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ALLIES AWAIT NEW
ENEMY OFFENSIVE
Flank Thrust Threatens
American Stand
TOKYO, Jan. 12: Patrols skirmished throughout
last night in the snow-covered hills and frozen
fields south of Wonju while the United Nations
forces prepared to take the shock of the expected
new Communist. offensive in the west.
The Allied stand in the
central sector is believed
to have upset the Coni-
munist timetable for .a
great flanking thrust
down the centre of
Korea threatening to
cut off the United States
Eighth Army.
However, an enemy column
thrust wide and deep around
the United States Second Divi-
sion's east flank today in a
flanking move that threatened
the Americans' fighting stand
around Wonju. Elements of
the flanking column swept be-
hind the Allied lines and estab-
lished a road block at Ochiri,
31 miles south-east of Wonju
on the Chungju-Tangyang
highway.
A United Nations patrol sent
to clear the roadblock found
highway mines. A brisk fight
developed. The Eighth Army
did not disclose the size of
the flanking column.
Another threat was developing
in the build-up in Western
Korea where an enemy force
was mounting strength, for a
frontal attack against the
Allied lines.
Concentration
Communist forces were reported
eight miles south of Osan on the
Seoul-Taejon road, only a few
miles from the 37th Parallel. Pilots
who attacked troop concentrations
in the Suwon area yesterday re-
ported that the Communists had
taken advantage of a two-day
absence of air observation to move
strong forces and supplies south
of Suwon.
An Eighth Army spokesman
said that United Nations air and
ground forces had reported a
none Help
formidable Communist concentra-
tion around Wonju and Osan, but
that contacts with the Communists
yesterday were limited to patrol
action. A concentration of 11,000
troops, believed to be Chinese,
was reported in Osan and the
surrounding hills.
One or more two-engine bom-
bers with American markings
made at least four raids on the
United Nations western front to-
day. One was definitely identified
as an American-built A20 bom-
ber. A number of these were
turned over by the United States
to the Chinese Nationalists after
World War II.
Three captured American in-
fantrymen were freed on Wednes-
day with instructions to spread
word that the Chinese and North
Korean Communists intend to
"liberate the world."
It was the second time this
week that the North Koreans had
released prisoners to carry back
propaganda messages. Six Ame-
ricans were given a note on Tues-
day for their commander in
structing all United States troops
to leave Korea.
The prisoners released on Wed-
nesday told Intelligence officers
that they were interrogated six
times by a North Korean lieut-
enant who outlined the plan of
the Communists. One prisoner
said: "He said that the Chinese
and North Koreans would take
Japan and Pearl Harbour and
bomb San Francisco and New
York, but that when they bombed
they would not destroy homes as
the Americans have done in
Korea."
Holding A Line
LONDON, Jan. 12: The United
States has informed Britain that
it intends to hold out in Korea
despite Commiasnist China's full-
scale intervention says the United
Press.
Quoting "reliable sources," the
newsagency says that the British
Ambassador in Washington (Sir
Oliver Franks) was instructed ten
days ago to inquire whether the
United States would hold a line
in Korea. The reply was that
the United States believed that a
line could be held and meant to
hold it.
Informants said that the Foreign
Secretary (Mr. Bevin) has told
the Commonwealth Prime Min-
isters in session here that Britain
will support American efforts to
hold at least a bridgehead in
Korea.
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