The ROK 6th Infantry Division annihilated 3 divisions of the Jjang-gae army. The president at the time named it 'Paroho' (Lake Paro)โ'Pa' meaning to crush, 'Ro' meaning barbarianโmeaning 'The Lake Where the Barbarians were Crushed.'
The Jjang-gaes hated this name so much that their Ministry of Foreign Affairs even bitched about it, demanding we change the name. This is coming from the same people who put on a show with their 'War to Resist US Aggression' and 'Lake Changjin' propaganda. Some people in Korea even made a fuss saying we should rename Lake Paro to 'Daebungho,' but the claim that it's the 'original name' is just stupid. Lake Paro is an 'artificial lake' built by the Joseon Electric Power Co. in 1944 during the Hwacheon Dam construction. Back then, it was called 'Daemyeongje.' 'Myeong' is a legendary giant bird from freshwater. It was named during the Japanese occupation by a Japanese company. You won't find the name 'Daebungho' or any such landmark on any old maps like Daedongyeojido. Obviously. How could there be an 'original name' for a lake that didn't even exist?
It's similar to how the 'Sadae-ist' King Yeongnyu of Goguryeo tore down victory monuments because a Tang Dynasty envoy looked uncomfortable, which infuriated the Goguryeo warrior class. That backlash eventually led to Yeon Gaesomun's coup and the assassination of King Yeongnyu.
Back to realityโthe ROK Army shredded the Jjang-gae army and secured the front lines in battles at Yongmunsan, Paroho, Papyeongsan, White Horse Hill, and the Capital Hill. During the April Offensive, the ROK 1st Division refused to retreat despite being severely outnumbered, holding their defensive positions against the Chinese. When positions were lost, they launched persistent counterattacks to stop any further breakthroughs and killed the enemy's momentum. This proved why the 1st Division was the 'most trusted ROK division by the US military' and protected their honor. The high praise from the US Army regarding the Battle of Papyeongsan is documented in many places. Lt. Gen. Frank Milburn, commander of the US I Corps, believed the 1st Division showed combat capabilities on par with US divisions during the Chinese 5th Offensive, and Col. Harold K. Johnson agreed. Roy Appleman, who wrote the history of the early Korean War, also quoted Milburn in 'Ridgway Duels for Korea,' praising the 1st Division's excellent performance during the counterattack by the 15th Regiment. General James Van Fleet, commander of the US 8th Army, also publicly praised them in a press conference on the 29th, saying: 'The combat displayed by the ROK 1st Division over the past week was superior to any other battle. Every night, they fought boldly against fierce enemy attacks and dealt massive damage to the North Korean and Chinese forces in their sector.'
"The post educates readers on a satisfying military victory over Chinese forces, while the comments feature the usual DC Inside mix of 'Sil-be' dividers, random political trolling about Lee Jae-myung, and people dunking on the Chinese army."
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