When truce talks began, China spent a year rebuilding their armies, constructing an underground system of interconnected caves and tunnels behind their main defensive lines, in such strength as to be invulnerable to our artillery except when they sent forces above ground to attack our outposts. By July, '52, the enemy lines were virtually impregnable, except for their own outposts. Even in those outposts, the Chinese and North Koreans dug deep cave systems behind their trench lines, making any assault very costly.

Although China had only about 500 fighters in 6/51, their air force had grown to about 1500 MiGs by July, 1952, based in Manchuria where Truman prevented our own air force from attacking them. They also emplaced highly accurate anti-aircraft guns along all approach lines to their most vulnerable targets, making air assault by B29's even more hazardous.

Above: Vast quantities of very accurate AntiAircraft Artillery helped enable China to adequately supply their "underground great wall of China", their own Main Line of Resistance.

Right: Marine Major Norman O'Bryan looks through the four-foot hole torn in the wing of his Corsair by flak on his 99th mission.