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Special Report
More Than Just Another Cartoon
Iraq combat vets pay tribute to the heroes of “the forgotten war.”
The story of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir is an epic tale of valor and endurance rarely equaled in the annals of military history, yet thanks to the 2006 film 300 the average young American could likely tell you more about the Spartans last stand against the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 B.C. than they could about the 250 Marines of Fox Company who held off ten thousand Communist Chinese soldiers on a hill in North Korea during the frigid, unrelenting winter of 1950.
Now three Marine combat veterans of the Iraq War are gathering the resources to flip that equation on its head with a full-length 3D animated feature film offshoot of their harrowing, unforgettable award-winning 2010 documentary Chosin. (To learn more about this landmark project and how you can become a part of it, visit the Chosin Kickstarter site between now and Christmas day.)
“We want to hit a broader audience and that younger generation is not one we’ve been able to reach as well with the documentary,” executive producer Anton Sattler explains. “This allows us to cross-pollinate audiences. So you might have people who watch the documentary that would have never watched an animated film, but because they know the story they’ll be interested. Or you’ll have the kids who would never bother to watch a Korean War documentary watch the animated film, get really interested in the characters, be blown away by [the story] they see on screen, and then they want to learn more.”
Think If you build it, they will come to a different end: The story of Chosin is so gripping, so rife with indomitable spirit, the smallest fraction of its greater whole is almost sure to enthrall, terrify, and humble. Consider the following: Seventeen Medals of Honor and seventy Navy Crosses were awarded amongst the 15,000 Marines and soldiers who “trapped and outnumbered ten-to-one fought 78 miles to freedom and saved the lives of 98,000 refugees.”
“For me what makes the story so compelling is it’s just the greatest hits of everything you don’t want to have happen to you or anyone you care about,” co-director/animator Richard C. Meyer says. “It’s the worst thing possible.… If there was any other way to kill people besides a meteor shower, it was happening to these guys at the time. So it’s one of those things where no matter how badass you feel — and we’ve all been to combat — it’s like, ‘Okay, but I didn’t fight a hundred thousand Chinese soldiers while my foot was falling off from frostbite.’”
The short-term goal is, as Meyer puts it, to bring Chosin up to the level of Iwo Jima flag raising: “In ten years when you show a Marine with a bunch of snow on his shoulders, [I want people to say], ‘Oh, I know this. This is Chosin.”
Longer term, director Brian Iglesias hopes the impact will be more foundational, embedding an understanding of the culture, trials and travails of the veterans into the American consciousness. “I have two little boys, and if they join the military and go to war, I’d like it to be a situation where America already understands and appreciates the military,” he says, adding that a lack of understanding today has real consequences down the road. “The kids now, when they grow up, they’re going to decide whether my sons go to war, what kind of benefits they have, how their family is being taken care of…”
And then there is the larger lesson about perseverance against all odds that is worthwhile for Americans of all walks and stripes to ruminate upon.
“There are three battles that are taught to every Marine when they go through boot camp or OCS — Belleau Wood from World War I, Iwo Jima from World War II, and Chosin,” Sattler says. “Those are three of the biggest battles in our history where by all accounts we probably should have lost. We were outnumbered in all three cases, cutoff, in conditions that were just awful in any way you can think of. But we did it. We won. And they teach those battles to Marines because they want to embed in your soul that, no matter how hard it gets, no matter how much your job sucks or what you have to face, you have to succeed because you carry this legacy on your shoulders.”
Iglesias, Meyer, and Sattler are betting a platoon of animated grunts can help hoist that legacy aloft, exalt and carry it forward. It is a tall order, but hardly an impossible one. We are, after all, talking about three dedicated and determined United States Marines.
About the Author
Shawn Macomber is a contributing editor to The American Spectator.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (42) | Leave a comment
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Pecos Pete| 12.21.12 @ 7:08AM
My brother was there. Was wounded. He won't talk about it.
