Chapter 4, The Strongest in the World

Even with such air support, the Marine Corps 1st Division still felt as if they were trapped in an inescapable vortex. When they finally withdrew from Jiyu to their first objective, they had covered a distance of 18 kilometers, taking a full 38 hours, averaging only 500 meters of progress per hour! And ahead of them lay an even longer and more arduous journey

"The 1st Marine Division does not belong to me, Smith alone, but to all of us." As he surveyed the audience, General Smith's words resonated with authority at that moment. "I cannot guarantee that I can bring all of you home; this is a battlefield, and as soldiers, we should be prepared to face death. However, I will never abandon any one of you. To sacrifice the lives of a few for the sake of the many is absolutely not a justification. To forsake the interests of a minority for the benefit of the majority is, in my view, equally selfish!"

Between such heaven and earth, the Chinese army launching an attack against the Marine Corps is completely exposed to the eyes of American Air Force pilots. Under the successive assaults of fighter jets and bombers, these Chinese soldiers, enduring the artillery, heavy machine gun, and carbine fire from the Marine Corps, surge forth like the raging tides of the Yangtze River from all directions. Watching them fall one by one amidst the impenetrable rain of bullets and the flying shrapnel, the soldiers behind them, stepping on the blood-soaked ground, continue to charge forward to the resounding sound of the charge call. Every soldier of the Marine Corps clearly understands that in the face of such a formidable enemy, if they did not possess overwhelmingly strong air support, not a single one of them would survive to break through the encirclement

Colonel Lewis still did not speak; he simply straightened his body and, facing Major General Smith, a commander who was already fifty-seven years old yet still active on the front lines of battle, sincerely rendered a military salute.

Do not concern yourselves with the damned night, nor speak to me of how difficult air support is at that time. If you cannot provide support to the Marine Division during the night, none of us will survive to return! For the sake of the five thousand children of our Marine Division who deserve to return home, for the sake of the five thousand families that have not yet been shattered, I implore you!

As for who is more correct ...! ... this is no longer a matter for soldiers on the battlefield to discern

The commanders and fighters of the Chinese Volunteer Army were aware that at night, the U.S. Air Force would be unable to exert their firepower advantage due to visibility issues. It was at that time that they would launch a full-scale attack on the Marine Division, aiming to completely annihilate this well-equipped and well-trained American force.

God knows how many tons of ammunition these fighter jets and bombers have unleashed on the Gema Plain, just as all Chinese volunteer soldiers understand, daytime is the paradise of the U.S. Air Force! They relentlessly used tens of thousands of tons of ammunition to create strips of life isolation and * maps * on the Gema Plain, covering Colonel Lewis and successfully retrieving the severely battered company stationed on the heights. They relentlessly used tens of thousands of tons of ammunition to create strips of life isolation and * maps * on the Gema Plain, covering Colonel Lewis and successfully retrieving the severely battered company stationed on the heights

In just three hours, from the aircraft carriers "Bari," "Philippines," "Sicily," "Bari," and "Light," countless sorties of fighter jets and bombers took to the skies; during this three-hour period, the fighter jets, reconnaissance planes, and bombers of the United States Fifth Air Force also surged forth in full force

On December 11, 1950, at 1:00 PM, the United States Marine Corps 1st Division, under the nearly full support of the Air Force, finally passed through Zhenxingli, breaking free from the encirclement of the Chinese army on all sides

Just as the 1st Marine Division was preparing to withdraw from Jiyu, Colonel Smith suddenly heard intense gunfire erupting on the right flank of the battlefield, accompanied by the dull sounds of various artillery firing in rapid succession. At this moment, in order to withstand the repeated assaults from the Chinese forces, Colonel Smith, who was already overwhelmed, suddenly recalled that a few days prior, he had dispatched a company to secure a peak on the right flank to hold this strategic location of Jiyu.

