Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 399 A Choice Like Nanjing! Ridgway's Giving Up!

Seoul, inside the UN Command Headquarters

Chief of the General Staff Van Fleet stood beside Ridgway and pointed to the arrow representing Allen's "Iron Hammer" unit on the sand table: "General, Allen reports that they have engaged the main force of the Steel Seventh Brigade, and the battle is extremely fierce."

Wu Wanli was indeed attracted by us!

As long as Allen can hold them off or even severely damage them, and Thor can hold off Li Yunlong head-on, then when 'Iron Hammer' turns around, it will be a disaster for the Chinese army on the Han River battlefield.

His words carried a strong sense of confidence, as if the blueprint for victory had already been laid out.

Several U.S. military staff officers showed expressions of agreement and relief upon hearing this.

Upon hearing this, advisor Chu Yunfei couldn't help but smile.

Main force?

Would Wu Wanli easily expose his main force in such terrain and engage in a bloody battle with Allen?
This didn't fit any of the young, formidable player's style that he knew.

A faint doubt arose in his heart, but his face remained calm.

The next second, the heavy oak door of the command center was violently kicked open!

"report!"

A scream shattered the tranquility of the command post.

A U.S. military staff officer had beads of sweat on his forehead and was clutching a telegram tightly in his hand.

Van Fleet frowned and snapped, "What's the panic! Is the sky falling down?"

The U.S. military staff officer was panting heavily and almost couldn't stand: "Commander-in-Chief! Chief of Staff!"
"Han River defense line... Urgent telegram from Major General Sol!"

The Han River defense line headquarters... has fallen!

It has been captured by the Chinese army!

"What?! Say it again? Where was the defense breached?"

Ridgway suddenly straightened up, his pupils contracting sharply, as if he had been struck hard by an invisible hammer.

"Headquarters! Headquarters of the Han River Defense Line!"

And... the core positions of the 37th Artillery Regiment!

The American soldier, his voice trembling with tears, handed Ridgway the telegram, now slightly blurred by sweat: "It was sent personally by Major General Saul!"
He's...on the way!

The command center fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop.

VanVleet, who had just been discussing the "Hammer" chokehold and the solidity of the defensive line, suddenly lost all confidence, leaving only astonishment and disbelief.

Eckelberg's briefing slipped from his hands and fell to the ground without him noticing, while all the U.S. military staff stood frozen in place.

On the huge sand table, the models representing solid defenses now appear incredibly ironic.

A sharp glint flashed in Chu Yunfei's eyes, but he instantly returned to a deep calm.

Ridgway snatched the telegram and scanned the text on it.

Each letter was like a cold blade, cutting away at his confidence in controlling the battle.

The contents of the telegram were far more suffocating than the captain's screams:

"To Commander-in-Chief General Ridgway: The Han River defense line headquarters and the core positions of the 37th Artillery Regiment were attacked from behind the defense line by the main force of the 7th Steel Corps of China about an hour ago!"
The enemy's artillery fire was exceptionally accurate, covering the outer perimeter of our command post, and the guard units were almost completely wiped out.

When the command post fell, I was leading the reserve and guard units to reinforce the front line at the central junction and escaped the disaster. Division Commander Park Jung-hee accompanied me.

They are now unable to return to the command post and artillery positions.

Major General Allen's intelligence report was seriously inaccurate!
They claimed to have fought a bloody battle with the main force of the Seventh Steel Brigade, but Wu Wanli's main force was actually here!
This mistake led to our prepared forces being deployed forward, leaving the rear of the defensive line extremely vulnerable, resulting in this irreparable error!
If it weren't for Allen's misleading intelligence, how could the command post and artillery positions have changed hands so easily?

Allen bears significant responsibility for this defeat!
I and Division Commander Park Jung-hee are gathering our remaining troops and advancing towards Seoul.

The central point of the Han River defense line has been lost, artillery support has been cut off, and it is feared that it will be difficult to continue.

