By Episode 15 – The Route of the UN:
MacArthur asks the US Air Force to make good on its promise to obliterate the Chinese forces now routing the UN armies out of North Korea. President Truman is afraid of widening the war, and asks that bombing be restricted to Korea to avoid a wider war. What is not mentioned in this 1988 documentary is that it has since been revealed that the Soviet Union was semi-covertly using its pilots, many of them veterans of WWII, to shoot down UN aircraft in Korea. MacArthur still boasts to the UN that the war will be “over before Christmas,” despite the reality of what is happening. UN troops end up on the North Korea-China border on the Amnok (Chinese name: Yalu) River. In the East, the US Marines in the 10th Corps reach the Changjin (Japanese name: Chosin) Resevoir when they get surrounded and hit hard by many PLA (Chinese Army) division-strength units. The 8th Army in the west falls back in a total route (late November 1950). For the first time in a foreign conflict, an entire US Army division (2nd Infantry Division) is totally destroyed in combat, losing all of its artillery and division colors.
1:57 pm on July 28th, 2009 1
Several things come to mind. One, this was MacArthurs doing, and when faced the the collapse of the second division he panics and asks for nukes. The old fools ego had gotten so far in front of him, he could not comprehend anything else. MacArthur lost control of his forces, and didn't know what to do. Despite overwheming intelligence that every trooper knew, that the chinese were there and ready to attack. Thousands died because of his failure of command. His blatent disregard for the lives and well being of the troops who did his bidding.
Two, the destruction of the 2nd infantry division is still little known and much overshadowed by the marines attacking in a different direction at the Chosen reservoir. (I myself have only learned of it during the last three years.) I hope every General and 2ndLt is well versed in stupid decisions, and their consequences.
12:12 am on July 29th, 2009 2
An interesting chapter in the destruction of the 2ID is the sacrifice of the Turkish Brigade:
http://rokdrop.com/2008/03/10/heroes-of-the-korea…
12:43 pm on July 29th, 2009 3
I've read it and remember it well.