The Korean War 025 - UN Forces Abandon Pyongyang - December 10, 1950

This week, UN forces in the west pull out of the North Korean capital Pyongyang. In the east, the marines continue to fight their way towards safety. Over in Washington, the aftershocks of the Chinese intervention have shaken high command as much as they have the troops on the ground, and America's allies, especially Britain, grow alarmed over the US response.

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:26 Recap
01:20 The Blame Game
03:58 Retreat in the West
07:43 The Chinese Situation
10:59 Escaping Chosin
13:57 Atoms and Attlees
18:07 Summary
18:20 Conclusion

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Hosted by: Indy Neidell
Director: Astrid Deinhard
Producers: Astrid Deinhard and Spartacus Olsson
Executive Producers: Astrid Deinhard, Indy Neidell, Spartacus Olsson
Creative Producer: Marek Kamiński
Community Management: Jake McCluskey
Written by: Tom Aldis
Research by: Tom Aldis
Script Editor: Indy Neidell
Map animations by: Daniel Weiss
Head of Cartography and 3D Map animations by: Andreas Olsson
Map research by: Tom Aldis
Georeferencing and GIS Development by: Pascal Bracamonte
Editing and color grading by: Simon J. James
Artwork by: Mikołaj Uchman
Sound design by: Simon J. James & Marek Kamiński
Colorizations by: Mikołaj Uchman

Soundtracks from Epidemic Sound.

A TimeGhost chronological documentary produced by OnLion Entertainment GmbH.

[TheKoreanWarbyIndyNeidell]

We’re announcing War 2 War, a brand new series launching February next year. We want YOU to be part of this journey.

This series will detail events that helped shaped today’s world—like the Chinese Civil War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and more. Together, we can bring these stories to life.

[thehistoryvideogameandgame]

You know what I think? The fact that General Oliver Smith was never awarded The Medal Of Honor for his leadership during the battle of Chosin Reservoir is a massive injustice which hasn’t been corrected yet, His leadership saved the 1st Marine Division from being annihilated

[arremsea]

This is one of those rare channels where I value the comments as much as the show.

[davidtaylor]

My mother was with the MASH 8055, stationed in Pyong Yong when the Chinese closed in on the city. She would tell the story of, having set up the hospital in a grade school, they now waited to be taken out by plane. The protocol was that the patients had been evacuated first, then the doctors, delivering care to the patients as best they could. That left the nurses and support staff behind, the last to be flown out. There she and her fellow nurses sat around playing cards, the walls shuddering as the U.N. ammunition dumps were being blown. They had no idea what was going on or when, or if, they would be pulled out. Everyone else was gone. They figured that the next group of troops coming up the road were either the trucks to take them to the airport or Chinese to take them prisoners. One of the younger nurses finally screamed, "How can you just sit there?" A nurse named Giles looked up from her cards and asked calmly, "You got any other ideas?" Finally the trucks arrived and they were flown back to safer ground, but my mother told that story with wistful nostalgia. She called the Korean War "My war."

[sithtrooper]

“MacArthur, please tell me you have a plan to stop the Chinese advance”
“I-I-I have the concept of a plan”
*Internal Screaming*

[vernmeyerotto]

The withdrawal from Hagaru wasn't a simple walk to Koto-Ri, but was a fighting withdrawal in sub-zero temperatures with the Chinese in the mountains overlooking the MSR (Main Supply Route) in constant contact. There were many casualties in danger of freezing to death, so evacuation by the MSR south of Koto-Ri wasn't an option. Engineers managed to scrape a landing strip out suitable for only C47s, but was under the guns of the Chinese on the mountain sides that overlooked both the airstrip and the approach. In fact, the Chinese had pushed to within a few hundred yards of the runway that was under fire during the entire evacuation. Every time a C47 started the approach down the valley, the volume of ground fire forced the transports to break off the approach, and prevented any of the C47s from landing. Until, a gentleman I was acquainted with, Col. Phil B Cage flew the gauntlet, successfully landed and loaded the first Marines to be flown out of Koto-Ri. The citation that accompanied his Silver Star tells this story better than I can.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel Phil B. Cage, United States Air Force, for gallantry in action against the enemy on 8 December 1950. Landing his C-47 transport airplane on a 1900 foot landing strip that had been hastily scraped from frozen sod at Koto-Ri, Korea, he effected the evacuation of 19 casualties who were doomed to perish from exposure or enemy capture. The peculiar location of the landing strip, which was the only level spot in the vicinity of the battlefront, made it necessary for Colonel Cage to fly his C-47 down a narrow valley which was flanked on both sides by thousands of enemy troops. As he let down on his approach to the landing strip, ridges, 2000 feet high, formed a physical hazard on each side. This hazard was further increased by intense napalm smoke, burning of abandoned supplies, and a light falling snow. As a follow-up to his daring flight, 312 additional wounded troops were swiftly evacuated by other C-47 pilots who emulated his example. Colonel Cage accomplished his mission literally within range of overwhelming enemy forces who surged to within 200 yards of Koto-Ri airstrip. His heroism, courageous devotion to duty, and superior leadership reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

[ploegdbq]

1:51 That's right, Doug, the Marines at Chosin Reservoir are conducting a "retrograde offensive action!"

[caryblack]

MacArthur: Oh those nasty Chinese. Why didn't you listen when I told everyone that you would never enter the war.

[ryanshearer]

The fact that we're 4 months from Mac getting relieved is so depressing.

[rem]

Not going to lie, for the first 5 minutes I wasn't sure if Indy was talking about MacArthur's headquarters in 1950 or the French General Staff in 1940...😅

[fabianzimmermann]

I know it realistically never would have happened, but if Bill Slim had been in charge of the UN troops, things most likely would have looked quite different.
He fought alongside the Chinese in WW2, so he appreciated their fighting skills and since the tactics they used in Korea are very similar to the ones the Japanese used in WW2, he could have dusted off his own WW2 plans that absolutely annihilated the Japanese and re-used them here.

[Givemegoodreason]

So just to be clear American media and upper echelons started to notice what the Australian generals who dealt with McArthur in ww2 saw. That McArthur was arrogant and panicky completely detached from realities on the ground.

[korbell]

It's gone from, "The troops will be home for Christmas, to "The troops will be home for A Christmas!"

[abrahamoyevaar]

This is the best Korean war documentary already. Thanks again time Ghost

[HankD]

Brilliant as ever. My only real thought, is that Bill Slim was a man you should always listen to.

[ForgottenHonor]

Don't worry, Indy. I'm sure Winston Churchill would have had a good laugh at the puns in the beginning.

[ronjohnson]

In some way Mac's arrogance invites him to be over-criticized (to be clear I think there's an awful lot to criticize). But right now this is Mac at his worst. I can't be wrong therefore what everybody *on the ground* is reporting is at best mistaken.

[georgesconyers]

The talks about nuclear, I cant hold back how I see this as the biggest divergent point in human history. They are choosing whether we will see this new weapon as the final decision, or just another tool of war.

It is setting the precedent that may have kept the Cold War cold.

[Kubinda]

I wonder who will be MacArthur's Steiner...

[alans]

Your 3d maps are really astounding and help show the topography that all sides were having to deal with. Great job!