"boom!"

Ridgway slammed his fist against the edge of the sand table, causing the model representing the Han River defense line to shake violently.

His face was ashen, his jaw clenched, and he forced out a few words through gritted teeth: "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Saul is shirking responsibility!"

Van Fleet rushed to Ridgway's side, quickly glanced at the telegram, and immediately roared, "Absurd!"
The Han River defense line headquarters is located in the core area behind the south bank, surrounded by a group of strong fortifications and heavily guarded!

Even if Wu Wanli really did get around to the back, where would he get his heavy artillery?
Even if he had cannons, how could he possibly appear behind the command post, dozens of kilometers away, while Allen was reporting that he was engaged in a fierce battle with his main force in Vulture Canyon?
It also precisely destroyed the outer defenses?

This is simply an excuse for Saul and that Korean, Park Jung-hee, to desert their post!

coward!"

A brigadier general staff officer in charge of logistics coordination immediately chimed in, his tone full of disdain: "That's right!"
General Saul's telegram is illogical!

Was he not there when the command post was attacked?

Such a coincidence?
They clearly saw that the defense was under immense pressure and used the excuse that Allen's intelligence was wrong to slip away in advance!
The South Korean army is even more unreliable; Park Chung-hee will definitely be the first to flee!

His words elicited a murmur of agreement.

Another staff officer shouted angrily, "Commander-in-Chief! He must be severely punished!"

Immediately relieve Saul and Park Jung-hee of their command, and place Major General Allen in unified command of all troops in the Han River theater to stabilize the front line!

This is a malicious slander against Project Hammer by Thor!

"Yes! Punish them severely! Investigate their dereliction of duty!"

The anger of the US military staff found an outlet, and they all turned their anger toward Saul and Park Jung-hee.

In their view, the telegram was a clumsy fig leaf thrown out to cover up failure and incompetence.

A fortified fortress, a strong reserve force, and Allen's report of "holding up" the enemy's main force at the front...

With all these factors combined, how could the command center possibly change hands within hours?

This goes beyond their common military sense, which is based on overwhelming firepower and fortifications.

In the corner, Chu Yunfei calmly spoke: "Everyone, please calm down."

General Saul's telegram was indeed vague and suspicious.

Accusing General Allen of inaccurate intelligence is also too arbitrary.

However, Wu Wanli was a man of unconventional military tactics and audacious beyond belief.

Li Yunlong was particularly adept at concentrating overwhelming forces on a single point for a thunderous breakthrough.

The combined might of the two of them, their formidable strength, had already been proven through countless bloody battles across the Yalu River.

He paused slightly, as if considering his words, or perhaps recalling the battles that had caused his fellow Whampoa Military Academy students so much suffering, before continuing: "Even if the Han River defense line was as solid as a rock!"
Even if General Allen did tie down some enemy troops...

But if Wu Wanli truly seizes that fleeting opportunity, concentrates his most elite forces, and launches a fatal blow in an unexpected way and direction...

Fortresses are always breached from within or through their weakest point.

On the battlefield, nothing is 'absolutely impossible'.

Chu Yunfei's words were like a bucket of ice water poured on everyone's hearts.

Although he did not directly confirm Thor's report, his emphasis on Wu Wanli and Li Yunlong's combat capabilities quietly cracked the "impossible" notion.

The angry U.S. military staff fell silent, their gazes refocusing on the telegram in Ridgway's hand.

Ridgway took a deep breath, suppressing his surging anger and the unease deep in his heart.

He stared intently at the nearly exhausted captain, and said coldly, "Sol's telegram was vague!"

Tell me everything you know about the detailed events of the command post's fall, without omitting a single detail!
If Saul really deserts his post, I'll be the first to send him to a military court!
But if even a fraction of what he said is true...

"Then Allen, and the intelligence department, are both implicated!"