This is a position that absolutely cannot be lost. Once this peak is compromised, the Chinese artillery will be able to overlook the entire area of Jiyu and bombard their ammunition depot from above. If it were not for this company, which fought desperately to withstand wave after wave of fierce attacks from the Chinese army, Jiyu would have already turned into a sea of fire under the bombardment of the Chinese artillery

Surrounding us are 5,000 troops, fully equipped and ready to break through the blockade of the Chinese army, which is ten times their size. On the battlefield to the right, there is a unit that has fought fiercely for days and nights, likely already battered and scattered; who knows how many live soldiers remain in their ranks. Placing these two weights before any individual allows for a swift assessment of their differences in significance. In studying the Chinese art of war, General Smith even remembered the idiom "a brave man cuts off his own wrist." Placing these two weights before any individual allows for a swift assessment of their differences in significance. In studying the Chinese art of war, General Smith even remembered the idiom "a brave man cuts off his own wrist."

Asia and Europe represent two distinct worlds, shaped by cultural traditions that have influenced their philosophies and standards of execution over hundreds or even thousands of years. These philosophies and standards may not be explicitly codified in law, yet they have become moral benchmarks that govern daily behavior. Each of these moral standards has its own valid starting point and theoretical foundation. These philosophies and standards may not be explicitly codified in law, yet they have become moral benchmarks that govern daily behavior. Each of these moral standards has its own valid starting point and theoretical foundation

By this time, the casualties of the 1st Marine Division had exceeded 4,000, with more than 7,000 non-combat losses due to frostbite and other reasons. The entire unit's structure had been fundamentally dismantled

On that night, the United States Air Force broke their long-standing practice of not providing fire support to opposing forces during nighttime. They deployed tens of thousands of flares into the sky, each flare emitting a ghastly white light that violently tore through the dark canopy of the night, illuminating the entire expanse between heaven and earth as if it were broad daylight at the highest cost.

As Colonel Lewis strode away, several officers closest to him clearly saw a glimmer in his eyes, gently pulsating.

I am Colonel Lewis, commander of the 1st Marine Division, 1st Regiment. With the full command authorization from Major General Smith, Colonel Lewis dialed the phone to the aircraft carrier group headquarters. He inhaled gently through his nose, looking at a combat map spread out before him by a staff officer, and stated clearly and deliberately: "I request support. I ask that you dispatch all available bombers and fighters to provide the most concentrated and uninterrupted covering fire for a continuous three-hour bombing campaign, completely severing all possible routes for the Chinese army to launch an attack against us"

General Smith looked back at the path they had paved with blood and burning steel, and he let out a soft sigh in his heart: "Chinese soldiers, if you were provided with the same advanced weapons, trained in scientific command, and equipped with systematic logistics, you could truly become... the strongest in the world"

All carrier-based aircraft from the eight aircraft carriers, as well as all deployable fighter jets and bombers capable of providing fire support from the Fifth Air Force, took to the skies.

Reflecting in his mind on the meaning of "cutting off one's wrist" as recounted by the instructors at West Point, this Colonel Smith, who was deemed by General Almond to "lack the strong qualities of a soldier," suddenly had a glimmer of determination in his eyes. He abruptly turned to face the valiant Lewis, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Marine Division, and commanded, "I am giving you two battalions and three hours to reclaim that company for me"

Battle, the most brutal of battles, a struggle for survival, is undoubtedly a touchstone for soldiers. At this moment, Smith, a man deemed by General Almond to "lack the strong qualities of a soldier," reveals the brilliant radiance of a hero.

Colonel Lewis did not speak; he had endured the trials of war during World War II and had come to this day unafraid of any battle. However, mobilizing two battalions to force an assault while surrounded on all sides could come at a cost far exceeding that of a single company. Any experienced commander understands that in the ever-changing battlefield, a single minute can determine the fate of a unit, a legion, or even an entire campaign, let alone delaying for a full three hours!

The Chinese military emphasizes the overall interests; once a conflict arises, individuals are required to subordinate themselves to the collective, thereby achieving overall cohesion

Whether it was being moved by the request of Colonel Smith or out of respect for him, on this evening, the United States Air Force truly went mad

Of course, Colonel Smith also understands what the commanders of the Chinese army are thinking, and he must admit that in terms of night operations and close combat, they indeed cannot compare with the Chinese army

Emphasizing personal rights, allowing for the expression of individuality, possessing the brave and romantic style of the Western cowboy, and carrying a strong spirit of adventure, the American military, when pushed to the brink, will unleash its most formidable fighting power