Battle of Chosin Reservoir

Part of the Korean War

Men advancing through the snow with a Tank

A column of the U.S. 1st Marine Division move through Chinese lines during their breakout from the Chosin Reservoir

Date

27 November – 13 December 1950

Location

Chosin Reservoir, in modern-day Changjin County, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea

Result

Chinese pyrrhic victory

Failed Chinese encirclement of US forces at Chosin Reservoir
US withdrawal; Successful Chinese recovery of Northeast Korea
40% of Chinese combat forces in Korea disabled until March 1951

Belligerents

United Nations

China

Commanders and leaders

Units involved

see Battle of Chosin Reservoir order of battle

See Battle of Chosin Reservoir order of battle

Strength

Nominal: 103,520
Committed: ~30,000

Nominal: 150,000
Committed: ~120,000

Casualties and losses

U.S. sources:
1,029 killed
4,894 missing
4,582 wounded
7,338 non-battle casualties
17,843 total
15 tank losses
Chinese estimation:
13,900

Chinese sources:
19,202 battle casualties
28,954 non-battle casualties
Unofficial estimations: ~60,000
UN estimation:
29,800 battle casualties
20,000+ non-battle casualties

Coordinates: 40°29′N 127°12′E / 40.483°N 127.200°E / 40.483; 127.200 (Chosin Reservoir)

Chinese pyrrhic victory

United Nations

The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Changjin Lake Campaign (Korean: 장진호 전투; hanja: 長津湖戰鬪; rr: Jangjin ho jeontu; Chinese: 长津湖战役; pinyin: Cháng Jīn Hú Zhànyì), was a decisive battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "Chōshin" of the Chinese word 長津. The UN forces relied on Japanese language maps dating from their occupation of Korea which had only ended five years earlier at the conclusion of World War II. Shortly after the People's Republic of China entered the conflict, the People's Volunteer Army 9th Army infiltrated the northeastern part of North Korea.

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