The U.S. military staff officer swallowed hard, trying to recall the last, intermittent communications before the fall of Saul's command post, as well as the scattered information gathered afterward.

After thinking it over, he began to repeat with difficulty: "Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief..."

At that time, General Saul received an urgent report from the Central Military Commission's joint forces and judged that it was Li Yunlong's main attack direction.

Therefore, he decided to personally lead the last mobile force, including the guard battalion and an armored infantry company that had just withdrawn for rest, about 2,500 elite troops, to the rescue.

Just as his reinforcement column left the command post area by about one kilometer, a barrage of artillery fire suddenly descended!
Not saturation fire, sir!
It's a precise strike, like a surgical scalpel!

The shells seemed to have eyes; the first salvo all landed on the outer perimeter of the core command post fortress complex!

Barbed wire, minefields, anti-tank ditches, machine gun bunkers... all the exposed defensive fortifications on the ground were completely wiped out in less than ten minutes!

The more than 500 elite guards stationed there were instantly torn to shreds, without even a chance to put up a resistance!

Upon hearing this, a collective gasp of astonishment filled the command center.

Precision artillery fire?

This completely overturned their understanding of large-scale artillery preparation.

Van Fleet opened his mouth, but before he could utter the word "guessed," the American staff officer cut him off with the next words.

"As soon as the shelling extended, Chinese armored units and infantry appeared!"

They were traveling in our captured M4 Sherman tanks and armored vehicles, along with some strange armored vehicles painted with red five-pointed stars, and they were going incredibly fast!

Their target was the core area of ​​the command post, which had just been ravaged by artillery fire!

The staff officers and a small number of guards who remained were simply unable to organize an effective resistance.

Many people were still reeling from the shock of the shelling when they surrendered!

"Where is General Saul? Where are his mobile units?"

Eckelberg asked eagerly.

"General Saul heard the deafening explosions behind him and immediately realized that something might have happened to the command post!"
He tried to order his troops to turn back and provide reinforcements, but it was too late!

Just as they turned around, the Chinese launched a second round of artillery fire!

The target this time is General Saul's mobile force!

It still possesses that terrifying precision!

The shells landed in the densest part of the marching column!
five minutes!
Five minutes of rapid firing of high-explosive grenades!

It covered the entire marching route!
The team was instantly scattered!
At least half of the casualties are dead or injured!

Vehicles were destroyed, roads were blocked, and the survivors were all completely bewildered!

The American soldier's description plunged the entire command center into a deathly silence.

The doubts and anger on the faces of the US military staff had vanished, replaced by a chill that went straight to the bone.

How to accurately pinpoint the weaknesses in the command post's defenses?
How to accurately calculate the time difference and marching route of Saul's reinforcements?
While the main force was reported to be engaged in fierce fighting, a separate force was dispatched to carry out such a deadly rear attack?

What terrifying battlefield insight, intelligence control, troop mobility, and art of artillery command this requires?

"This...this is like God firing a gun!"

A U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, responsible for artillery coordination, muttered to himself absentmindedly, his face pale.

He knew better than anyone how difficult it was to achieve that level of artillery accuracy and coordination under the conditions at the time.

Chu Yunfei listened silently, a deep, indescribable emotion surging within his eyes.

Precise as a scalpel... perfect timing... flawless coordination between feints and main attacks... this style is so familiar!

Back when Li Yunlong fought in Ping'an Gele and against the Yamazaki Battalion, wasn't that the same kind of concentrated, lightning-fast, ruthless, and decisive fighting style?
Wu Wanli indeed mastered the true teachings, and with the added advantage of his personal abilities, he pushed this lightning combat technique to its extreme!
The doubt in his heart completely vanished, replaced by a strong premonition: the Han River is finished.

VanVleet's face turned from ashen to ashen, and he no longer doubted that Thor had deserted his post.