Jack in Wi| 12.21.12 @ 7:51AM
I knew a marine who was there and talked to me about it. It was horrendous for an 18 year old. I had a guy who was on Iwo Jima as one of my key people. He told me about it too. He was 19 at the time. Another of my key people was a marine on Okinowa, in China and another island. He was 18 as well.. He was only one of 7 in his group not to be killed or wounded. I had a lot of other veterans working for me. That includes a lot of vets from the German, Italian, Rumanian, Yugoslav, Latvian, and Polish, military as well. From all this I got the opinion that all war is nothing but waste. I can't think of a war worth fighting. Merry Christmass and Peace.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 12.21.12 @ 9:18AM
Without assailing your Christmas message, Jack, I think there are a whole bunch of people in South Korea who aren't being forced to eat one another or take a beating if they don't cry loud enough at their Dear Leader's funeral who might disagree with you about the war featured in this article.
ArmyAviator| 12.21.12 @ 11:03AM
Americans can be AMAZING people.
Doctor Right| 12.21.12 @ 11:33AM
You are such a predictable bore.
Can't think of a war "worth fighting"???
I'd say "Well, so much for the struggle against Nazi tyranny," or "If Hitler had had his way, you'd be speaking German today, Jack!"
...But then I remember that those are outcomes you would have preferred, you blowhard.
RCV| 12.21.12 @ 12:07PM
Amen.
Occam's Tool| 12.21.12 @ 12:35PM
RCV: G-d Bless and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, sir.
Dr. Right: The very best in the coming year, sir.
You are so right about Jack.
Al Adab| 12.21.12 @ 2:50PM
Merry Christmas to you all.
RCV| 12.21.12 @ 3:30PM
Occam - Thanks. Hope your Hanukah was a happy one. Merry Christmas to you Al Adab and Happy New Year to all!
Jack in Wi| 12.21.12 @ 5:26PM
Baloney about Hitler: He never could have conquered this country. He had no intentions of ever trying. He didn't have the navy or air forces to do it. He didn't even want to attack western Europe. All his desires for expansion were in the east. WW1 led to WW2 and Hitler and Communism. WW2 led to Korea and Vietnam. WW1 led to the founding of Israel and European involvement in the Middle East. It has led us to take up the cudgels of the Europeans and Israeli's. It has been nothing but disaster from start to finish. We supposedly won WW2 and gave half of Europe and the atomic bomb to Hitler's far worse partner in starting the war Stalin. I can't think of a war worth fighting. All it has led to is national bankruptcy. Peace!
RCV| 12.22.12 @ 7:11PM
You're such a dope, Jack. Had Hitler been allowed to have his way unchecked in the east, he would have continued his atomic and rocket research at Pennemunde, and unquestionably would have developed the bomb. With nuclear weapons, the world would have been subject to his lunatic whims. Only you and Pat Buchannan are naive or stupid enough to believe he would have ever been satisfied with his next conquest.
Occam's Tool| 12.21.12 @ 12:33PM
There are Chinese who were raped at Nanking who would disagree with you, there are Jews in Israel who don't want to be ruled by psychopathic Hamas vermin who would disagree with you, there are Russian dissidents (such as Solzhenitsyn, winner of a well deserved Nobel Prize in Literature) who would disagree with you, many, many Czecks who would disagree with you, and a hell of a lot of Vets I know who would disagree with you.
In short, Jack, I am glad that there were people who fought for my Freedom. I am proud of the fact that I was privileged at one time to live in the same small town with the pilot of the Memphis Belle. (Crane Hill, AL---look it up)
I can think of plenty of Wars that were CAUSED by attitudes like yours, because that attitude invites aggression. WWII comes to mind. So does Korea.
Jack in Wi| 12.21.12 @ 5:08PM
Israel is a perfect example of gun control. The Zionists have all the guns and everyone else has rocks. Our elite class wants us in the same position.They want them to have all the guns and us to have rocks. Does anyone think that Obama will disarm his followers? No! He wants to take the guns from his opposition like Hitler did, while he has all the fire power. When all sides are armed there is a lot more respect on all sides. Shalom Occam: Have a nice holiday and happy New Year.
RCV| 12.21.12 @ 6:24PM
Jack, as far as I can tell, the Palestinians have no shortage of guns, rockets, grenades, explosive material and similar armaments with which to kill Jews, other Muslims, people suspected of being "collaborators", young women who've "dishonored their families" and random people riding on busses, attending schools, sitting at home watching television.
As for the President, I haven't seen him discussing allocating any weapons based on party allegience, but you probably know better on this as with all other subjects.
TW in SC| 12.23.12 @ 8:12PM
War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.
