PLA soldiers celebrate their victory over UN forces in the Korean War
POD: October 2nd, 1950.
October 2nd, 1950: In response to UN forces crossing the 38th Parallel, the Chinese government decides to intervene in the Korean War. Zhou Enlai immediately flies to Moscow to confer with Stalin regarding Russian support for the operation. Peng Dehuai is ordered to fly back from his base in Xi'an to command the Chinese forces in Korea. While Peng is angry that he was not consulted about the decision by Mao and Zhou, he accepts command of the Northeast Frontier Force, redesignated as the People's Volunteer Army.
October 4th, 1950: Stalin agrees to provide material support for China's intervention in Korea. Stalin informs Zhou that the Soviet Air Force will take 2-3 months before it can commence combat operations over Korea. Although Stalin considers limiting VVS operations to Chinese airspace, NKVD sources indicate that UN forces in Korea have become overconfident and overstretched. Stalin sees a golden opportunity to humiliate the United States and decides to take it. (1) The Central Military Commission identifies rations, winter clothing and radios as priority items required by the PLA in order to conduct an effective campaign in Korea.
October 10th, 1950: The PLA unit nearest to the Yalu PVA 13th Army Group readies itself for combat operations, however, it's ordered to wait until more PLA units can be moved in from further south.
October 19th, 1950: Pyongyang falls to US 1st Cavalry Division. Other UN forces in Korea start to race towards the Yalu River. Gao Gang, the overall commander of the PLA forces in Northeast China, decides to order the 13th Army Group across the Yalu under the cover of night.
October 25th-29th, 1950: The 13th Army Group makes several probing attacks along the length of the UN lines. The UN forces are so weak and unprepared that the ROK II Corps is rendered combat ineffective in 4 days of fighting. Pleased by the performance of Chinese troops in combat, Stalin decides to increase shipments of men and materiel to China.
November 1st, 1950: The bulk of the PVA is still not ready to move across the Yalu yet. The recently arrived 9th Army Group, which had been preparing to invade Taiwan, still does not have enough winter equipment, despite Russian shipments. The 13th Army Group disappears into the mountains of North Korea. UN command is convinced that the Chinese have not intervened in force and prepare for another offensive in Northern Korea.
November 10th, 1950: The 9th Army Group has finished outfitting in Manchuria and moves into Korea. This movement is not detected by UN forces. (2)
November 24th, 1950: The UN launches a Home By Christmas offensive intending to mop up resistance in Northern Korea.
November 25th, 1950: The 13th Army launches a massive attack against the US 8th Army along the Chongchon River, catching UN forces off guard and completely destroying the ROK II Corps and US 2nd Infantry Division guarding the right flank of the 8th Army. At the same time, the PLA 9th Army launches attacks around the Chosin Reservoir area, seizing the critical airfield at Hagaru-ri and the Toktong pass south of Sinhung-ni (3).
November 26th, 1950: General Walton Walker attempts to order the US I and IX Corps to cover the gap in the lines left by the ROK II Corps. However, this is unsuccessful as the I and IX Corps have suffered heavily from Chinese attacks coming from the north and are retreating to the south.
November 27th, 1950: The PLA 114th Division ambushes the Turkish Brigade guarding the road to Kunu-ri, a village on the IX Corps' axis of retreat. Although the Turks fight to the last man, they fail to substantially delay the 114th Division, which takes Kunu-ri by the morning of November 28th. Tahsin Yazıcı, the commanding officer of the Turkish Brigade is captured by Chinese troops and mysteriously dies while in captivity. The Turks accuse the Chinese of torturing him to death, while the Chinese maintain that Yazici died of wounds incurred during battle.
November 28th, 1950: The entirety of the I, IX and X Corps, over 200000 men, are trapped and encircled by the PVA. The ROK II Corps, having been destroyed in combat, is leaderless and retreating south as quickly as possible. Although the US Air Force and US Navy attempt to intervene, bad weather and PLA camouflage discipline make airstrikes very difficult.
November 29th, 1950: President Harry Truman addresses the American people on the radio and television a solemn speech, explains what has happened and that the bulk of American and UN forces in Korea have been trapped by the PLA. This is one of the first important speeches to be televised.
November 30th, 1950: The following forces are ordered to move to Korea from the United States, Pacific and Europe:
-US 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions
-US 4th, 28th, 43rd Infantry Divisions
-US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions
-USMC 2nd and 4th Divisions
President Truman declares a national emergency and orders that additional conscription begin immediately. Additionally, the US Navy and Air Force is to begin moving as many units as it can spare to Korea. Mark 4 nuclear bombs are ordered sent to Okinawa for potential use against Chinese and North Korean targets.
November 30-December 5th: Repeated attempts by the X Corps to break out fail as PLA units move to engage in close combat with them. The US 1st Marine and 7th Infantry divisions are destroyed in savage fighting around the Chosin Reservoir. The 1st Marines would take over 50% casualties before surrendering.
December 5th: Forward elements of the PLA drive the I ROK Corps from Hungnam, preventing evacuation of the bulk of X Corps. However, elements of the 3rd Infantry Division evacuate under heavy naval gunfire support. They leave behind most of their supplies though.
December 10th, 1950: The PLA retakes Pyongyang but does not move much further south since it needs to deal with the trapped American units in northern Korea.
December 13th, 1950: General Walton Walker is killed somewhere south of Pyongyang when a roving Chinese bazooka team attacks his jeep. The Chinese soldiers quickly scurry away before reinforcements arrive, taking Walker's remains with them. Matthew Ridgway is appointed commander of the 8th Army and is dispatched to Korea.
December 16th, 1950: An emergency meeting of the United Nations is called. A ceasefire is drawn up offering China most of the Korean Peninsula above the 36th Parallel, as well as a meeting by the UN Security Council to resolve the status of Taiwan. Both China and the US reject this proposal.
December 20th: Starvation starts becoming a problem in the trapped 8th Army and X Corps units. The US Air Force can only deliver 250 tons of supplies a day and many of their air drops are ending up in Chinese hands.
December 25th, 1950: Christmas in the US really sucks. The first American reinforcements begin to arrive in Japan and will be sent to Korea sometime in January. Nobody's home for Christmas but many, many people are volunteering to fight against China.
December 26th, 1950: The VVS begins operations over the skies of Korea.
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(1): Stalin waffled on this OTL until the Chinese entered Korea and made probing attacks against II ROK Corps. He changes his mind here.
(2): As per OTL, Chinese units could sneak into Korea undetected.
(3): They attacked the 1st Marine Division head-on OTL. This time, the PLA cuts off X Corps' retreat.
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