"Fluid Stalemate"

Said Lieut. General James Van Fleet: "The Eighth Army's pursuit phase has now ended with the clearing, again, of enemy units from South Korea . . . The Eighth Army will continue, however . . . when necessary and profitable, [to] meet [enemy] threats within North Korea."

Only the week before, Van Fleet had spoken far more boldly about disregarding the 38th parallel and stabbing into North Korea. Was he now trying for a truce with the enemy? Van Fleet hastily issued a second statement asserting that he had only outlined a tactical situation. His remarks, which may or may not have been suggested by Washington, would in fact fit in with various efforts on the international scene to obtain a truce (see above). But the plain military fact in Korea was that the Chinese Communists themselves, not the U.N. forces, had ended the "pursuit phase."

After their headlong retreat two weeks ago, the Chinese caught their breath, stiffened, and fought. U.N. forces moved ahead slowly in some sectors. Their chief objective: the Reds' forward supply areas. The war ground on in what one reporter called a "fluid stalemate." U.N. commanders were sure that the Reds would try another offensive push, estimated that despite heavy casualties they had 600,000 troops ready to fight in Korea. Said U.N. Commander General Ridgway: "With [the Chinese Communists] there is no compromise, and for us there is no choice."

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