Introduction of The Book, East of Chosin
Today, I am going to introduce the book, East of Chosin, written by Roy Appleman.
Let
me take you back to the winter of 1950, 75 years ago, at this season, to a
place called Changjin Reservoir in Kaema Highland, North Korea, where unyielding
courage met deadly catastrophe. The book, East of Chosin, tells the
harrowing story of the 31st U.S. Army Regiment Combat Team trapped
east of the reservoir during the Korean War. The name, Chosin is Changjin in
Japanese, as U.S. troops were provided with Japanese maps in the war. While the
First U.S. Marine Divisions’ breakout on the west side of reservoir is well
known, Appleman wrote this book to shed light on the forgotten soldiers of Task
Force Faith’s men who were surrounded by Chinese forces on the east side of
reservoir, outnumbered, and left to fight in subzero temperatures with diminishing
supplies.
The
author, Appleman, was driven by a sense of duty to honor those who had been
overlooked and to correct the historical record of courage. His research
reveals a brutal four-day battle where soldiers faced wave after wave of
Chinese attacks. The terrain was unforgiving, the cold was lethal, and the chances
were impossible.
Yet,
these men refused to surrender. They tried to break out. Many died. Few
survived. This battle experience demonstrates one thing beyond question: when
night falls, it is time to circle wagons and try to survive until dawn. However,
if alternate plan should have been in mind before night came, rather than the
continuation of a blind effort to break through the darkness with an
ever-weakening force and an increasing number of wounded, they could have a
narrow margin that enabled them to break out to the 1st U.S. Marine
troops who could successfully retreated from the opposite side of the
reservoir.
East of Chosin is not just a military account, but it’s a tribute to
sacrifice, courage, and the human spirit under fire. It reminds us that our
freedom has been preserved on the ground absorbed with many unknown soldiers’
bloods in our alliance.
Thank
you.
Comments
Post a Comment