Cross the Yalu...two words: BAD IDEA.
Actually, we could not have done it. The Chinese were very much threatened by 8th Army's advance, and began infiltrating into North Korea weeks before they launched their counteroffensive in November of 1950. No way they would have allowed an river crossing operation to happen; they would have ambushed it in a manner that made Chosin reservoir look like a cake walk. In order to cross, it would naturally have been necessary to gain control of the air. The Chinese had lots of air bases and MiG-15s in Manchuria, just across the border. We didn't have the muscle to take down that air complex without using nukes. Macurthur might have countenanced that, but Truman sure wouldn't. An operation across the Yalu would likely have brought in the Soviets, too. Patton was long dead, but the Russians would have given him his war in Germany. Just the wrong END of Germany. In other words, attempt to cross the Yalu and World War Three begins.
Greg

IMHO, I think if we did cross Yalu, we could push beyond Manchuria and once the armor formation get to the great Northern China plain, then it's pretty much open country.

My grandfather served in Nationlist Chinese Army back then, (He was one of the few selected officer whom attended military training in Germany in the 30's) and nationlist offered to cross Formosa and hit Mainland China from the south once UN cross the Yalu in the North. I don't know if it's a long shot or not for an army which is just retreated from Mainland, but the thing is most of the Nationlist soldiers would like to fight their way back home, so we have to take this into consideration while thinking about how combat effective they would be.

To coin a phrase from Crimson Tide "Nuke them, by all means, Twice!"

Gawd that got deep quick. Cross the Yala well if Mac had tried and they were close
it would have been a blood bath. Just as in any conflict sans our war with england,
both of them we have down sized and by far to much{my two cents} Some of my
knowledgeable young friends have reminded me that russian armor was superior
to what we had , { something I;ll still debate} I do digress dont I . We would not have
gotten far in nothing more than infantry the chicoms could have put 200 or more
divisions against us. Cuba if kenndy had approved air support it might have been
different I do agree some what with the cash thread some have spoke of.
Yea we have picked some bad allies through the years all the aformenitioned
were bad choices.{we didnt do to well with france either} no disrespect to our
french friends Just a thread here because it is the asian land mass.
What if we had just rolled into n. vietnam? thanks penpen.


ponysoldier