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Why did General Douglas MacArthur order X Corps to advance toward the Chosin Reservoir?
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Battle of the Chosin Reservoir
Men and armor of the U.S. 1st Marine Division during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, December 1950.
General Douglas MacArthur ordered the X Corps to advance toward the Chosin Reservoir because he underestimated the fighting capabilities of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Force (CPVF).1
MacArthur’s strategic plan involved moving the 1st Marine and 7th Infantry divisions inland to the reservoir, from which they were to proceed west toward Kanggye. He believed this maneuver would position the X Corps north of and behind the CPVF armies that were currently facing the Eighth Army, effectively trapping them. Despite warnings from subordinates that the plan was rash—given the requirement to traverse 88 km (55 miles) of mountainous terrain under severe winter conditions—MacArthur insisted on the advance.1