This incredibly precise strike, this crystal-clear understanding of the battlefield situation, this courage to seize fleeting opportunities and launch a desperate surprise attack…

For Saul and his reserves, their fate was sealed before Wu Wanli's meticulously woven web of death, whether they left the command post or not!
They left, but the reinforcements were intercepted and killed halfway.

If you don't leave, you'll be wiped out along with the command post!
Allen isn't holding onto any of the main Steel Seven players at all; he's just setting up a carefully crafted trap!

A cover for the real killing move!

His meticulously planned "Iron Hammer" maneuver not only failed to achieve its intended purpose, but instead became an excellent tool for the opponent to lure them away from their base and create a vulnerability in their rear!

Ridgway closed his eyes, as if all his strength had been drained away.

The phrase "Allen's intelligence is seriously inaccurate" on Saul's telegram was burning his nerves like a branding iron.

Yes, Allen was wrong, terribly wrong!

His erroneous intelligence directly led to Wu Wanli's successful fatal blow!
The command post fell, the core position of the artillery regiment was lost, and Saul's reinforcement column was cut off halfway...

The central nervous system and firepower of the Han River defense line were completely destroyed by Wu Wanli's army in less than an hour!

This is no longer just a critical situation in the defense line; it's a paralysis of the central nervous system!

It is a sign of an irreversible collapse!

"Wu Wanli...what a clever feint!"
What a brilliant example of blossoming from the center!
That's incredibly sharp!

"His timing was impeccable!" Li Qiwei opened his eyes, his voice hoarse, filled with shock, anger, and a hint of admiration.

This young Chinese People's Volunteer Army general delivered a textbook-perfect blitzkrieg, delivering a resounding slap to the face of the UN Commander-in-Chief.

After a brief silence, Van Fleet mustered his strength and tried to turn the tide: "General, although the loss of the Han River command post is a major setback, it doesn't mean we have no chance!"

Our winning trump card is still here!
navy!

Our Pacific Fleet!

Their powerful carrier-based aircraft should already be approaching the airspace over the Han River battlefield!

His words rekindled hope in the eyes of some U.S. military staff.

Van Fleet's voice rose slightly, attempting to dispel the gloom in the command center: "As soon as our carrier air wing arrives!"
The overwhelming barrage of bombs and rockets was enough to blast any Chinese troops that dared to assemble into pieces!

The troops protecting our Han River defense line calmly and orderly withdrew, reorganized, and retreated!

Thor and Park Jung-hee are still gathering their troops, and Allen's 'Hammer' unit still retains considerable strength!
With adequate air cover, we can minimize our losses and rebuild a strong defensive line based on the outskirts of Seoul!
They could even use their carrier-based aircraft to slow down the pursuit, coordinating with Allen's mobile forces to carve out a significant chunk of flesh from the pursuing Steel Seventh Squadron!

Eckerberg quickly echoed, as if grasping at a lifeline: "Yes! General Van Fleet is right!"

Our air power is absolutely superior!

The Pacific Fleet's carrier-based aircraft are enough to reverse the tide of the ground war!

Have Thor and Allen gather their troops and move towards Seoul!

Carrier-based aircraft will provide them with a safe haven!

Land-based air forces at Seoul Airport can also take off to conduct coordinated operations, forming an overwhelming air iron curtain!

We can still control the situation!

"That's right! Once America arrives, the Chinese will have to kneel down!"

"As long as we maintain air superiority, the ground forces can hold their ground!"

The U.S. military staff officers, as if drowning men had grabbed a piece of driftwood, echoed each other's sentiments.

For a moment, the atmosphere of despair in the command center seemed to be somewhat diluted by this "naval superiority theory".

Even Li Qiwei's tightly furrowed brows seemed to relax slightly.

Yes, the navy, that's the force they can absolutely rely on.

However, at that moment—"Report! Urgent military intelligence! Urgent message from the Pacific Fleet!"

Another U.S. military staff officer practically tumbled in.

