 troops defending the city, that's 80,000 against 100,000. Relying on the city's defenses and superior firepower, isn't that enough?!

Van Fleet uttered a sound.

"not enough!
Don't forget that Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli were the ones taking the initiative to attack; they could choose the timing and focus of their attacks.

They dared to gamble on going deep into enemy territory alone, all for the sake of gaining a time advantage!

The gamble is to break through Seoul with swift and decisive action before our heavy reinforcements on both the east and west fronts arrive!

If we rely solely on the more than 50,000 troops on the eastern front and the garrison inside the city, the risk of this time difference still exists!

There is still a possibility that Seoul could be captured ahead of schedule!
Wu Wanli and his men dared to gamble that he could take Seoul in a lightning strike before we could send all our troops to reinforce it!

General Ridgway, as the Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations Command, with absolute naval and air superiority and overall numerical superiority...

But did they lack the resolve to go all out and utterly crush those two sharpest blades of the enemy beneath Seoul?!

The advisor looked at Ridgway with a determined gaze and asked.

"what?!"

"Transfer the Third Division from the Western Front?"

"What about the western front? It's too vulnerable!"

An incredulous gasp and a wave of doubt instantly erupted in the command center.

VanVleet was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, almost jumping up: "Are you crazy?!"
The 3rd Division on the western front was the core pillar that held off hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops!

With the 3rd Division transferred away, the defense line on the western front, stretching for hundreds of kilometers, immediately became riddled with holes!
The main force on the western front is no ordinary opponent.
Once they realize that the western front is vulnerable and launch a full-scale attack, what will we use to stop them?
The entire western front could collapse!
If Seoul couldn't be saved, and the western front also collapsed, it would be a complete rout!
You're going to annihilate the entire UN force!

Van Fleet's roar was filled with fear and rage.

Several US military staff officers also spoke out:
"Absolutely not! The western front must not be touched!"

"If the western front collapses, hundreds of thousands of Chinese main forces will flood in, and the consequences will be unimaginable!"

"Advisor, your suggestion is too risky!"

Faced with a storm of opposition, he instead smiled—a cold smile, carrying a knowing sarcasm and a ruthless inflammatory quality.

He stopped looking at Van Fleet and the others, his gaze fixed on Ridgway, whose expression was changing rapidly, and said, "Collapse?"
Chief of Staff Van Fleet, along with Wu Wanli and Li Yunlong, mobilized over 100,000 elite troops from the Eastern Front Assault Group and the Seventh Steel Brigade, recklessly advancing and charging straight towards Seoul!

Aren't they afraid of the collapse of their allies on the western front?
Aren't they afraid of having their escape route cut off?
Of course they're afraid!
But they took the gamble!
The gamble is to take Seoul before we fully realize what's happening and gather enough strength!
The gamble is on this time difference!
The gamble paid off; Seoul fell, the UN forces were shaken, and the entire situation was thrown into turmoil!

They dare to gamble!

Now we possess absolute firepower, air superiority, and troop potential!

We know exactly where the enemy's sharpest blade is!

Why are you afraid to gamble?

We're betting that before the western front collapses, we'll completely crush Li Yunlong's forces and Wu Wanli's troops on the banks of the Han River!

Gather all available mobile units from the Eastern Front, including the 1st Cavalry Division, the 7th US Infantry Division, and the remnants of the 1st New Marine Division, and then draw out the 3rd Division from the Western Front!

More than 70,000 well-equipped and heavily armed elite troops!

All troops must return to Seoul!

Coordinate with the city's guard regiment, the ROK 2nd Division, and the Turkish brigade, totaling 30,000 troops!
We have concentrated a full 100,000 US and Allied troops around Seoul!
Didn't Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli arrive? Didn't they want to attack Seoul?

it is good!
We'll wait for them here!

We will use our 100,000 most elite troops to meet their 100,000 most elite troops!
Let's fight a large-scale battle right here in Seoul!

The first battle is the decisive one! One battle will decide the fate of the world!

As long as we're here, we can wipe out Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli, China's most core and fiercest assault group!
Destroy their brains and fists!

