Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1951-04-27
REDS PITTING NUMBERS
AGAINST U. N. FIREPOWER
BULLETIN

bu, road hub IL miles north of
Seoul. Uijongbu was still in AL
lied hands at last reports and
United Nations troops were still
on a line north of the city.
BY olen Clements
TOKYO, APRIL 27-tR,-United
Nations troops fell back on both
ends of the 100-mile Korean front
today.
In the west they rolled back
through uiongbu, IL miles north
of Seoul
In the east they abandoned
Yanggu and pulled back below the
38th parallel. This was the last
Allied hold in Red Korea on the
active fighting front
In both Withdrawals U.N. forces
broke contact with Reds. The
Allies also broke contact south
of Hwachon Reservoir, and with
drew so rapidly a vast no-man's
land was created on this east
central sector.
Little contact was reported all
along the front. But u N. troops
beat back attacks in the center
aimed at roads leading to Seoul
And in the extreme west, Allied
forces fought a stubborn delaying
action IA mikes northwest of Seoul.
On the northern approaches
the Chinese were about 10 miles
from the old South Korean cap
ital.
But 1t. Gen. James A. Van
Fleet, us. Eighth Army Com
rnander, expressed confidence
they could be halted north of the
Han River @
The Han borders Seoul on the
south.
we are withdrawing in order"
Van Fleet said on an Lnheralded
ffUhtiifie tour. we are keeping
units intact. We are taking a.
Tremendous toll of the enemy
while only minimum losses
AS the Reds neared Seoul, ei-
vflians stream1ed out of the city
To the south. A south Korean gov
ernment spokesman said 100000
had, already fled across the man.
Another 100000 were expected to
follow, leaving about 100000 in
the city which has lost military
significance to either side
Ii was a familiar flight. Com
Thuaist troops twice have occupied
and twice abandoned Seoul. Fri
day they drove on 1t for the third
time.
The force of their drive ap-
peared to be weakening, 9Th Army
headquarters said Friday. 1t re-
ported U.N. troops in their path
fought "a stubborn delaying act
ion.''
Five Red divisions hammered
toward the South Korean capital
from. the north. Some were only
II miles away near Uijangbu
Others were closer on the Mum
san-Seoul road to the west.
In some sectors the Reds had
gained 80 miles since they launch
ed their spring offensive Sunday.
But they paid terrific price in
lives for each mile gained. The
u. ". command estimated $4,000
Reds were killed in, four and a
half days.
They're spending people like
we spend ammunition" one Of
ficer said. .
A single American artillery di-
vision in the west fired more than
10000 rounds = about $500, 600
lMl worth in two days.
Allied losses were described as
negligible. But there were losses,
The II. N. withdrawal was a series
of heroic fights.
Swarming communist masses re-
peatedly surrounded u. M. units
- Turks. Belgian. British. Arneri-
can. An Australian outfit fought
Reds on three sides Filipinos.
New Zealanders, South Koreans.
Cafadiahs and Americans pitched
in each time to rescue trapped
units.
Most fought clear with rela-
lively light losses. But one, the
British Royal Gloucestershire first
battalion. lost heavily 1t was
overwhelmed by sheer numbers
of. Chinese.
Three American battalions
fought their way out of a trap
on the central front against heavy
odds.
Despite entrapments and with
orawals. there was. strong air
OF. confidence in Allied ranks.
Red Cavalry joined infantry
men moving on the old capital
from the north. They advanced
without arnnor or artillery. They
pitted sheer manpower against
Allied firepower.
Without anti-tank guns, the
Reds swarmed over U.N. Tanks
like ants. In one case American
tanks spread out and shot Chinese
Off each others back.
The same type of warfare was
typical OF the rainswept battle
fields from west to east where
Red pressure again Incl easv4.