Opening scene shows a sign identifying the 38th Parallel separating North from South Korea. Refugees with their few belongings walk from North Korea to South Korea. A U.S. Patton tank is seen next, followed by another. Closeup of treads on a Patton tank, raising dust as it passes. Another Patton heading toward the camera, with a crewman waving. A Cessna L-19 Bird Dog, aircraft, marked with three stars, arrives, carrying the new Commander of the Eight Army, Lieutenant General James Van Fleet. He climbs out of the airplane and shakes hands with a Brigadier General. Standing behind him is Air Force Lieutenant General Earle E. Partridge, commander of the 5th Air Force. A jeep carrying General Van Fleet turns in from a dirt road. A sign reads "56th Regiment, Message Center." Lieutenant General Van Fleet, climbs out of the front right seat of the jeep. He is wearing a pair of pearl handled side arms. U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Partridge is seated in the back seat of the jeep and jumps out behind Van Fleet. View of explosion in distant hills, part of the initial barrage in advance of the next United Nations offensive. Sounds of aircraft and artillery are heard. American infantry are seen moving forward. Narrator notes that numerous Chinese troops were in the hills around the Chosin reservoir and they were committed in vast numbers against the UN forces. UN infantry in Korean War moving through forests and mist. Large numbers of Chinese prisoners of war are seen walking along a dirt road.
A North Korean prisoner of war being interrogated by Sergeant George Taniguchi near a river in South Korea during the Korean War. Prisoner points out enemy position on a map leaning against a tree. Sergeant along with another South Korean officer and the prisoner goes back to the table, where the prisoner draws lines on a paper.
U.S. Army soldiers of 82nd Field Artillery Battalion fire howitzers from several locations near the capitol building in Seoul, South Korea, during the Korean War. A soldier is seen digging another emplacement nearby.
United States Combat activities during Korean War in South Korea. Troops and artillery of 24th Infantry Division of United States move up through mud and deep snow to the enemy range in Yangpyong near Han River. artillery fired. Assault troops walk in dense underbrush. Soldiers sit in trenches and hide behind rocks. Other soldiers rest in forest. They dig ground and emplace 60 mm mortar in it and load mortars then fire. Soldiers fire recoilless rifles. They fire machine guns. A Chinese prisoner held, he put hands over his head. U.S. soldier frisk him and take his clothes away.
United States Combat activities during Korean War in South Korea. Assault troops of 25th Infantry Division cross Han River. Trucks go over snow. Troops of 27th Regiment eat food. Engineers build bridge over the river. Cranes and bulldozers remove mud from river shore. Troops cross river on boats. They have breakfast. A soldier receives call and command to fire mortar. Smoke on the hills. Soldiers load mortar and fire. Soldiers fire artillery. An officer sees through binocular. An airplane in flight. The UN troops observe Chinese gun emplacement. Troops walk on mountains. DUKW tanks cross river and bring back Chinese prisoners. U.S. engineers build foot bridge. Troops assemble pontoons over river. Meanwhile two engineers meet with an accident and are rescued by troops. They are brought to shore on boat. Troops cross foot bridge and continue over snow covered path.
United States Combat activities during Korean War in South Korea. UN Troops advance near 38th Parallel. Troops of 7th Division mount on tank and move forward. Tank reinforcement forces move towards enemy line. Tanks cross stream. Mine detectors look for mines in way. Engineers repair a road damaged by dynamite. A tank tows another disabled tank, due to time limit it is abandoned in middle of the stream. Troops remove equipment and armaments from it. Soldier gives papers to another soldier on tank. Troops cross a village. They find a demolished bridge. The 30 caliber gun is fired.