koreanwarpodcast

America’s longest retreat

After the Chinese Second Offensive General Walker orders the Eighth Army to retreat from North Korea.  Morale within the Eighth Army drops sharply.  General Walker is killed in a road traffic accident.  General Ridgeway is ordered to take command of the Eighth Army.  A biography of General Matt Ridgeway.

From episode 42 of the Korean War podcast, I will begin to tell the story of the Third Chinese Offensive which would led to the capture of Seoul.  Here is a map showing the Chinese advance.

Below is a map showing the lines of the United Nations Eighth Army as it retreated in December 1950 and January 1951.

Ebb and Flow

This book by Billy Mossman cover the period from November 1950 to July 1951 and seen be viewed free on line on the US Army centre of military history web site.  It gives a detailed account of how the American Army reacted to the Chinese Army attacks at first with panic but later learned how to deal with them.  The ISBN number is 1410224708.

During June, the podcast is which is already pre loaded for publication will finish off the story of the Chinese Second Offensive and then tell of the longest military retreat in American military history including the telling of the Chinese Third Offensive.

In the second to last episode of the Korean War podcast, in December, there will be a question and answer session.  So you can take part in the podcast series by sending a question about the Korean War which I will attempt to answer.  Details of how you can do so will be told next month on this website.  So start thinking of a good question.

May was the best ever month for downloads, so please tell your friends about the Korean War podcast, I continue to get new people downloading the series.

The Marine fight for survival

The American 1st Marine Division is attacked by the Chinese 9th Army but the Marine commander Major General Smith is prepared for the attack.  In some of the coldest weather in military history, the Marines although greatly outnumber, fight off the Chinese and break out to the South.  The 10th Corp is taken out of North East Korea by ship.  A biography of General Song the commander of the Chinese 9th Army.

This episode will be released on Saturday 4th June.

The Last Stand of Fox Company

If you want to read more about part of the battle around the Chosin Reservoir then this book is an excellent and detailed account of the siege of Fox Company of the Seventh Marine Reservoir.  This Company was besieged for several days by much numerous Chinese troops but with the courage and determination the American held on against the odds.  The book was written by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin and is published by the Atlantic Monthly Press.

Episode 40 deals with the attack of the Chinese 9th Army upon the Marine 1st Division.  Here are two maps to help you follow the story.

The Battle

The Retreat

The Coldest Winter

This book written by David Halberstam covers the entire Korean War but it mainly concentrates upon the period between the Chinese Second Offensive and the Chinese Spring Offensive.  It explains the reason for the Chinese success in the winter of the 1950-1951 and how the American learned how to fight the Chinese and brought to an end the series of Chinese victories in the spring of 1951.  It is published by Hyperion Books and the ISBN number is 1401300529.

The Chinese Second Offensive

The Eighth Army begin to move northwards but the next day the Chinese launch their Second Offensive against force the South Korean Divisions on the east flank into a rout.  The Turkish 1st Brigade is overwhelmed by the Chinese attack.  The American 2nd Division tries to retreat though the gauntlet losing 4,000 men in the process.  General Walker orders the Eighth Army to retreat.  A biography of Major General Keiser, the commander of the American 2nd Division.

This episode will be released on Saturday 28th May.