The Chinese People's Volunteer Army won boundless respect and love from the Korean people. According to an official from the Publicity Department of the Workers Party of Kangwon Do, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, ”The Chinese People's Volunteer Army, just like the Soviet Army, was an emancipator of the Korean people as well as a pillar of world peace.”
The Koreans saw in their motherland how the Volunteer Army resisted US aggression and will never forget the aid they offered. Students recorded in their diaries their first meetings with the Volunteer Army, peasants proudly related how they conveyed food for the Army, mothers told their children how the Army defeated the American troops. A letter to the Volunteer Army from Munchon read: “Whenever we sleep in a warm bed or safely nurse our babies, we think of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You are the hope of peace supporters, and your spirit encouraged us to struggle further for the unification of our motherland.”
Koreans have compiled stories about the Volunteer Army into teaching materials or popular books, and published them in newspapers. Their great efforts fueled the Koreans’ fighting will. Each Korean soldier was spurred to do his utmost at the sight of the heroic struggles of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, according to a Korean official.
A Korean teacher who once studied in the United States said, with deep emotion: “I have never seen any other army that could fight as bravely as the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. They are our brothers. They are fighting a just war.”
The Korean people bear in mind such a story. Once in a battle, the American invaders drove local people before them as human shields. The Chinese People's Volunteer Army noticed this, and risked their lives by using only grenades and bayonets. They finally rescued the local people. Another time in the same place, the soldiers rushed into a blazing house, and carried out old people and children on their backs.
The Chinese volunteers saw the appalling destruction after the American invasion of the occupied areas, and pooled money and commodities to help the distressed people there. “Gallant, amiable and strict in discipline” are the words commonly used in Korea to describe them. Some coal miners wrote on their wall newspaper: “We saw the noble quality of the workers of the world from the actions of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.”
The Chinese People's Volunteer Army was very popular among the Koreans. When they heard the imperialists smear the People’s Republic China as an invader, they were overwhelmed with contempt as well as indignation:” Who are invading and occupying our territory; who are killing our parents and brothers; who are bombarding our cities and villages, and who are supporting us against the invaders, we all know quite well. And quite well, we can tell our friends from our foes.”
(from People’s Daily 03/14/1951)
