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Study Guides - Combat Memoirs

Remembering Korea, 1950, Shin et al.

Abbreviations:

KATUSA, MP, KMAG, AWOL, MSR, POW, GI, CCF

Geography:

Koch’ang, Nakdong River, Kaesong, Pyongyang, “No-Name Hill”

Terminology/People:

Syngman Rhee, General MacArthur, Truman, Kim Il Sung, 8^th Army, Pusan Perimeter, ‘Gook’, kimchi, A-Frame, 38^th Parallel, checkpoint

General Topics:

• Impact of war on Korean civilians
• Training and equipping of ROK troops
• Attitudes of South Koreans toward US troops and Shin’s observations of US military
• Long term effects of Korean War experiences on Korean veterans
• Similarities/differences between Korean and American troops experience of the war
• Prewar conditions – life for Koreans under Japanese rule and from 1945-1950
• Postwar conditions in Korea
• Korean home life and effects on Shin

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Korea: We Called It War!, Batson et al.

Initials (Know what words each of the acronyms represents.):

 KP, LST, MLR, GI, OP, CO, FO, BAR

Locations (Be able to locate these on a map and know why each is important.)

Little Gibraltar Hill, Imjin River, Kimpo Island, Old Baldy Hill, MLR

Terms (Know what each means with respect to the Korean War and Batson’s account.)

Bazooka, blocking position, C-rations, in reserve, outpost, lister bag, western front, 50 percent alert, Replacement Depot, Carbine M2 rifle, ambush patrol, point system of rotation, 1^st Sergeant (in Army company)

Items to discuss/think about

• Lessons of combat that Batson learns during his tour
• Difficulties of NCO leadership—how does Batson’s experience as the de facto platoon leader differ from Owen’s as an officer
• Particular hardships of combat in Korea during 1951 and 1952
• Personal relationships among the troops—what views does Batson express concerning the members of 2^nd platoon
• SNAFUs – what can go wrong in combat
• What personal qualities, skills, or  experiences in war help Batson survive
• What difficulties can arise in the leadership of officers according to Batson’s account
• What is the long term impact of service in Korea on American troops
• Basic information on class guests

                                                                                 Batson (center) and fellow troops in Korea
                                                                                                        

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And the Wind Blew Cold

Abbreviations:

FECOM, WACS, MLR, MIA, PTSD, VA, VAOPC

Geography:

Kumhwa, Pyoktong, Yalu River, Manchuria, Panmunjom

Terminology/People:

typhoon, outpost, incoming 'mail', fatigues, burp gun, "Progressives", "Reactionaries", 'icebox', Freedom Village

General Topics:

• special difficulties for American POWs in Korea
• impact on POWs of Korea's climate and geography
• homecoming experiences for Korean War POWs
• long term effects (physical, emotional, civil) on POWs from captivity in Korea
• what qualities helped POWs survive in prison camps
• impact of Cold War anti-communist American politics on KW POWs
• basic information from film(s)

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The Last True Story I’ll Ever Tell , Crawford et al.

Abbreviations (as used in The Last True Story I’ll Ever Tell):

MRE, RPG, MOL, IED, NCOIC, TCP, ID, AD, EOD

Geography (know where these are on a map and why they're important to Crawford's book):

Iraq, Nasiriyah, Bagdad, Balad, Tigris River, Euphrates River

Terminology (as used in The Last True Story I’ll Ever Tell and class sources):

berm, hajji, pogue, Mark 19, C-130, AK-47, M-240, M-249, Article 15, M-16, Quick Reaction Force, a ‘klick’, medevac, a ‘mike’, sitrep, humvee,

General Topics:

·         impact on troops of climate and terrain in Iraq

·         responsibilities of American civilians toward Iraq veterans

·         basic information on class guest speakers

·         accuracy of media representations (film, news) of this war

·         impact of the war on Iraqi civilians

·         difficulties coming home, both physical and emotional

·         particular hardships of service in Iraq, especially on National Guard and Reserve forces

·         impact on troops (going, gone, and come back) of domestic debate over the war

·         differences/similarities in war experience and aftermath between Korean War and Operation Iraqi Freedom

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