Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1951-05-22
Reds Massiing
In Showdown
Lines Probed
BY oIen Clements


today, probed an ominous Chinese
buildup on the east-central front,
and fought to stem a Red sweep
in the east.
Infantry troops wager see-saw
battles in the eastern mountains
25' miles south of parallel 38.
Communist troops were trying to
expand a wedge driven in south
Korean lines near Soksa.
Front line reports said south
Koreans We're forced to adjust
their lines for 25 miles eastward
to the Sea of Japan All dispatches
referring to this action were heav-
lily censored.
This fighting was on the east
ern flank of the heroic II. S. sec
ond Division which hacked four
Chinese corps to pieces in a Red
offensive started last Wednesday.
Second Division patrols probed
northward Tuesday into a new
force of 10000 Chinese reported
massing north of their lines for
a new strike.
AP Correspondent William c.
Barnard said the new Allied ag-
gressiveness and the enemy build
up indicated showdown battle.
While Reds streamed toward
the east central front, they with
drew for the second successive
day along the west-central and
western fronts.
The communists put up only
light resistance to the United
Nations advance, AP correspon-
dent Nate Polowetzky reported
from w. S. Eighth Army head
quarters. Allied troops pushed
ahead two miles and more Tues
day morning.
An Eighth Army officer said
the Withdrawals were being made
by. small communist contingents.
He added:
These small groups usually go
to an assembly point where they
congregate and move northward
again in large numbers. .
Reds were reported withdraw
ing across the Imjin River north
west of Seoul. Pursuing south
Koreans marched through Mum
san for the second straight day.
Some units reached as far as 25
miles north west of Seoul.
British American and Korean
forces pushed up to the HoRgchon
and Pukan rivers southeast OF
Changgong, 25 miles northeast of
Seoul. The Red bridgehead across
the rivers virtually had disap-
peared.
An Eighth Army officer said the
Reds were Withdrawing to escape
American artillery fire. major
factor in the destruction of an es-
timated $4,000 of their comrades
in five days on the central front
South Koreans made fighting
advance of a few hundred yards
in the center, south of Chunchon
Red-held Chunchon is AS mile:
northeast of Seoul.
u. S. Second Division troops
s fought sharp skirmishes as they
stabbed out from Hangye on the
east-central front to test tht
strength of new Chinese masses
gathering in front of them.
One Chinese probing ASSAULT
was smashed before 1t began. Ths
on rushing Chinese tripped Alliee
flares. The entire area blazed in
to light, exposing two Chines'
battalions.
Americans laid down "a solis
wall of artillery and boxed tn
enemy in and them shellacket
them" one Eighth Army office
said.
Second Division patrols check
ing the results of artillery bar
RACES and night bombing foun'
one small valley Uttered witt
Chinese dead. Survivors were ii
a dazed condition. All were wei
clothed, equipped with extra sock
and even extra shoes for lon
campaign.
Maj. Gen. Clark L. Ruffene
produly announced his Secon
Division had broken the back O
the Chinese offensive and coul
do it again against even create
numbers.
Other officers reported Red
were building up in front of th
Second Division and pouring dow
its eastern flank to hit south KoI
cans around SokSa
The Reds had already pushe
southwest of Soska. A new repol
Tuesday said they had also pent
frated east of the city. One hi
changed hands four times in bi
ter hand to hand fighting.
The Eighth Army said ther
was heavy fighting all day in tt
area. Many Chinese and mort
Koreans" were reported pressin
southwark.
Barnard reported other Pc
columns were streaming down t
i sya~d fE4a eantrnI front