 Despite the lack of manpower , the US Eighth Army had three and half times the firepower of the opposing Chinese forces . The US Fifth Air Force , which was responsible for the air support , also had little opposition due to the lack of anti @-@ aircraft weapons by the Chinese . Boosted by a Thanksgiving feast with roasted turkeys on the eve of the advance , the morale was high among the UN ranks , and home by Christmas and Germany by spring was in everyone 's mind . The high morale , however , caused a degradation of troop discipline , and most of the soldiers had discarded their equipment and ammunition supply before the battle . A rifle company from the US IX Corps , for example , started its advance with most of the helmets and bayonets thrown away , and there were on average less than one grenade and 50 rounds of ammunition carried per man . Because the UN planners did not foresee that the war would be dragged into a winter campaign , all elements of the Eighth Army started the offensive with a shortage of winter clothing . 
