About 30000 us marines fought against 120000 Chinese in -38 weather during Korean war

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Faced with the sudden attacks by Chinese forces in the Eighth Army sector, General Douglas MacArthur ordered the Eighth Army to launch the Home-by-Christmas Offensive.[1]:24,33 To support the offensive, MacArthur ordered the X Corps to attack west from the Chosin Reservoir and to cut the vital Manpojin—Kanggye—Huichon supply line.[10][1]:11 As a response, Major General Edward M. Almond, commander of the US X Corps, formulated a plan on 21 November. It called for the US 1st Marine Division to advance west through Yudami-ni, while the US 7th Infantry Division would provide a regimental combat team to protect the right flank at Sinhung-ni. The US 3rd Infantry Division would also protect the left flank while providing security in the rear area.[1]:14 By then the X Corps was stretched thin along a 400-mile front.[1]:8

Surprised by the Marine landing at Wonsan,[11] Chinese Communist Party chairman Mao Zedong called for the immediate destruction of the ROK Capital Division, ROK 3rd Infantry Division, US 1st Marine Division, and US 7th Infantry Division in a telegraph to Commander[f] Song Shilun of the PVA 9th Army on 31 October.[9]:47–8 Under Mao's urgent orders, the 9th Army was rushed into North Korea on 10 November.[1]:21 Undetected by UN intelligence,[1]:35 the 9th Army quietly entered the Chosin Reservoir area on 17 November, with the 20th Corps of the 9th Army relieving the 42nd Corps near Yudami-ni.[9]:47

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On 14 November 1950, a cold front from Siberia descended over the Chosin Reservoir, and the temperature plunged, according to estimates, to as low as -36 °F (-38 °C).[1]:xi The cold weather was accompanied by frozen ground, creating considerable danger of frostbitecasualties, icy roads, and weapon malfunctions. Medical supplies froze; morphine syrettes had to be defrosted in a medic's mouth before they could be injected; frozen blood plasma was useless on the battlefield. Even cutting off clothing to deal with a wound risked gangrene and frostbite. Batteries used for the Jeeps and radios did not function properly in the temperature and quickly ran down.[14] The lubrication in the guns gelled and rendered them useless in battle. Likewise, the springs on the firing pins would not strike hard enough to fire the round, or would jam.[15]

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 By the end of the battle, more Chinese troops had died from the cold than from combat and air raids.[22

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