WITH MacARTHUR`S HEADQUARTERS FOR KOREA: With self-propelled guns and tanks blasting the way open, Communist troops today [Aug 17] breached South Korean lines for almost a mile in a major assault on Taegu, American defence pivot in South Korea. Throwing four divisions into the massive assault, the Communists broke through between Waegwan and Kunwi on a broad front. Eighth Army Headquarters said it was now the `most critical point of the entire United Nations defence line`.

The Americans` own offensive against the Communist bridge-head in the Naktong bulge 40 miles to the south -given a boost by Marine reinforcements ... was reported [to be] making `slow progress` in some of the bloodiest close action fighting of the war. Marines withdrawn from the south coast sector near Chinju spearheaded the renewed assault in the fourday old battle to knock 20,000 or more Communists back across the river.

Pushing south-west their first task was to clear North Korean machine-gunners and riflemen from the commanding top of a scrub covered hill. Late despatches said the Communists still held it with Marine dead and wounded on its slopes.