China entered the Korean War on October 19, 1950, and Chinese forces did not completely withdraw until 1958. To avoid any official war with the USA, Chinese soldiers fought under the auspices of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (PVA), even though they were all members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The initial assault by 270,000 PVA troops on October 25, 1950 caught the UN completely by surprise. One of the armored vehicles that China deployed during the Korean War was the Soviet-designed T-34/85 tank. Indeed, it was the most powerful armored vehicle the communist side fielded during this brutal conflict.