Casualties of War
The numbers were staggering. The Japanese had suffered 33,000 casualties, while the Russians lost 4,100. The bulk of Japanese losses occurred in the brutal assaults on Hill 203 and Daijeong Mountain, while most Russian casualties came from the defense of Donggye Ridge. By all accounts, it was a decisive victory for the Russians.
In previous battles, combat often devolved into brutal close-quarters engagements. But at Hill 203, the Japanese barely managed to approach the defenses after their initial charge. The field was littered with Japanese corpses, some still writhing in agony.
When night fell, Russian spotlights illuminated the battlefield, casting an eerie glow over the carnage. Soldiers from both sides moved cautiously among the bodies, their weapons at the ready.
"Damn, there's a lot of them," muttered a Russian soldier.
"Yeah," his comrade replied grimly. "Guess they've been holding it in, trying to keep quiet until the fighting stopped."
