[US West Point Military Academy]
[Editor's Note] "The US military is not afraid of the modernization of the Chinese military, but is afraid of the Mao Zedongization of the Chinese military." This famous quote comes from the interview transcript of Mr. Donghai, " Western pastry Talk about the Korean War (Korean War)", original in April 2000. There were many rumors on the Internet later, and they were mistressed and their faces were distorted. Now, the author authorized by the Kunlun Strategy Research Institute has been revised and published to enjoy readers and to face the audio.
West Point talk about the Korean War (Korean War )
April 2000
I have visited the world-famous American West Point Military Academy several times. Because the school is open to the outside world to visit, anyone can go there on the open day.
does not require any special permissions or arrangements.
West Point has become one of the few tourist attractions in the eastern United States, not only because it is the highest military institution that has cultivated many military talents in history for the United States, but also because it is also because the mountains and rivers are beautiful and the scenery is quite similar to China's small Three Gorges in the Yangtze River. It is an excellent place to go for a picnic.
Whether it is a family trip or a faraway guest, this is a place to choose.
One of them was particularly memorable.
At the tourist reception center outside the West Point School, there is an exhibition that introduces the past and present of the military school.
mainly serves as the staff of the center, and occasionally there will be teachers and students from the military academy to come to volunteer for guest explanations.
The one who explained to us that day was exactly the current military academy teacher F.
This chance encounter provided me with a good opportunity to in-depth discussion of the questions in my heart, which made me very excited.
After the explanation, I dragged him to ask questions.
At the beginning, it was obviously out of professional habits and politeness. F's reply was concise and to the point, but later he became more and more interested in talking.
He answered my question with a military-style cheerful look.
The questions I asked were mainly about the Korean War (also known as the Korean War) in the 1950s.
Question: Why do Americans not want to mention the Korean War?
Compared with the quarrels of Vietnam War , it really seems like a "forgotten war". Is there any special reason for
?
Answer: For us American soldiers, the meaning and meaning of these two wars are completely different.
Vietnam War was a political failure, not a military failure.
The US military fought with restraint.
Because of fear of China's participation in the war, the US military was not allowed to cross the 17 line to carry out effective military attacks on the targets and bases of North Vietnam . As a result, it turned out to be a bad battle.
can only withdraw the matter in the end.
and the Korean War was a complete military failure.
The army, navy and air force of a country recognized in the world as the most powerful country, jointly operates three-dimensionally, but has not been able to fight a poor country with primitive equipment.
, especially, it was in the situation of a large army field offensive and defense that was beneficial to us, rather than guerrilla warfare , and it lost a lot.
This is the eternal shame and scar for our American military and the United States. It's hard to look back, it's better not to talk about it.
should not be difficult to understand.
Question: Why do you want to say that you have failed?
Many statements are "starting from 38th rank , and finally 38th rank", which is considered a draw.
Answer: That is self-deception.
The US military has never said that it was a tie.
The situation of the war in South Korea can be ignored.
We are focusing on this part of the fight between China and the United States.
The actual situation at that time was that a vanguard of the US Eighth Army had arrived at the Yalu River side.
The combat contact between the two armies of China and the United States was carried out in the Sino-North Korea border area.
, geographically speaking, it starts from the Yalu River and ends at the 38th parallel, and the winning and losing trend is self-evident.
does not need to distort and cover it up.
Question: What is the reason for the failure of the US military?
is a command error? Or is there any problem with the combat effectiveness of the troops?
Answer: There are two reasons. Let’s talk about the combat effectiveness of the troops first.
The US troops participating in the Korean War were not on a casual journey.
US Eighth Army, Marine Division 1 , and Cavalry Division are all famous ace and ever-winning troops among the US army. The officers and soldiers have just fought World War II and are rich in practical experience. Equipped with the world's latest tank , artillery and various light and heavy weapons. And have absolute air control and sea control rights.
There are really no other excuses to find except for the reason why the first battle was caught off guard.
The US military lost repeatedly in the Korean War. Not only did it fail when it suffered a raid in the early stage of the battle, but it also won fewer victories and more defeats in the offensive and defense of the two armies in the middle and late stages.
can only draw a very uncomfortable but realistic conclusion: the US military, which has the advantage of equipment, performed worse than the Chinese army on the Korean battlefield.
Question: In the late stage of the war, especially the fourth and fifth battles, there was a tug-of-war situation of advancing and retreating between each other, or in other words, it was in a state of balance.
is the reason why the combat effectiveness of the two armies has their own rise and fall?
Answer: It has no direct relationship with the combat effectiveness of the troops. reflects more about the logistical capabilities of the troops.
After General Li Qiwei took over as commander-in-chief, he changed to offensive defense. This has improved the passive trend of the battle.
After the Chinese army crossed the 38th parallel, the lengthened transportation lines and harsh traffic conditions, coupled with the "strangling war" of the US Air Force, bombardment is the key to delaying the Chinese army's offensive and thus stabilizing the situation.
When the Chinese army prepares enough food bullets to launch an attack, the US military cannot stop their advance. Only when the other party's food and ammunition are exhausted will the US military have the opportunity to make limited progress.
