The wind stopped the snow and the dawn fell again in Changjin Lake in North Korea.
After the pale and weak sun slowly rose to the mountains, Rizberg's troops began to move towards the 1081 highland. The wind and snow of last night completely wiped out all the mountains and ridges in the Changjin Lake area, causing obvious changes in the appearance of the entire mountainous area. The original snow was blown away by the strong wind, and the road ahead was covered by new snow. The Marines stopped and stopped, and it took a long time to reach the foot of the mountain in the 1081 Highland. The high ground was quiet, the cold sunshine shone on the snow field, and there was a gloomy silvery white in the field of view. There was no gunshot, no shouting, nor was there a rain of grenades and bullets flying like wasps, and the earth was peaceful.
Commander Rizberg was a little confused because this peace was too abnormal, and the silence of the Chinese made him confused. Based on basic common sense, it is impossible for the Chinese to send blocking troops to the last pass of the 1081 Highland. He thought in his mind that something unusual might happen. Rizberg ordered his Marines to be more careful and take over the positions on the hill.
Americans finally climbed the mountain carefully, and they were stunned by the scene in front of them.
In the snow-covered trenches are stiff bodies of Chinese soldiers. They are lying next to each other in their combat positions, with a hundred people waiting for the guns, all pointing to the road below, which is where the Marines are about to pass. These Chinese people are very thin and don’t have coats, and most of them are wearing single hats and single shoes. The ice and snow condensed into frost on their faces, and dense tiny ice bulges hung on each of their eyebrows and beards, and the breeze blew by, making a sound.
The Chinese on the position seemed to be asleep, letting the Americans come to their side without being moved. They just lay down like that, everyone's weapons were frozen in their hands, and everyone's face was so peaceful.
Rizberg also climbed up to the 1081 high ground after hearing the Marine Corps report. He was shocked by the same scene. This is the Chinese army that had fought with them for more than 20 days, the Chinese people who surrounded them layer by layer and attacked them continuously. They would rather freeze to death than give up their positions. Who are these people? Where did they come from and where did they go? Why are they so tenacious and have such extraordinary willpower? Rizberg shook his head. Although he couldn't fully understand these people, he knew that they were all fearless warriors and real soldiers.
Rizberg's slightly closed fingers touched the edge of helmet , and gave a solemn military salute to the Chinese who were lying quietly on the position, the military salute of the US Marine Force.
Rizberg said to his Marines: "Let them stay here and don't disturb them."
Marines lined up in a long queue, and they passed by the 1081 Heights, each of whom placed their fingers together on the brim of their helmets or coats, greeting the Chinese who were sleeping on the hills and their opponents.
…………
When Lao Wang returned to the 1081 Heights of Huangcaoling with his heavy pockets, Smith's 1st Land War Division had all passed this pass. Lao Wang saw the same scene that the Americans saw on the position.
"Instructor!"
"Chen Amao!"
Old Wang shouted Ouyang Yunyi's name, shouting Chen Amao's name. Old Wang ran from one end of the trench to the other end of the trench, shouting the name of every soldier he could call out. There was no movement in the position except for the gentle whimpering wind, only his old king's head shouted in a lonely and desolate manner.
Old Wang staggered around the position, flipping and shaking every stiff sleeping person. His voice was hoarse, but no one paid attention to him.Lao Wang's heavy pocket fell on the frozen ground, and the cooked mule meat rolled down the hillside along the position. That was his "Qinghua"...
Wu Tiechui rushed all the way until the sun set. He arrived at the 1081 highland of Huangcaoling.
He did not expect that the 1081 Highland was the last destination of his army, nor did he expect that he would say goodbye to his old partner Ouyang Yunyi in this way.
No.100 people were lifted out of the trench and carried it to the gentle slope. Their bodies were bent, maintaining the posture of shooting at the gun, and they were not straight, and the gun was held in their arms, frozen in their hands, and could not be pulled down. Everyone's face was covered with frost, and their hair, eyebrows, beards were covered with crystal clear ice particles, which were crystal clear under the dim afterglow of the sunset.