The glimmer of hope that had just risen in the command center vanished instantly!
Ridgway's heart sank, and he shouted sharply, "Read it!"

The U.S. military staff officer's voice trembled with a hint of despair as he said, "Pacific... Pacific Fleet Command reporting."

The carrier-based aircraft attack wave, en route to the Han River battlefield, was intercepted by the main force of the Chinese Navy in airspace approximately 80 nautical miles west of the west coast of North Korea!

Van Fleet exclaimed in shock, as if he had heard a fairy tale: "What? The Chinese Navy?"

Those few dilapidated ships of theirs dare to intercept our carrier-based aircraft? Are they courting death?

Ignoring Van Fleet's questioning, the US military staff officer continued reading rapidly: "The Chinese fleet's air defense firepower was exceptionally fierce, and a large number of carrier-based aircraft were launched to conduct a tenacious interception, resulting in a fierce air battle between the two sides!"
Although our aircraft group had a numerical and qualitative advantage, it was slowed down by the dense air defense network of the Chinese fleet and failed to break through its interception line quickly.

In the midst of the fierce battle, a large number of Chinese land-based air force fighter jets suddenly emerged from the clouds!

Our carrier-based aircraft group was caught off guard and fell into an absolute disadvantage!

The air battle was fierce, with only a few dozen of our aircraft remaining, damaged, as they retreated to Incheon Port!
The Chinese naval fleet, under the cover of the air force, did not suffer fatal losses!
Its fleet abruptly changed course and is now heading at full speed toward Incheon Port!

The Pacific Fleet Command judged that its intention was to engage in a decisive battle with our main fleet!

"Om-"

The entire UN command headquarters felt as if a bomb had been dropped on it!
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

The faces of the US military staff drained of color instantly, like puppets whose souls had been ripped out.

VanVleet's mouth dropped open, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

Eckelberg swayed, instinctively grabbing the edge of the sand table to avoid falling.

The aircraft carrier model representing the Pacific Fleet on the huge sand table looked so fragile in everyone's eyes at that moment.

Li Qiwei swayed slightly, and only managed to steady himself by holding onto the back of the chair.

A chilling sense of despair gripped his heart, tightening ever more.

Lost!

While suffering a crushing defeat on the ground battlefield of the Han River, the Pacific Fleet's carrier-based aircraft also suffered heavy losses under the enemy's meticulously planned combined air and sea attack!
Incheon Port!
That crucial landing point, that port that sustains the maritime lifeline of over 100,000 UN troops, is about to be exposed to the guns of the Chinese navy!
Chu Yunfei slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the ashen-faced crowd, his tone carrying an all-knowing compassion: "What a brilliant move, Tian Ji's horse racing strategy."

All eyes immediately turned to the Chinese advisor.

Chu Yunfei walked to the huge war zone map, gently pointed his finger at the area representing the Han River battlefield, and then gestured towards the vast sea area off the west coast of Korea: "Gentlemen, we... have been tricked."

Wu Wanli and Li Yunlong launched feint attacks, main attacks, and infiltrations on the ground, mobilizing all mobile forces along the Han River defense line and creating gaps that allowed them to launch a surprise attack.

Contrary to our expectations, their air force did not commit its main forces to supporting the ground battle on the Han River.

Their carrier-based aircraft, in conjunction with the navy's carrier-based aircraft group, tightly entangled our Pacific Fleet's carrier-based aircraft group at sea!

Then, at the most critical moment, they unleashed their massive elite land-based air force!

With overwhelming troop strength, they pre-planned a battlefield at sea and delivered a fatal blow to our most elite carrier-based aircraft!
This is the principle of "using orthodox tactics to engage the enemy and unorthodox tactics to win" from Sun Tzu's Art of War!
This is the ultimate embodiment of the Eastern strategy of 'concentrating superior forces to defeat the enemy one by one'!
Wasn't the 1st Marine Division at Chosin Reservoir defeated precisely because of this?

