the mountain to the left. Far back to the right stretched the broken bridges of the Han. Dead ahead lay another rather innocuous-looking residential district very similar to that surrounding the advance patrol. Bob Barrow had taken one of the finest observation posts in the entire city with scarcely a shot fired. Then, instead of rushing his men right down and across the railroad tracks to occupy the enticing ground ahead, he made one of the most important decisions in the fight for Seoul. He ordered his machine-gunners deployed along the edge of the ridge, while he began working with his maps and observers and radiomen, trying to learn the exact disposition of the other companies of the battalion, the rate of advance of the Army and Marine units spread back off his flanks . . . and the possibility of his tanks joining up before tackling the new sector. He was checking on all elements of the attack in far greater detail than expected or generally required of a junior commander. Though most of them did not know it, the lives of many of the Americans committed to the drive through Seoul, and quite possibly the fate of the campaign for the city itself, lay in Barrow’s hands for nearly an hour that afternoon. While working with his maps and radio Barrow brought forward every sniper, artillery fire observer and air liaison co-ordinator attached to his company. Each was briefed then posted where he might scan a portion of the land ahead. The total field of observation covered the residential district in front, Seoul’s main railroad station at the left, then back to the river bridges at the far right. Nothing moved along his ridge except a dozen pairs of binoculars. Learning that his company was protruding far ahead of all other attacking forces. Barrow tried to delay moving again until the others had caught up with his flanks. Judging from the heat being applied to Barrow it became obvious that the top brass was under tremendous pressure from GHQ in Tokyo to deliver Seoul of the Communists by the final date of September 27, or three months to the day since the capital had been abandoned. That left only forty-eight hours 이것이 전쟁이다! Ⅴ. The City l 127
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