Conflict in Korea: Remembering the Forgotten War (MP3 Download)
Most Americans know next to nothing about the Korean War, despite the heroic service of the courageous troops who fought there. In three years of intense suffering and sacrifice, that mixed soaring victories with hideous reverses, the United States endured more than 50,000 deaths (on the battlefield, from illness, and in POW camps) with over 100,000 soldiers seriously wounded.
Some of the most vivid personalities in world history played decisive roles in the Korean conflict: Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, General Douglas MacArthur, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill; on the Communist side, the brutal dictators Josef Stalin, Mao Tse Tung and Kim Il Sung. Despite the fact that all of these titanic figures acknowledged the epic significance of the struggle, contemporary Americans mostly ignore the war because it's so hard to classify. It was neither a global, noble victory like World War II, nor a bitter and divisive failure like Vietnam. The tide of battle at first recalled the daring maneuvers and colorful leadership of the Civil War, but later settled into a punishing stalemate and war of attrition reminiscent of the trench warfare in World War I. Meanwhile, the most crucial and dramatic confrontation of the whole struggle didn't pit Americans against the enemy, but brought a legendary and incomparably charismatic commander into direct conflict with a determined, chronically under-rated president of the United States.
All of this gripping history deserves recollection, especially in view of ongoing threats from the mad, bad regime in North Korea that the conflict of sixty years ago never conclusively resolved. This spell-binding account by Michael Medved mixes the actual voices of Truman, MacArthur and Ike with hit music from the era—including #1 hits honoring a Korean War commander, or crooned by a draftee and PFC who became a Hollywood heartthrob. From the baseball immortal who flew 37 Korean combat missions, to the small town priest who died in a POW camp and is on his way to Catholic sainthood, CONFLICT IN KOREA helps bring to life the indelible personalities, decisive judgments and worldwide stakes of the nation's most misunderstood conflict and assists Americans in REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN WAR.
Total Run Time: 1hr, 47min
Available on 2 CDs or audio download
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Reviews
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Homeschooling history
I bought this for my homeschooled grandchildren and they loved it as they love all of Michael's history programs. Being able to teach history as more than boring textbook drudgery is one of the main reasons we, and now our children, homeschool. The CD sparked one of our grandson's to begin researching the Korean War in more depth. What more is there to say?
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Very good presentation
I found the MP3 very interesting. The history of Korea and the principals leading up to the conflict was very comprehensive. the ONLY complaint I have is I wish a brief summary of the immediate aftermath of the war - notably how South Korea became such a successful country in contrast to the impoverished North; maybe include the decades old bellicose rhetoric (and even skirmishes) between the North and South that has occurred in the decades since. Otherwise, I enjoyed it very much.
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Excellent Presentation, but ...
...it focuses almost exclusively on MacArthur and to lesser extent, Truman. While it is informative on what Michael covers, it does not speak to the underlying causes of the conflict. It doesn't shed light on why the North invaded the South. Was it simply just a land grab? Perhaps so, but I would have like to gain some insight as to motivations.
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Answers to A Lot of Questions
The most I knew about the Korean War and the relationship between President Truman and General MacArthur was what I studied in college. This program gets into the reasons and the conditions that led to the Korean War strategy and the dismissal of MacArthur as head of US Asian military operations. The organization of this program is A++, a nice addition to your history collection. The history programs are a bit pricey for download format, so I wait for special sales to get them.
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Very interesting
I remember parts of the Korean Conflict as I was in grade school. My one objection is that Michael said the tape of McArthur's speech was "ancient." I was home sick from school and saw the speech on TV. I remember it vividly even though I was in grade school. (I don't consider anything I've personally witnessed as ancient). McArthur's motorcade came through town, past my school and we practiced for hours to wave in unison at the general's car. Certainly was worth more than the selections on the plane. I listened as I was flying across country and made the trip better.