Stay ConnectedWDF examines how wars broke out, how they were concluded, and their consequences. Expect juicy diplomacy, sneaky intrigue, fascinating characters, and incredible drama. By Dr Zack Twamley, qualified history nerd.
Current Series: The July Crisis
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Episode 41: Adored No More examines the week following the shattering experience of Chinese intervention on a grand scale. With General MacArthur’s credibility in tatters, President Truman’s plan to apportion blame to his least favourite General now appeared to make all the more sense. MacArthur was under immense pressure to explain himself, and when he finally did, Truman’s response was to place a gag order on all US figures from talking about the country’s foreign policy. Truman claimed he was protecting the unity and integrity of Washington’s plans, but this was debateable.
On the ground, amidst the schemes of the President and the desperate errors of the General, the men suffered. From late November until early spring, the soldiers were to experience a debilitating retreat in the worst wintery conditions seen in living memory. As all the practical difficulties blended in together, and as the talk in Washington continued, few could deny that the once triumphant General had taken a severe knock to his reputation and prestige. Here was the man who had led the President astray, and who had promised that all would be over by Christmas. Here was the man, who even if he was still respected for his tenure of service, was adored no more.
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Music used:
“Columbus Stockade Blues”, by Bert and Ruby Rains released in 1940, covered by the likes of Willie Nelson, it’s one of my personal favourites. Available: http://www.museumsyndicate.com/item.php?item=82651
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Episode 40: Shock & Awe continues where we left off last time. This was the result of the Truman administration’s months of planning and theorising, and for the sake of NSC68 and the strategy of containment, it was believed to be the right one. The Chinese had finally intervened, and thus the efforts to make this so must have been considered a success. Yet, on the ground level, it was anything but a success, as the Chinese advanced with a ferocious pace and zeal that stunned and shattered all allied soldiers they encountered. With MacArthur apoplectic in Tokyo, it remained for the soldiers on the ground, let blindly into this mess by their vain commander, to pick up the slack.
Instead, sense prevailed, and a massive retreat without parallel in American military history characterised the allies action in December of 1950. Several bloody and bitter battles were still to come with the Chinese, who blended their command with the North Koreans and fulfilled the total control of Pyongyang that Mao Zedong now aimed to seize. Beijing’s aims could not be certain, but Mao was now determined, after being pushed into this corner, to make something good out of the situation and to get some kind of benefit for his regime. As ever, it was the soldier on the ground that suffered for the statesman’s objectives. Meanwhile, Truman is confronted about nuclear weapons, and the plans to throw MacArthur under the bus were put into motion.
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Music used:
“The Gaby Glide”, by Billy Murray, released in 1912 and available at: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Billy_Murray/Antique_Phonograph_Music_Program_04282015/The_Gaby_Glide_-_Billy_Murray
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Truman continues to set up his General, as the allied soldiers wander into the consequences on the Manchurian border...
Episode 39: ‘An Entirely New War’ focuses on that moment in the conflict when the Chinese finally pulled the trigger and invaded in massive force between late October and late November 1950. After months of diplomatic manoeuvring, Mao Zedong seemed to finally have had enough and believed that the moment had come to act in force. This decision, fully in line with the aims of the Truman administration, would destroy the plans of General MacArthur and reverse overnight the sense of superiority and positivity which had dominated his staff since the triumph at Inchon.
As an episode it is a long one, but it is also a critical pivot of our story and contains too many vital threads to list here. Within we’ll see shattered dreams, fulfilled ambitions, distraught soldiers, zealous communists, hopeful North Koreans, confused subordinates, wasted resources, missed opportunities, unexpected bravery and so much more. It’s an episode which ties so many important elements of our narrative together, and it really has to be heard to be believed.
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T is for TELL ANYONE!
1) Pre-order our book on the Thirty Years War 2) Are you TeamFerdinand or TeamFrederick ? It's time to pick a side, and a t-shirt! 3)Don't forget of course to support WDF on Patreon to access ad-free episodes with the scripts attached, as well an hour of extra content every month, and so much more! - $1, $2 & $5 memberships available! 4) Of course, make sure you also follow us on Twitter, visit our website and sign up to our Newsletter
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Since the founding of the United States, in every generation, in every field of business, politics, sports and society, we’ve watched in shock as corruption, deceit and desire bring down heroes, titans and those we thought we could trust.
