 The fighting was costly for both sides . Although the Australians halted the advancing Chinese 117th Division and inflicted numerous casualties on them , they also suffered heavy losses . In the aftermath the inexperienced Australian battalion commander — Lieutenant Colonel Floyd Walsh — was relieved of his position by the British brigade commander , having taken over just six days earlier following the death of the previous commanding officer at Chongju . Nonetheless , the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade succeeded in preventing a Chinese break @-@ through at Pakchon , keeping open vital withdrawal routes across the river and securing the UN left flank . Suffering significant casualties , the Chinese offensive was halted the next day due to logistic difficulties . The Chinese and North Koreans were temporarily forced to withdraw north , while the UN successfully reinforced its positions , holding on the Chongchon Line . Yet by late November the US Eighth Army was again forced to withdraw after the Chinese began their Second Phase Offensive , starting a long retreat south . The UN forces were expelled from North Korea , and withdrew to the 38th Parallel where they sought to re @-@ establish defensive positions . 
