Red Wings over the Yalu: China, the Soviet Union, and the Air War in Korea

Видавництво: Texas A & M University Press
Серія: Texas A & M University Military History Series
Автор(ы): Xiaoming Zhang
Мова: English
Рік видання: 2002
Кількість сторінок: 315
ISBN: 1-58544-201-1
Формат: pdf (e-book)
Розмір: 3,42 mb
This book is a good start toward understanding the actual air war in Korea. The Soviet involvement was important. Before and during the war, they helped defend Communist Chinese air space against the Nationalist Chinese. They committed 13 air divisions to defend Chinese air space and train the new Chinese Air Force while rotating another 12 air divisions and several air defense divisions into the Korean War. The Soviets equipped the Chinese Air Force. The Chinese eventually sent 10 fighter and two bomber divisions to the war. The Chinese and Soviet air forces fought a defensive air battle, concentrating on stopping the numerically (and often technically) superior UN air forces which were trying to win through strategic bombing and air supremacy. The North Korean Air Force was lost during the initial fighting and did not recover fully until after the war.
The Soviet and Chinese air forces did not provide close air support to the ground forces. Rather, they concentrated on defeating the UN aerial interception effort. While the UN fighter jets concentrated on fighting enemy Migs, the Soviets and Chinese jets went after the UN bomber fleet. They were so successful in this effort that within a year, the UN suspended daylight bombing in favor of inaccurate, but more survivable night bombing. The strategic bombing campaign which was supposed to stop the Communist supply efforts failed. Communist transportation routes improved throughout the war and the Communist forces were increasingly better supplied as the war progressed.