Evening star., 1952-10-07
BY the Assoeioted Press

I1cdIUy ArTOWIlcdQ 1LluSc W
concentrate on White Horse.
By the Assoeioted Press
SEOUL, Oct. IA major drive
by $4,000 Chinese Communists,
which toppled seven allied hill po-
sitions in the first rush. was re-
newed in full fury tonight against
two key heights guarding the road
to Seoul
The Reds poured in heavy ar
tillery barrages against the hills,
then sent fresh troops charging
up the slopes which already were
Uttered with an estimated 1900
to 1900 Communist dead, front
reports said.
AS fighting ragged for the hills,
front-line officers called this big
gest Red assault in a year a "lim-
tied offensive. It so far had been
unable to dent the main allied
positions, but there was no letup.
At times it was melee of tanks,
artillery and mortar barrageS and
bayonetS as the Reds beat in
ceaSeleSs waves against the allied
lines across two-thirds of the 1885,
mile front.
Heights Command Seoul Road.
The hill positions that fell were
relatively minor allied outposts
stretching from one position near
the armistice town of Panmunjom
100 miles northeastward.
The main prize, however, was
White Horse Mountain and Ar
rowhead Ridge near Chorwon,
which is about As miles north of
Seoul. These heights command
the road to Seoul and here the
Reds threw their greatest punch.
Front reports said the attack
ing Chinese wore gas masks.
There was no explanation given.
The Reds repeatedly have accused
the allies of using gas in Korea
and possibly they had begun to
believe their own propaganda. The
allies insist they never have used
gas.
Associated Press Correspondent
Milo Farneti reported from the
front that a roaring artillery bar
rage powered today's assault. The
Reds pumped 200 rounds an hour
at each of the heights before the
infantry charge.
The first Red onslaught last
night gained the Reds some
ground at isolated points.
Red Losses Heavy.
Fighting was brutal. The Reds
threw men, tanks and artillery
into the battle, spread over two
thirds of the 155-mile battlefront.
But the Allies had known for
three days of the attack and were
ready for the assault.
The United States 9th Army
said the massive Red assault cap
tured seven hill positions. But
the Allied defenders stood their
ground at most places. The Army
added that many hundreds of
Reds were killed.
The Army said, "The Reds
main effort was thrown back
with heavy losses"
Allied warplanes roared over the
front today. hitting the Red lines.
Pilots said they destroyed two
Red tanks and about 80 bunkers.
One Allied outfit fought and
died to the last man in defending
a vital hill. The number of men.
presumably not large, was with
held.
Seeking Weak Point.
A front-line Allied officer indi-
Gated the Reds may have been
seeking a weak point where their
troops and tanks could pour
through to the south. Had they
succeeded, he said, they might
have cut off the entire Seoul area.
Wave, after wave of fanatical
Chinese began hitting the western
and central fronts last night. The
biggest force, nearly 5000 men,
ran straight into an allied trap
and was badly mauled.
The main Red blow hit White
Horse Mountain and Arrowhead
Ridge, near Chorwon. The Reds
opened the floodgates of a re-
servoir in an unsuccessful effort
to cut off allied reinforcements.
1t. William D. Lansford of Los
Angeles said the allies knew the
attack was imminent when the
Yokkok River, which circles both
hills, began to rise.
Floodgates Opened by Reds.
That meant the Reds had
opened the floodgates of Pongnae
Reservoir. But the allies had pre-
pared for that by fixing rock fords.
cable crossings and a helicopter
landing strip.
Allied officers knew three days
ago the attack was coming. They
did not say how they learned that.
They brought up fresh troops,
tanks and big guns.
When the Chinese attacked they
were met with a blistering bar
rage Of fire.
Between 800 and 900 Reds were
killed at White Horse alone. An
other $50 died at Arrowhead
Ridge.
Mr.. Farneti at the front said
the fighting produced the first
tank battle since the early days
Of the war. One RuSSian-built
T-34 tank was knocked out.