Battles & Wars › Cold War › Korean War
Battle of Chosin Reservoir
November 27 – December 13, 1950· Battle· Asia & Pacific
Well documentedSolid records, physical evidence or scientific consensus.
A winter battle in which Chinese forces surrounded US and UN troops in North Korea's mountains, forcing a fighting retreat to the sea.
See it on the Battles & Wars map →What happened
In late November 1950 about 30,000 UN troops, mostly US Marines and Army soldiers, were advancing near the Chosin (Jangjin) Reservoir when some 120,000 Chinese troops attacked. Temperatures fell to about −30 °C. For two weeks the UN column fought its way about 125 km (78 miles) south to the port of Hungnam. By December 24 the US Navy had evacuated about 100,000 troops and nearly as many Korean refugees. Estimates vary, but Chinese losses, many from frostbite, were far heavier.
Why it matters
It ended UN hopes of unifying Korea by force and became a defining story for the US Marines; Hungnam evacuees included the parents of later South Korean president Moon Jae-in.
How we know
US Marine Corps and Army records, Chinese official histories, accounts by veterans known as the 'Chosin Few', and records of the evacuation ship SS Meredith Victory, which alone carried about 14,000 refugees.
Still debated
Chinese casualty figures vary widely, and why UN commanders discounted clear warnings of Chinese intervention is still argued.
Connections (2)
▸Battle of Incheon (Inchon landing) drew UN forces north toward Battle of Chosin ReservoirWell documented
The connection
Incheon's success made UN commanders confident. Many of the same Marines who landed at Incheon were shipped around to Korea's east coast and sent north toward the Yalu River border. Spread thin across mountains in winter, they met massive Chinese forces at Chosin.
When and how
The 1st Marine Division, part of the Army's X Corps under General Edward Almond, moved from Incheon to the east coast in October 1950 and advanced inland in November.
How we know
Unit records trace the 1st Marine Division from Incheon to Wonsan and Chosin; the operational link is fully documented.
Debates and open questions
Whether overconfidence after Incheon or poor intelligence did more to expose UN forces at Chosin is debated.
▸Battle of Chosin Reservoir pitted UN forces against China in Korean WarWell documented
The connection
Chosin was part of China's massive counteroffensive that drove UN forces out of North Korea and ended hopes of quick victory and unification. The war became a costly back-and-forth until the front stabilized near the 38th parallel in 1951, setting up two years of stalemate.
When and how
Northeastern North Korea, November–December 1950, between US X Corps and China's 9th Army Group; communist forces retook Seoul in January 1951.
How we know
UN and Chinese records both document the offensive and the retreat to the Hungnam evacuation.
Debates and open questions
Both sides claim Chosin as a victory: China for driving UN forces out, the US for escaping encirclement while inflicting heavy losses.