In other words, if the Chinese army did not only maintain the food and ammunition that could only maintain the front-line troops for one week (that is, what General Li Qiwei said about the weekly offensive), but had a logistics supply that would be sufficient for a month. The war should have ended long ago.
Question: Is it good to talk about the gains and losses in combat command?
Answer: This involves our old alumni, old senior, , MacArthur, .
General Mai has made countless military achievements throughout his life. Is one of the most outstanding alumni of West Point Military Academy . He can also be regarded as one of the greatest commanders in American history.
It’s a pity that my life’s reputation was destroyed in the Korean War.
From the perspective of battle command alone, General Mai committed a taboo in underestimating the enemy and advancing.
There is one thing I want to explain that at that time, my ignorance and contempt of the Chinese military was a common problem among the US military, not a single person’s fault.
The poor performance of the Chinese Kuomintang army in World War II left a deep impression on people.
For example: hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops did not resist, and 20,000 Japanese troops occupied three northeastern provinces; 300,000 Chinese troops on the front lines of Hebei and Shanxi were driven away by only three thousand Japanese troops like ducks, etc.
In the minds of US military officers and soldiers, the Chinese army is a "duck". It is a vulnerable mob.
Otherwise, General Mai would not have said arrogant words like "blood stained the Yalu River".
At that time, there was a kind of unfounded blind optimism, which finally led to failure.
Question: This national army is not the national army.
During the three-year civil war, Mao Zedong led his troops to sweep the enemy's troops by eight million. Have you not paid attention to or studied it at all?
Answer: What I asked is the most.
At that time, the United States was addicted to the joy after the victory of World War II. And there are preconceived views on the Chinese army.
at all unaware that the "duck" under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek became a group of lions under Mao Zedong's command. Under the brave attack of the Chinese army, the US military suffered a catastrophe.
I admire the courage to overcome difficulties, the spirit of death and the shrewd and effective tactics shown by the Chinese army in the Korean War.
As a soldier, I naturally hope that I can win.
But as a scholar of objective argumentation, I think that it is reasonable for the Chinese army to win regardless of whether it is judged in terms of battle command and battlefield performance.
I don't think it would be embarrassing to be defeated by the Chinese army with an outstanding commander like Mao Zedong and an outstanding commander like Peng Dehuai.
Question: What impact and inspiration will the US military and even the United States in the future policy toward China?
Answer: The Americans learned from the failure of the Korean War that China is no longer the China of the past, and the Chinese army is no longer the Chinese army of the past.
We must re-study China with an extremely cautious attitude and attach importance to China. Especially Mao Zedong's China.
must never make the mistake of underestimating the enemy and advancing again.
In Kinmen Cannon Battle and the Vietnam War, the United States showed this prudence.
This is the direct result of the lesson learned from the Korean War.
Otherwise it would be a completely different situation.
With my personal wish, there will be no more war between China and the United States. Otherwise, both sides will suffer losses and the consequences will be unimaginable.
If one day I have to fight, I can only hope that the Chinese army at that time will no longer have too many Mao Zedong colors.
Question: How do you say this?
Answer: The US military is not afraid of the modernization of the Chinese military, because in this regard they will never catch up with us. What I fear is Mao Zedongization of the Chinese army, or revolutionization in Chinese terms.
The further the Chinese army is from Mao Zedong, the greater the dependence on weapons and equipment, the greater the chance of victory of the US military.
Mao Zedong is the only military genius in human history who is good at attacking the strong with the weak and defeating the strong with the weak. His military ideological system and practical application are very exquisite and unique. There is no good solution to the problem.
The Chinese army guided by Mao Zedong's military thoughts in the Korean War was a miracle.
In the early days of the war, the Chinese army had no air force and navy at all, and there were almost no tanks and heavy artillery.
According to our standards, the total amount of firepower throws of the five Chinese infantry troops, mainly equipped with light weapons , is not even as good as that of a battleship of the US Navy.
is more than a hundred times the total firepower of the US military participating in the battle!
The logistics supply of the Chinese army is also very poor, with thin clothes and ragged clothes, serious shortage of food, and a shortage of ammunition supply.
I don’t believe that any US military unit can still fight under such circumstances, and I can’t imagine that any army can dare to fight a regular battle with the powerful US military under such circumstances.
However, the Chinese army not only fought, but also won.
is especially incredible that even though it has suffered major casualties, the Chinese army can still strictly abide by discipline, be lenient to prisoners of war, and treat civilians well. It is the only one in which the warring parties have not committed any abuse. It shows a noble civilization that has never been seen in the history of human war.
can transform a once vulnerable mob into such a steel army that can endure hardships, fight and behave civilized. With this alone, Mao Zedong was not only qualified to be among the great commanders and military strategists in human history, but should also be among the best!
Although we are studying it as an opponent. But I always have the deepest respect for Mao Zedong in China.
The two Chinese military academy respected by West Point Military Academy are also the military strategists of all mankind, one is Mao Zedong, and the other is Sun Wuzi .
(The author is a sociologist and lives in the United States; source: Kunlun Ce.com [author authorization] , revised and published)
