The Battle of Triangle Hill
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The arrogance of Imperial Britain, and later followed by the less-structured and well-intentioned international meddling of the Americans, is going to be paid back, big time. Considering we are still near the zenith of our power, you have got to wonder what it is going to be like when they can kick us when we are down. I am speaking of course about an astonishing piece of political theater that occurred at the White House the other night. People from China to DC are bleeding all over it, though thankfully it is not real blood, but rather the commemoration of the shedding of a lot of it, 59 years ago. It is complicated sorting this out. You cannot go far wrong if you mark some things up to pure and simple ignorance. After all, when Chinese President Hu Jintau first visted the United States, he and President Bush stood at attention, an announcer said, “Ladies and gentlemen, the national anthem of the Republic of China, followed by the national anthem of the United States of America.” Then a Falun Gong protester masquerading as a journalist made some unkind remarks at the top of his lungs. It was embarrassing, but in our defense, we managed to play the correct national anthem for China, but unfortunately the “Republic of China” is the government on Taiwan. It was worse the next year on the island of Grenada. I remember the invasion of the island as being a part of the first assertive military operation after the long timidity induced by the collapse of South Vietnam. The stadium St. George’s was to be used as a venue in the World Cricket championships had been destroyed by Hurrican Ivan. A battlion of 500 Chinese had labored mightily to restore the facility in time for the event, but at the dedication, it was the ROC’s anthem that was played instead of that of the PRC. The Chinese were outraged, so I am fairly confident that they pay attention to these things. It is complicated to have two of something, be it anthems or airports. I have had the opportunity to go to the wrong airport in both Shanghai and DC, so I am sympathetic. The event did not make the Mainstream Media this morning, and I assume it is because the New York Times is managing the event to their usual version of the higher good. Let me gist the thing for you in the words of Chinese activist Wei Jingsheng. You can look him up, and he is hardly an objective observor of the Communist government, but you can’t blame him. He did sixteen years in the slammer for daring to add a “Fifth Modernization” to the official four. He posted his demand on the Beijing Wall in 1978. In addition to industry, agriculture, science and national defense, he dared add “Democracy.” Anyway, here is his take on the remarkable event at the White House:
The links to the performance and to clips from the film are included below. The Chinese language summary of the plot is pretty cool. “The story happens in the Korean War in the autumn of 1952, the American troops launched a large-scale attack by the border between South Korea and North Korea while the Sino Sino-Amer ican negotiation at Bamen Dian adjourned. The American representatives meant to steer clear of the futile negotiation by dispatching their troops to occupy Shanggangling Mountain and Wesheng Shan Mountain. In that case, Zhang Zhong Fa, a company commander of Chinese Voluntary Army, led his troops to guard Shanggandling Mount. In an extreme difficult situation, they held on to guarding the position in 24 days and succeeded in dragging the force of the enemy so that the Chinese main forces were in an advantage situation to defeat the enemy. The American were forced to resume the negotiation and sign their names on the armistice paper.”
It was October of 1952. The war sparked by Kim Il Song had dragged on for two bitter years in uncommonly sultry summers and bitterly cold winters. The North Koreans had nearly ejected the Americans and South Korean armies off the peninsula, and UN Forces had then swept north to the Yalu River and looked down on Revolutionary China on the other. The entry of Red Chinese forces into the conflict caused a strategic withdrawal to a line just a few dozen miles north of Seoul, which changed hands four times. President Eisenhower had been elected in part on his declaration that he would end the war on the Peninsula. The U.S. 7th Infantry Division occupied a sector of the Main Line of Resistance (MLR) in central Korea near Kumhwa. Opposing the division, the Chinese 45th Division held elevations to the north, including Hill 598, also called Triangle Hill. Both sides were well dug-in. Battle lines had not changed significantly in almost a year. After peace talks began in November 1951, the Eighth Army assumed an “active defense” posture and combatants on both sides marked time awaiting the outcome of the talks. For six months, the hills exchanged artillery and mortar rounds and had minor skirmishes that did little to change the situation. Then, in spring 1952, as frustration over the failure of peace talks increased, “active” defense gave way to “active engagement.” General Mark Clark, who had replaced Doug MacArthur after the latter’s insubordination to President Truman, authorized SHOWDOWN to move the MLR forward. The terrain was most advantageous for defense. In addition to the massive bulk of Hill 598 (also known as Shangganling Mountain to the Chinese) a less prominent ridge named Sandy sloped down to the east. A thousand yards across the valley from Sandy stood Sniper Ridge, which, because of its strategic location relative to Hill 598 also became an objective of the assault. The operation kicked off on October 14th. It had been planned as a single battalion attack on Hill 598, but eventually stiff Chinese resistance led to the commitment of two additional battalions across the front. In spite of two days of preparatory air strikes and artillery barrages, Chinese resistance was fierce. Sandy Ridge was finally taken and consolidated, but the attack on Triangle Hill and Jane Russell bogged down. 1st Lt. Edward R. Schowalter was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his indomitable courage in finally seizing Jane Russell. The battle dragged on for 42 days, and was the biggest engagement of 1952. The Eighth Army failed to secure Triangle Hill, and suffered 365 KIA and one captured. The Chinese absorbed 11,500 casualties in a defense of attrition, which correctly deduced that the Americans would not access the level of casualties required to take the hills. The Chinese became more aggressive on the armistice negotiation and the battlefield. It is not surprising that the inconclusive stalemate is not well remembered in the West, and it is equally unsurprising that the Chinese remember it well. The epic film “Battle On Shangganling Mountain” was filmed in 1956, starring actor Xu Lin Ge. You can sample some of the film on youTube if you care too. It is pretty spectacular, and there is no question that it is a landmark in Revolutionary culture. So, the question is, why play that particular song at the White House? Others have pointed out that a famously anti-Japanese song is routinely played for the Chinese President without much notice. So does Wei Jingsheng. He concluded his letter to members of Congress this way: “So, it appears that the Americans were humiliating themselves. How could President Obama let this kind of humiliation happen in his White House, and even praise the artist, meanwhile expressing “extraordinary pride” and “looking for many years of cooperation” with a notarious dictator?” Tempest in a teapot? Sure. But like I said, if this is the way it goes when we are still filled with vigor, I wonder what the future is going to be like. I am not looking forward to finding out. For media review, the following were very helpful: |