In the aftermath, we’re left with too many questions, how did this happen? Who is to blame?
American Scandal, a new podcast from Wondery, will answer these questions. They tell the stories of America’s biggest scandals, the who, how and why, to discover what happened, how they changed our country - and what lessons we can learn.
I encourage you to subscribe to American Scandal.The first story is a look inside America’s pastime - Baseball - and scandal that changed the way we view our favorite athletes. It’s riveting. Andwhile you’re listening, subscribe to American Scandal on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanksss!
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Episode 37: Burning Chinese takes our story back a bit to late September, in roughly the same timeframe we covered in the last episode, to examine how the American policy was developed as the Chinese became ever more pressed to involve themselves. The official picture in Washington and among the UN allies, and of course in General MacArthur’s mind, was that no matter what they publicly said, the Chinese would not, could not intervene, and that thus, all evidence to the contrary was bluff or the intrigue of some communist agent. America’s leaders worked hard to reinforce this message, and it certainly likely that some heartily believed that there was no sense in stopping at the 38th parallel now that the North Koreans – the aggressors – were clearly in flight.
Yet, it is inconceivable, as we’ve learned, that the Truman administration did not plan or think to plan for what may have occurred if Mao Zedong did decide to send his forces over the Yalu River. Indeed, if you believe my research, we have seen that this intervention was what the President wanted, but that to prevent the allies from being spooked, a more conservative presentation of foreign affairs was necessary for the public consumption. Fortunately for Truman, he was helped by the British who in this episode put forward their proposal to the UN General Assembly to cross the 38th parallel and continue the advance up North.
This wasn’t because the British wanted the conflict that Truman did; instead it was because, after several pressure campaigns, it had been made clear to Atlee’s administration that support for the American policy in Korea would be taken as a litmus test of loyalty. With such a compelling reason to support the Americans, many UN allies would be taken, often against their will, across the 38th parallel, as MacArthur enthusiastically led the charge to wipe out the last vestiges of Kim’s regime. As we’ll see in this episode, even now, as October progressed, warning signs were becoming difficult to ignore.
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Music used:
“By the Light of the Silvery Moon”, by Billy Murray and the Hadyn Quartet, available: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Billy_Murray_and_Haydn_Quartet/Antique_Phonograph_Music_Program_03032015/By_The_Light_of_The_Silvry_Moon_-_Billy_Murray_and_Haydn_Quartet
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1) Pre-order our book on the Thirty Years War 2)... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our biggest episode yet!
Episode 36: Ordering Chinese picks up from the last episode, this time from the perspective of the Chinese, as in late September they were clearly faced with something of a quandary. Stalin was ramping up his campaign to urge the Chinese to intervene, and in response, the Chinese claimed that since Kim Il-sung had yet to ask for help, Beijing could not give it. Stalin thus set to work engineering his plan into motion, and ensuring that the North Koreans would indeed ask for help. It was only to be expected that as the military situation worsened for Pyongyang in light of the Inchon landings, that Kim would see sense and appeal to the communist comrade in Beijing. Indeed, it was likely that he would have no choice but to do otherwise, thanks to the Soviet unwillingness to aid the NKPA in its time of need.
In case Soviet involvement in the war was discovered by the West, Stalin insisted, the Soviets would have to pull the plug of support for the Northern Army. These threats were delivered solely to produce the policy outcome that Stalin wanted, and in the first two weeks of October, we’ll see how, after some hesitation and preparations, Mao Zedong determines that the time had come to intervene. With a resolution approving the crossing of the 38th parallel on 7th October, it was clearly necessary to fight back and prepare for the conflict which Mao had once feared, then tacitly accepted, and now actively planned for. The next phase of the conflict began to whir into life, just as MacArthur believed that his greatest triumph was in the works.