Every word Chu Yunfei uttered was like a scalpel, precisely dissecting the core of this grand strategic deception.

Unfortunately, it was only revealed after the war.

Ridgway, Van Fleet, Eckelberg, and all the senior American officers present felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads!

It's not a difference in equipment, nor is it a matter of the soldiers' courage or cowardice...

Rather, it is the art of war that treats the battlefield as a whole, uses counter-strategies, sets traps layer by layer, and ultimately concentrates all its strength on the most unexpected and fatal point for a thunderous strike!

This way of thinking is the essence that these Western generals, who are used to relying on absolute firepower and technological superiority, have never deeply experienced in military school textbooks!

been played!

It turns out we've been led by the nose from beginning to end!
Van Fleet slammed his fist on the table: "Fuck! You despicable, cunning Easterner!"

Ridgway took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil within him: "Now is not the time for anger, Van Fleet!"

Chu Yunfei's words were like a wake-up call, instantly making him see where the next point of collapse in the entire battle was—control of the sea!

Even if the army is completely defeated in the Seoul battlefield, he can still escape by air.

But if the Pacific Fleet is destroyed, the retreat route of more than 100,000 UN troops will be cut off!
We absolutely cannot take this risk!

But abandoning so many frontline troops along the Han River defense line is something I absolutely cannot bring up...

Thinking of this, Ridgway suddenly turned to Van Fleet and Eckelberg: "Van Fleet, what was your suggestion just now?"
"Immediately concentrate all air force units, including land-based aircraft from Seoul Airport, at Incheon Port to assist the Pacific Fleet in its defense and ensure the safety of the port and fleet?"

Van Fleet replied immediately, his voice urgent: "Yes...yes, Commander-in-Chief!"
We must now secure Incheon Port and the fleet!

This is our foundation!
The troops on the Han River sent Allen to provide backup!
As long as the fleet and ports remain, we can transport the main force by sea…

"no!"

Eckelberg interrupted almost screaming, his face pale, pointing to the area on the north bank of the Han River on the map that represented the routed troops of Saul and Park Jung-hee: "Commander-in-Chief!"
We cannot abandon the troops on the Han River!
Thor and Park Jung-hee are still on their way, and Allen's 'Iron Hammer' troops are still there!
There are still a large number of US 3rd Division and ROK 2nd Division soldiers on the Han River front!

Without air cover, their pursuit by Wu Wanli and Li Yunlong's frontal assault could turn into a complete massacre!

"With these elite troops lost, how can Seoul be defended?"

Van Fleet retorted sharply, raising his voice: "What's the use of guarding a remnant army that is destined to be defeated?"

Navy! Fleet! Port!

This is the key to the whole situation!
Without control of the sea, our hundreds of thousands of troops across the Korean Peninsula will be trapped like turtles in a jar!

Supply cut off, retreat route severed!
At that point, not only two divisions, but the entire UN forces will be wiped out!
The Dunkirk evacuation can never be replicated; Dunkirk without the navy is hell!

Only by preserving the Pacific Fleet and Incheon Port can we have the foundation to organize an evacuation similar to Dunkirk!

This is the only way to survive!

"You're abandoning your comrades in the army! That's cowardly!"

Eckelberg glared at him.

"That's womanly compassion! It will drag the entire UN forces into an abyss!"

VanVleet refused to back down.

"We must cover the army's retreat!"

"The navy and ports must be secured!"

At this pivotal moment, the two highest-ranking U.S. military chiefs of staff had a heated argument, representing drastically different strategic choices.

The staff officers in the command post were also divided into two distinct factions.

The arguments for Van Fleet's Navy-first approach and Eckelberg's Army-first approach were intertwined and fiercely debated.

Under immense pressure, everyone's nerves were stretched to the limit.

The fate of Seoul and the fate of the UN troops seemed to teeter on the brink of collapse amid this dilemma.

Air force power is limited and can only be directed in one direction.