With the main Chinese forces on the western front deprived of support and morale, what kind of trouble could they possibly stir up against our newly replenished and highly motivated army?
That will be the time for us to truly march west, encircle and surround them, push back all the way, and drink from the Yalu River!

General! Are you hesitant and timid, intimidated by the enemy's momentum, and watching your chance for battle slip away?
Or should we make a do-or-die decision, achieve victory in one battle, and personally end this war here, under the walls of Seoul, thus forging unparalleled achievements?
Do you have that kind of courage?!

A mad glint flashed in the advisor's eyes as he spoke with unwavering conviction.

Dead silence! Utter dead silence!

The advisor's groundbreaking, audacious, and deadly alluring plan, like a surging undercurrent, instantly overwhelmed all previous arguments.

Everyone felt as if their heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, filled with both fear and excitement at the grand prospect of "determining the fate of the world in one battle."

Van Fleet opened his mouth to refute, but found that his reasoning seemed so pale and conservative in the face of the crazy and grand strategic vision he was describing.

Eckelberg's face turned ashen. He was terrified by the enormous risks involved in the plan, but he also had a vague feeling that this might be the only solution that could completely turn the tide and solve the problem once and for all.

The other staff officers were dumbfounded, their minds echoing with phrases like "take out Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli" and "determine the outcome in one battle." The immense shock rendered them incapable of thinking.

All eyes, filled with shock, fear, bewilderment, and a flicker of ignited fervor, finally turned to Ridgway.

The decision-making power once again fell on the shoulders of the UN Commander-in-Chief.

Silence reigned, save for the heavy ticking of the second hand on the wall clock, each strike striking a chord deep within one's heart.

Ridgway's back was ramrod straight, like a javelin stuck on the edge of a cliff.

He stared intently at the dot on the sand table that represented Seoul, as if he wanted to burn it through.

Those words, every single one, were like a red-hot branding iron, searing his nerves.

"The first battle is the decisive one! One battle will decide the fate of the world!"

"Eat up Li Yunlong and Wu Wanli..."

The temptation is too great!

It was big enough for him to abandon all caution and rationality.

He recalled MacArthur's bold words, the immense glory of the Inchon Landing, and his own ambition to be second to none when he took over.

If... if we could truly complete this epic encirclement and annihilation under the walls of Seoul, crushing a powerful Chinese field army in one fell swoop.

His name will surpass MacArthur's to become the most dazzling war hero in American history!

The Pentagon's Wall of Honor?

No, that's too insignificant!
His name will be engraved on the monument of the times!

Li Qiwei suddenly raised his head, the hesitation in his eyes instantly replaced by a ruthless determination, and loudly ordered: "Pass on my orders!"
The UN Command will remain in Seoul! Not a single step back!

Eastern Front: Freeman led the 1st Cavalry Division to immediately break away from the enemy in front of him and return to Seoul at full speed!
The main force of the 7th Division of the US Army is moving towards Seoul at full speed!

The remnants of Iverson's new 1st Marine Division gathered all available personnel and equipment and immediately headed towards Seoul!
The 3rd Division on the western front immediately and secretly withdrew from the front-line positions and returned to Seoul as quickly as possible, traveling day and night!

The remaining units on the western front should consolidate their defenses, hold key points, and resolutely resist any possible attack by the main force of the Chinese western front during the return of the Third Division!
Tell them that the outcome of the Battle of Seoul hinges on this battle!
Holding on is victory!

All returning reinforcements!
1st Cavalry Division! 7th US Infantry Division! Remnants of the New 1st Marine Division! 3rd Western Division!
You must reach the designated area outside Seoul as quickly as possible!
Together with the Seoul garrison—the Guard Regiment, the 2nd ROK Division, and the Turkish Brigade!
Our army will assemble more than 100,000 elite troops around Seoul!
Objective: Use Seoul as an anvil and my 100,000-strong reinforcement army as a hammer!
Completely encircle and crush Li Yunlong's Eastern Front Assault Group and Wu Wanli's Seventh Steel Brigade!

"Yes, sir!!!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the command post could only suppress their worries and respond loudly.

(End of this chapter)