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Music used:
“Sister Susie’s Sewing Shirts”, Al Jolson, available: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Al_Jolson/Antique_Phonograph_Music_Program_03242015/Sister_Susies_Sewing_Shirts_for_Soldiers_-_Al_Jolson
SPONSORS
1) Use the code WDF15 to get 15% off your stylish new pair of headphones/earphones/listening things
2) To access some fascinating books, nerd out with like minded enthusiasts, further your knowledge of some classical works, get 25% off your first three months AND help the show, head on over to onlinegreatbooks.com!
Remember to BEFIT!
B is for blog
E is for email wdfpodcast@hotmail.com
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I is for iTunes, please rate, review and subscribe
T is for TELL ANYONE!
1) Pre-order our book on the Thirty Years War 2) Are you TeamFerdinand or TeamFrederick ? It's time to pick a side, and a t-shirt! 3)Don't forget of course to support WDF on Patreon to access ad-free episodes with the scripts attached, as well...
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This is it history friends, our last free episode of section 2 of 1956! If you like what you hear here, then make sure and track down the rest. Hours of content await, not just associated with this series. If you want to invest in Zack Twamley, in history podcasting and in WDF's future, then supporting us on Patreon is the best way to do that. I'd be most grateful, and you'd be filled with more history audio than you can shake an Egyptian stick at!
Head on over to our Patreon page and access all of 1956 for $5 a month by clicking here.
Episode 2.2: Suez, A Life examines that critical actor in the Suez Crisis… No I’m not just talking about the British, I’m also talking about the Suez Canal! A French investment opportunity, an ancient idea, and a British masterstroke, discover in this episode how this waterway became so monumentally important for British imperial interests in the latter 19th century, and how this interest was then carried over into the 20th century. After years of defending and expanding their stock in Suez, it was highly unlikely that Britain was going to give up its position there without a fight. Yet, at the same time, decolonisation trends across the world were in full swing, and it was far from certain that Egypt could be held while certain movements were underway.
The most important of all these movements in decolonisation era Africa was found on 23rd July 1952, when a coup against King Farouk of Egypt, that docile and loyal British puppet, succeeded. A cadre of Egyptian military men now held control over the country, and they were determined to be anything but puppets to the British interest. Nationalists for Egypt as much as for the idea of pan-Arabism, one figure surged forward above all. His name was Gamal Abdel Nasser, and in this episode, we will be introduced to him, as we see what the British establishment was up against. Mindful of Britain’s interests in his country, and its unsavoury record there, Nasser was not about to give ground for nothing. Thousands of miles away, a government change waved goodbye to Winston Churchill, and ushered in his subordinate Anthony Eden. The stage was set for a conflict which was unlike any other yet seen in the British experience.
Remember - you can access the rest of 1956 for just $5 a month by clicking here and signing up to WDF on Patreon! Thankssss!
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PATRONS! HISTORY FRIENDS! Everyone in between! Part 2 of 1956 is now upon us, and here’s what you should do.
First – ask yourself, do you love history?
Second – answer yes, and have a listen to us here, as we unpack the Suez Crisis, in 21 easy steps!
For everyone, episodes 2.1 and 2.2 are out now, but for those Patrons at the $5 level and above, 1956 is about to get very interesting indeed! For the rest of the year we’ll be hitting you with the run up to, outbreak of and consequences of the SUEZ CRISIS. If you’ve been holding off from being a Patron up to now, then I can guarantee you that there has never been a better time to sign up. I think the last time we released a series so diplomatically juicy was…well…every time, but still, you’d be mad to miss out!
So what’s in the box of Episode 2.1: Bitter French Pills? Well in order to get to the bottom of Suez, we must begin the story with one its main actors, and this is where the French come in. In this episode, we will examine the painful post-war experience of France, why it was so reluctant to let go of its colonies and how this caused it more damage in the long run. As an integral, but largely forgotten player in the Crisis, understanding the French angle is essential for us. On many occasions, the fractured French government would be the only thing holding the also fractured plans for Suez together. Here, we discover what was moving the French in North Africa, and how its bitter Algerian pill, which it would put off swallowing for some time, so influenced its government’s decision to weigh in against Egypt.
I hope you’ll join me for this first episode of Part 2! I for one am really excited to get into it, so remember that if you want to access ALL of the history, come and visit us at Patreon!
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