UN Forces Halt China: Battle of Pakchon Turns Tide

British and Australian soldiers of the 27th Commonwealth Brigade dug in against waves of Chinese 117th Division infantry at Pakchon, halting a major advance during the Korean War. The stand bought critical time for retreating UN forces and demonstrated that Commonwealth troops could absorb and repel Chinese human-wave tactics. The battle took place on November 5, 1950, during the initial phase of China's massive intervention in the Korean War. The 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, and the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, held positions near Pakchon on the Chongchon River when elements of the Chinese 39th Army attacked in overwhelming numbers. The fighting was intense and often close-quarters, with Chinese soldiers crossing the river at night and infiltrating defensive positions. Commonwealth troops used coordinated artillery fire and disciplined small-arms fire to break up the attacks, inflicting heavy casualties on the Chinese formations. The 27th Brigade's stand at Pakchon was significant because it occurred during the confused early days of Chinese intervention, when UN commanders were still uncertain about the scale and intent of Chinese forces crossing the Yalu River. The brigade's ability to hold its ground and conduct an orderly withdrawal when ordered provided valuable intelligence about Chinese tactical methods and bought time for larger formations to reorganize their defensive positions. Within weeks, the massive Chinese counteroffensive at the Ch'ongch'on River and Chosin Reservoir would push all UN forces into a general retreat south of the 38th parallel. Pakchon was one of the last successful defensive actions before that wider collapse.