Book Review- East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950 by Roy E. Appleman

The Korean War is also referred to as “the Forgotten War” as it is often overshadowed by World War II given it started a mere five years after the end of the biggest war the world has ever known. The United States led United Nations troops of several nations in an interference of a civil war in the Korean Peninsula following an invasion from the communist north into the pro-capitalist south. From 1950 until 1953, the U.N coalition battled North Koreans and Chinese troops for control of the peninsula and resulted in millions of casualties, including thousands of combat casualties in several hard-fought battles. Perhaps the most well-known of these battles was the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. A tactical defeat for U.S forces, it nonetheless was a heroic stand by U.S Marines who held off thousands of Chinese troops, inflicting severe casualties and managing to retreat in an organized fashion, all in below freezing conditions high up in the mountains of North Korea. It is a feat of extreme pride for the U.S Marine Corps, one that is held up in their many traditions of remembrance. Largely unknown however, was that the Marines were not the only ones at the Chosin Reservoir. Approximately 3,000 U.S Army soldiers were also present on the eastern part of the reservoir opposite the Marine line on the western part. These soldiers, part of Regimental Combat Team 31 (also known as Task Force Faith), suffered even more than the Marines and for years were thought off as cowardly. Roy E. Appleman’s East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950 is an extremely detailed book that recounts the valiant and heroic efforts of Task Force Faith during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir and how their actions saved the Marines to their west and allowed them to retreat in good order.

                   Roy Appleman served in both World War II and the Korean War as an Army Reserve Officer working as both a combat historian and a Staff Officer. After his military service he would go on to serve as a historian for the National Park Service until his retirement in 1970. He would publish several history books such as South to Naktong, North to the Yalu and Okinawa: The Last Battle in addition to East of Chosin. Appleman took great caution in his research about the U.S Army’s performance at the Battle of Chosin, spending years researching primary sources and interviewing the survivors of the battle. Appleman’s work would help the U.S Navy to recognize the true impact of Task Force Faith during the Battle of Chosin and would in 2001 award the Task Force the Navy Presidential Unit Citation. Appleman’s work completely changed the perception of the U.S Army’s participation during the battle and the true impact they had in the outcome.

                In October 1950, U.S and allied forces moved in and occupied the Chosin Reservoir area as part of the U.N invasion of North Korea. In November, China had entered the war, and the Chinese army was sent to displace and destroy the U.S troops located at Chosin. Over 120,000 Chinese troops moved and encircled the U.S Forces at Chosin, roughly about 30,000 altogether. The American troops would fight a 17-day battle in below freezing conditions but would manage to break the encirclement and retreat in an organized fashion back towards South Korea. This heroic action is often attributed to the Marines at Chosin and rightfully so. Appleman however explains in great detail about the sacrifice of Task Force Faith in the battle.  Appleman goes into great details about the ground battle and the experiences of the men there, taken from their own accounts. “Immediately a force of about 100 Chinese soldiers, who had crawled unseen to within 50 yards of the 75-mm recoilless rifle, rushed from cover and tried to overrun the American squad. Godfrey at once turned the gun on them, killing and wounding many and scattering the others. The survivors fell back in disorder.”[1] Appleman does not only explain the strategic overview of the battle but also the importance of the action of the individual soldier, giving the book a very detailed and relatable tale of the events.

                The Task Force was named after its commanding officer, for Lt. Col Don Faith who would die during the battle and be awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.  Faith would assume command of the Task Force and performed heroically in battle, attempting to lead his men to safety. Appleman explains that Lt. Col Faith decided on an attempted breakout of the encirclement when he realized his position was compromised and no help could come from the Marines (who were themselves surrounded). “The overriding mission of Task Force Faith in the breakout was to protect and escort the truck convoy with its hundreds of wounded.”[2] The breakout was led by Faith and in the ensuing action, the Task Force lost over 90% of its total force. Only a scattered few reached Marine lines, most of them freezing and exhausted. Faith would be killed during the breakout.

                Appleman finishes his extremely detailed book with the important influence of the Task Force on the battle itself: “In the ultimate analysis of the Chosin Reservoir action, the 7th Infantry Division troops who fought on the east side of the reservoir probably provided vided the narrow margin that enabled the 1st Marine Division to hold Hagaru-ri, and this in turn made possible the completion there of an airstrip from which several thousand wounded troops were evacuated to the coast, the assembling of the Marine troops at Hagaru-ri from Yudam-ni, and thereafter after the fighting escape to the coast.”[3] Appleman provided a great account of the battle, and firsthand accounts of the men who survived it. He finishes with a very appropriate quote: “Credit earned and honor due is owed to those all-but-forgotten American can men who for a brief period fought our nation's battles east of Chosin.”[4]

Roy Edgar Appleman, East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950 (Texas A&M University Press, 1987).

“National Park Service: Biography (Roy E. Appleman),” n.d. https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/sontag/appleman.htm.

[1] Roy Edgar Appleman, East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950 (Texas A&M University Press, 1987). Pg 116

[2] Roy Edgar Appleman, East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950 (Texas A&M University Press, 1987). Pg 357

[3] Roy Edgar Appleman, East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950 (Texas A&M University Press, 1987). Pg 405

[4] Roy Edgar Appleman, East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950 (Texas A&M University Press, 1987). Pg 406