200MDeon During the Korean War Shen Zhihua and Yafeng Xia 201 at the UN.As soon as an agreement for the withdrawal of foreigr troops was reached and was being carried out,the Chinese govem memo heof the Chne the condition of no serious losses.The cable warned,"We believe that volncer Deprment of State 198.117-:Re Korea is not the place to fight a major war.Further,we believe that we should not commit our remaining available ground forces to action min ribao.January 24.1951.1). "BthteCnescmoveomtytenpoatltheigehtenecdopositono against the Chinese Communist forces in Korea in face of the increased threat of general war"(US Department of State 1976.1625-1626). ukof theUrdnChn But the situation on the Korean battlefield would soon change to (5155)On January rdeputy the US-UN's favor.On January 17 General J.Lawton Collins.chief pth UN.nNw York that US poliey of staff of the US Army,reported from Korea that the Eighth Army ThingedoAmeric'sto ity od "was in good shape and improving daily"(Truman 1956.437).Re- The nihednnd tht any future meet portedly.General MacArthur declared on January 20."No one is nrinTwan must invie the participation of the Chinese going to drive us into the sea.This command intends to maintain a ovemn:nd he United States never made any com military position in Korea just as long as the statesmen of the United miment regarding the PRC's admission to the UN(Gu 199200) Nations decide we should do so"(Leckie 1996.255).On February ny worded statement was designed to dampen any fur 11.1951.Chinese and North Korean forces launched a new offensive theformediation.On January 24,twelve Arab-Asian nations on Korea's central front,destroying two South Korean divisions and proped tothe UN General Assembly that the"representativesof opening a gap in the UN line.But by February 21 the US-UN forces theGovemens of France,the United Kingdom,the United States had rolled back the enemy,forcing Chinese and North Korean troops ofAmericathe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,Egypt,and India northward across the Han River by March 1.The CPV-KPA armies and of the Central People's Government of China meet as soon as were forced to evacuate Seoul(Ridgway 1956.216:Acheson 1969. possible for the purpose of securing all necessary elucidations and 513:Stueck1995,167-168). amplifications ofChina's response to the UN resolution of January 13(Shijie zhishi chubanshe1960.388-89:US Department of State Illusions of Victory 1983.130-131).The General Assembly voted down the new draft resolution on January 30.On February I the General Assembly passed As front-line commander,Peng Dehuai was aware of the immense the US resolution.declaring China"has itself engaged in aggression difficulties the CPV faced.He hated to launch the February offensive in Korea."For the first time in its brief history,the UN had con- (the fourth offensive campaign).On February 21.Peng returned to demned a nation for"aggression"(US Department of State 1983. Beijing to report to Mao in person the real situation on the battlefield. 150-15l:Stueck1995,157). Mao seemed to be convinced.He told Peng,"Win a quick victory if By this point.China had suffered not only a major diplomatic set- you can;if you can't,win a slow one.Don't be overanxious for quick back but.more important,faced a serious military predicament.Be- results"(Wang 1988,480).Mao's view of Chinese strategy in Korea fore the CPV's third offensive campaign in December 1950 the US changed slightly.He cabled Stalin on March 1.saying,"Our army joint chiefs of staff had cabled General Douglas MacArthur,UN com- must prepare for a long war.To annihilate a large portion of enemy mander in Korea.and Matthew Ridgway,commander of the Eighth troops and to force the enemies to beat a retreat in the face of diffi- Army.waming that the Chinese forces had the capability of forcing culties.Only in this way,could we resolve the Korean issue" UN forces out of Korea.From the standpoint of US interests,it was (JYMZW 1987,151-153).Mao still believed that the CPV military important that the US-UN forces be able to organize a successful re- position would improve in the future. sistance to the communist forces in Korea,although implemented on After two months of readjustment and preparations,the Chinese and North Korean forces seemed to be ready for another major offensive