The Saber and Scroll
Marines talking cover at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir , Korean War . Photo by Sergeant Frank C . Kerr , US Marines .
withdrawn to Chinese territory . 10 To this end , Almond formulated a plan for the X Corps to move west into Yudami-ni , while the Army ’ s 7th Infantry Division moved east to Sinhung-ni . The 3rd Infantry Division providing security along the western flank of the advancing task force became spread over 400 miles of front lines . The Americans , along with the ROK forces , had begun to envelope Lake Jangjin , which maps referred to by their Japanese pronunciation as the Chosin Reservoir . The PVA had also staged around the Chosin Reservoir with fifteen divisions of approximately 120,000 infantry . The stage was now set , with both sides seeking the complete destruction of the other , and both sides having to endure harsh cold weather conditions .
Almond and Smith continued to clash over strategy , as the former only wanted to meet MacArthur ’ s arbitrary deadline for victory . Smith cautioned Almond about the overextended Marine Division but was overruled . X Corps ’ Marines moved into Hagaru-ri , which they simply called Hagaru , and began to fortify it . 11 There were also battalion-sized Forward Operating Bases ( FOB ) at Koto-ri and Chinhung-ri along the supply route from the south . The 7th Marines continued to push forward from Hagaru and into Yudam-ni while the 5th Marines enveloped right of the reservoir . Smith opposed this
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