The Triangle Hill

The Triangle Hill, also known as Operation Showdown or the Shangganling Campaign (Chinese: 上甘岭战役; pinyin: Shàng Gān Lǐng Zhàn Yì),^{[nb 3]} was a protracted military engagement during the Korean War. The main combatants were two United Nations infantry divisions, with additional support from the United States Air Force, against elements of the 15th and 12th Corps^{[nb 2]} of the People's Republic of China. The battle was part of American attempts to gain control of "The Iron Triangle", and took place from October 14 – November 25, 1952.



The immediate American objective was Triangle Hill (38°19′17″N 127°27′52″ECoordinates: 38°19′17″N 127°27′52″E), a forested ridge of high ground 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) north of Gimhwa-eup near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The hill was occupied by the veterans of the People's Volunteer Army's
15th Corps. Over the course of nearly a month, substantial American and
South Korean forces made repeated attempts to capture Triangle Hill and
the adjacent Sniper Ridge. Despite clear superiority in artillery and
aircraft, escalating American and South Korean casualties resulted in
the attack being halted after 42 days of fighting, with Chinese forces
regaining their original positions.

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