[217] Marines remained in Tsingtao until early 1949.
[218] The first blows between the Marine and the Chinese Communists took place not in Korea, but along the Peiping-Tientsin highway as early as October, 1945.
The Marines, upon their withdrawal, were directed to turn over vast stores of weapons and munitions to the Chinese Nationalists. In addition, the Nationalists were “sold” large quantities of military and civilian war surplus property, with a total procurement cost of more than a billion dollars, for a bargain price of 232 million.[219]
[219] U. S. Relations with China, xiv-xv.
Organization of the CCF
Although the victorious army continued to be called the People’s Liberation Army by the Chinese Reds themselves, it was known as the Chinese Communist Forces by commentators of Western nations. At the head of the new police state were the 72 regular and alternate members of the Central Committee, or Politburo. Formed at the Seventh Party Congress in 1945, this body consisted for the most part of Mao’s close associates—leaders identified with the revolutionary movement from the beginning.
From top to bottom of the Chinese state, the usual Communist dualism of high political and military rank prevailed. The highest governing body, the People’s Revolutionary Military Council, consisted of leaders holding both positions. After they determined policies, the execution was left to the General Headquarters of the army.[220]
[220] Unless otherwise noted, this section is based on the following sources: GHQ, FECOM, Order of Battle Information, Chinese Third Field Army (1 Mar 51) and Chinese Fourth Field Army (7 Nov 50); 164-MISDI, ADVATIS, and ADVATIS FWD rpts in EUSAK WDs, passim; X Corps PIRs; 1stMarDiv PIRs; 1stMarDiv SAR, 30; G-2 SAR, 16–18; Far East Command, Allied Translator and Interpreter Service (ATIS), Enemy Documents, Korean Operations, passim; Fleet Marine Force Pacific (FMFPac), Chinese Communist Forces Tactics in Korea, 5–11; Maj R. C. W. Thomas, “The Chinese Communist Forces in Korea,” The Army Quarterly, Oct 52 (digested in Military Review, xxxii, no. 11 (Feb 53), 87); LtCol Robert F. Rigg, Red China’s Fighting Hordes (Harrisburg, 1951); Walker: China Under Communism.
This organization comprised a general staff section, a rear Services section and a general political bureau. Largest CCF administrative unit was the field army, which reported directly to Headquarters. Composed of two or more army groups, the field army had a small headquarters of its own.
The army group, as the largest unit encountered by UN forces, was comparable to an army in the American military system. CCF army groups in Korea consisted of two to four armies with an average total strength of 60,000–120,000 troops. Equivalent to an American corps was the CCF army, an organization including three infantry divisions and an artillery regiment. Thus the average strength of a CCF army was about 30,000 men.