Wu Tiechui saw Ouyang Yunyi, and he seemed to be completely asleep, with his eyes closed, and he slept very soundly and peacefully. He wore blue wool gloves on his hands and his canvas shoulder bag on his shoulders. His glasses were frozen and cracked and the glasses were falling on his chest. Wu Tiech picked up his glasses, unbuttoned Ouyang Yunyi's shoulder bag, wiped the frozen cracked lenses with a towel, and then put them on Ouyang Yunyi's nose bridge again.
Ouyang Yunyi's shoulder bag also contains his toothbrush, jar, notebook, pen, etc. In addition to these scattered personal items, there is also a bag wrapped in handkerchief. Wu Tiechhui looked at it and found that it was a pack of soil, brown soil, which was already solid and frozen.
Wu Tiechui looked at Ouyang Yunyi who was sleeping in front of him. He had never looked at him carefully like this. It was dark during the day, sunny during the rainy day, and whether it was hot or cold, he was inseparable from this person day and night. How many years have it been? It seems that during the War of Resistance Against Japan, in northern Jiangsu, in his hometown of Wujiaji, this man took him to join the Anti-Japanese Detachment of the New Fourth Army . They fought the Japanese devils together and defeated the Japanese devils. They went from northern Jiangsu to north to Shandong to fight the Kuomintang. They fought many major battles, including the Battle of Shandong , Laiwu , Menglianggu , Huaihai Battle and so on, and then crossed the Yalu River to fight the 1st American devils' land war division. After so many years, he never thought of being separated from this person, even in the cruelest and most harshest environment on the shore of Changjin Lake. But now, this person he was very familiar with and respected had completely fallen asleep in the extreme cold. He slept on his own position and did not leave his combat post. Wu Tiechui knew that this person would never wake up again.
Wu Tiechhui untied the shoulder bag he brought with him. This was given to him by Lan Xiaoping when he left the treatment team of the division hospital. The shoulder bag contained a sweater woven by Lan Xiaoping. It was sky blue, very eye-catching and dazzling. Lan Xiaoping's hands were frozen. Lan Xiaoping had knitted this sweater for a long time, and the stitches were very thick and big. She felt a little embarrassed and felt a little sorry for Ouyang Yunyi. When she handed the sweater to Wu Tiech, she felt very guilty. After dragging it for so long and knitting it so badly, she could only ask Ouyang Yunyi to deal with it. Wu Tiechui could still think of Lan Xiaoping's shy and guilty expression at that time. Wu Tiechhui took out the sky blue sweater and gently placed it on Ouyang Yunyi's chest.
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Book title: "Changjin Lake"
Author: Wang Yun
Publishing House: Beijing October Literature and Art Publishing House
Publication time: October 2021 html l2
"Faith is like a bright light guiding the way, shining on our way home." In the late winter of 1950, under extremely harsh conditions, the 9th Corps of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army divided the US army into the Changjin Lake area, annihilated more than 13,000 enemies, recovered the vast eastern area north of the 38th parallel, reversed the situation in one fell swoop, laying the foundation for victory for the final Korean War armistice negotiations.
This battle with huge differences in weapons and equipment seems to have exceeded the scope of conventional wars, and is more like a desperate battle of willpower. The brave one wins when we meet on a narrow road! Chinese soldiers are thinly dressed, their weapons are simple, and they are hungry, but brave the severe cold of minus 30 to 40 degrees Celsius, bravely fight the enemy, and solidify into solemn statues on the last position... Under the writing of writer Wang Yun, vivid volunteer army soldiers returned to us from the ice and snow. They are flesh and blood, sad and joyful, and their stories are tear-jerking and touching. They forged the soul of the Chinese nation with their fearless revolutionary spirit!
