Battle of Danshan
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| Battle of Lake Mungsan | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Battle of Lake Mungsan of the Seleucid Uprising | |||||||
 A Taoyuanese PIAT team entrenched near Danshan | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
 Taoyuanese Free Corps |
 Army Group Xi | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 50,000 | 120,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
5,594 killed or wounded |
12,147 killed or wounded | ||||||
The Battle of Danshan (7 November 1954 - 14 November 1954) was one of the major and crucial engagements during the Battle of Lake Mungsan. The battle pitted the smaller Taoyuanese Free Corps led by General Song Li-jen against Army Group Xi under Marshal Meng Lingxin.
The battle was part of a Selucid counteroffensive to force off Allied positions near Lake Mungsan and regain the initiative. Marshal Meng thought that attacking the north would allow his forces to overrun the Allies northern flank. Although not many planners were aware of it, the Allies northern flank was the weakest. The smaller Taoyuanese force under General Song guarded the northern flank while the rest of the Allies forces carried out major attacks on the Selucid flanks. General Song was surprised at the Selucid attack on his forces, prompting him to give ground by about 5 kms just near the village of Danshan. Here, Song positioned his troops near the marshlands where the Taoyuanese took advantage of the swampy nature of the marsh. The Taoyuanese carried out a mix of coordinated attacks and guerilla warfare. By 10 November, the advance of Marshal Meng's forces stalled, prompting Song to send in his reserves to counterattack and force the Selucids out of the Danshan flank. By 13 November, Song had retaken much of the ground he lost just 6 days earlier. Resistance continued until the following day, when Marshal Meng ordered a general retreat from Danshan.
General Song's ability to hold the northern flank prompted the Allies to launch a large offensive codenamed Mission Macabee, in which the Allies were able to dislodge the Selucids from their positions, thus, forcing the Selucids to retreat from Lake Mungsan.