North Korea began its invasion of
South Korea armed largely with Soviet weapons
such as the Model PPSh41. China entered with a
great variety of weapons, acquired during their
years of guerilla warfare against Nationalist
China, but did have an indererminate number of
Burp Guns as well.
Designed by George Shpagin to
meet desperate need, following the USSR's
bitter war with Finland and the invasion by
Germany, the PPSh submachine gun utilized the
simple blowback action, and fires from the open
bolt position. The semi or full auto selector is
located within the trigger guard allowing easy
access. Late models were capable of only
automatic fire.
A very reliable weapon firing the
powerful Soviet P1 pistol cartridge 62x25
(interchangeable with 7.63 Mauser) at a high rate
of fire and with a large magazine capacity.
Operation was selective, full-automatic and
semi-automatic. The PPSh41 was ideally suited to
the requirements and tactics employed by the
Soviet and satellite Forces.
The predominant tactic used by
the Chinese in assault was to equip one platoon
with nothing but bags of grenades, and another
with submachine guns. The Chinese occasionally
attacked in massed, or "human wave"
assaults, when it was considered absolutely
essential to take a vital point. More often the
attacks were in company strength, using every
form of concealment and surprise. Their concept
of a line of battle was essentially to flow
around obstacles with the idea of assembling at
their objective for a final assault.
One battle-experienced Marine,
listening cynically to press reports describing
attacking hordes of Chinese, asked "How many
hordes are there, in one Chinese platoon
?"
For the CCF concept of fluid
infantry warfare, violent submachine gun and
grenade attack was very effective. When met by
determined and entrenched infantry resistance,
supported by artillery and well-positioned
machine guns and air supremacy, the concept
failed. With terrible losses.
The high capacity of the drum
magazine increased the firepower but the
magazines were too slow to refill and not too
reliable, so in 1942 the USSR had developed a
curved box magazine. This magazine held 35 rounds
and was much more comfortable to carry in
pouches. Early magazines were made from .5 mm
sheet steel and were somewhat unreliable. Later
magazines were made from 1 mm steel and were
completely satisfactory. Usually, infantrymen
carry one drum in the gun and some box magazines
in the pouches or pockets.
The Chinese did not arm primarily
with Soviet weapons until after the 1st year of
the KW. At that time they also began extensive
manufacture of their own models of Soviet
weapons, such as the Chinese burp gun, using the box
magazine for reasons much the same as the
USSR.
Chinese winter
camp
Chinese mountain
position