The arguing continued, like a swarm of desperate flies buzzing in my ear.

Ridgway's gaze swept over every face in the command post, finally settling on Chu Yunfei in the corner.

He stood there alone, his hands behind his back, his gaze seemingly piercing through the wall towards the east.

While everyone else was arguing over local gains and losses, he seemed to be standing at a higher, more comprehensive level.

Ridgway's voice, tinged with weariness and a final inquiry, broke the argument: "General Chu, as an advisor, what is your opinion?"
What should we do?

In an instant, the entire command center fell silent, and all eyes turned to Chu Yunfei with a final, complex expectation.

Chu Yunfei did not answer Ridgway's question directly, but instead strolled to the huge map of the Far East theater.

His finger moved slowly from the fiercely contested Seoul area to the west coast of Korea, finally landing on the azure sea that connects the Japanese mainland and the Pacific Ocean:

"Commander-in-Chief, there is more than one important city on the Korean battlefield."

If Seoul falls, the officers in command can still easily fly to other cities with the help of the air force.

But if the Pacific Fleet is lost and Incheon Port falls, control of the sea will completely change hands...

So, what is the escape route for all the UN troops still fighting on the front lines?

It was like a thunderclap that exploded in the silent command post!

Van Fleet and Eckelberg's eyes widened instantly, and their thoughts of arguing vanished!

Yes!

With Seoul Airport still standing, these high-ranking generals and command centers could evacuate at any time thanks to their air superiority.

However, the western front was where the main force of the UN forces was located!
Their supplies, their evacuation, their lifeline—all depended on maritime transport!
It is entirely dependent on the control of the sea by the Pacific Fleet!

If the main force of the Pacific Fleet is severely damaged or even blockaded, then the UN forces on the entire Korean Peninsula will be completely trapped in a desperate situation of being divided and surrounded, cut off from supplies, and with no way to escape!

That would be a hundred times more tragic than the Battle of Chosin Reservoir—a true nightmare!

"Is the safety of those fleeing soldiers more important, or is maintaining control of the sea, the only escape route for the main force of the UN forces, more important?"
I think the Commander-in-Chief already has the answer in his heart regarding this choice.

A general should consider the overall situation, not the gains or losses of a single city or territory, nor the survival of his comrades in a particular time or place.

Chu Yunfei smiled and said these words with a hint of understanding.

Ridgway's current situation is similar to that of his principal back then.

The principal knew that Nanjing could not be held, just as Ridgway knew that the Han River front had to be temporarily abandoned, but as the supreme commander, he absolutely could not say it out loud.

Ridgway suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a fierce determination like a warrior cutting off his own arm: "Pass on my orders!"
First: All land-based air forces at Seoul Airport, except for necessary air defense forces, must immediately take off all combat-capable aircraft, including fighters and bombers!
Destination – Incheon Port!

Reinforce the Pacific Fleet at all costs!
Ensure the safety of Incheon Port and the main fleet! Sea control is paramount!
Second: Urgent telegram to Major General Allen!

He was ordered to immediately cease the pointless fighting and lead all mobile forces of the 'Iron Hammer' mixed unit to relocate!
To provide full support and cover for Major General Sol, Division Commander Park Jung-hee, and all retreating troops along the Han River defense line, and to withdraw towards Seoul!

Tell him that air cover is... extremely limited!
He must rely mainly on himself to rescue as many of our soldiers as possible!
Third: Notify all ground defense forces in Seoul to enter a state of maximum alert!
Prepare for...a bloody battle!

The order was issued with an undeniable weight.

The U.S. military staff sprang into action instantly, and the clicking of the telegraph machines in the communications room became as dense as raindrops.

Chu Yunfei silently retreated into the shadows of the corner, a complex glint flashing in his eyes.

It contains insights into the US military's decision-making, and also a hint of admiration for Wu Wanli and Brother Yunlong.

(End of this chapter)