John Stuart Mill
English economist & philosopher (1806 - 1873)
Joellen| 12.21.12 @ 8:26AM
Pete, your brother is one of many American Heroes who will NOT be forgotten by your friends here at this site. God Bless him and you to my friend and it can never be said enough - Merry Christmas.
Stormzeye| 12.21.12 @ 8:25AM
Don't forget the Army. My friend was there with the 3rd Division on the east end of the reservoir. He and a Korean (ROK) member of our golf club were both there together but only met later through golf.
markenoff| 12.21.12 @ 2:05PM
Not to diminish what the Marines did they would not have gotten out if the Army Engineers (Essayons) had not replaced the blown bridge at the Funchilin Pass gorge from sections of treadway bridge parachuted to them by the Air Force.
markenoff| 12.21.12 @ 2:05PM
Read the book "East of Chosin".
OP4| 12.21.12 @ 9:26AM
There were certainly other battles rammed into our heads in Boot Camp - Libya and Mexico City (the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli), Guadalcanal and Bloody Tarawa.
But the Chosin campaign was special. As I was being trained in 1989, the Korean War Vets were retiring. They were treated with a little bit of awe in the Corps, and the Chosin Vets were bigger than life celebrities.
They didn't let down the Corps - and our Drill Instructors put it in our heads that we damn sure better not either.
markenoff| 12.21.12 @ 2:06PM
The Chosin Few.
Al Adab| 12.21.12 @ 2:51PM
There is a wonderful painting of Frozen Chosin available from Cranston fine arts. The price America paid for the liberty and freedom of others.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 12.21.12 @ 9:28AM
Thirty years ago, I had a chance to meet General Raymond Davis, USMC, while I was a young 2nd Lieutenant at The Basic School in Quantico. He won his Medal of Honor at Chosin, and was a stellar example to all. Later, as I endured frigid cold in Korea, I was always able to suck it up, having learned what he and all of the others there suffered and survived, knowing that I could have it much worse.
Merry Christmas to all, and Good Night, Chesty Puller, wherever you are.
Bill8472| 12.21.12 @ 11:14AM
"Davis's battalion marched eight miles through waist-high drifts (of snow) and over three frozen ridges" in 24-below-zero temperatures. "In steeper sections, Davis said, 'we had to climb on our hands and knees, hold on to roots and twigs to keep from sliding back down.'... When Col. Davis's battalion arrived (at the place where Fox Company, 2/7 Marines, was holding against CCF forces), it saw some 450 Chinese corpses splayed out around the company's perimeter...The dead were stacked around Fox Company's aid station recalled Sgt. Charles McKellar, 'probably twenty feet high.'...All of Fox's survivors (they suffered 26 killed, 89 wounded, and 3 missing out of 220 in the company) had suffered either frostbite or dysentery...Davis's battalion moved down and held open the pass until the Marine column could move southward through it."
Occam's Tool| 12.21.12 @ 12:37PM
The DVD is available for about $18 on Amazon, and there is also a book, "The Last Stand of Fox Company." If I recall, Fox Company earned 3 MOHs.
Drunken Sailor| 12.21.12 @ 9:50AM
Bravo Zulu and Semper Fi, Marines.
Merry Christmas as well.
Hardcard| 12.21.12 @ 10:12AM
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, May God Bless America.
ArmyAviator| 12.21.12 @ 11:01AM
The outcome of the Battle at Chosin was a miracle. Our Marines do some spectacular things when odds are against them. I flew a mission in Iraq to re-supply a Marine unit with ammunition and rations. As I made my approach to the LZ, it was OBVIOUS that the Republican Guard had the advantage, strengthwise and tactically. Yet our Marines fought on and turned the odds against the Iraqis. How? Outstanding LEADERSHIP at every level and a Proud, Professional Attitude. My aircraft was hit and we were forced down. The Marines rescued my crew and protected us for seven hours, until things turned around. I'm a firm believer, that with a US Marine there is "no better friend, and no worse enemy." My army crew learned that during that seven hours and a whole lot more Iraqis learned that lesson as well. Chosin was a hallmark of heroism, but so has been the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The best of the best is feared and hated by the current regime and their minions. Sorry to say, but the Chosin movie will panned and vilified by the LEFT.
Bill8472| 12.21.12 @ 11:04AM
I hope that the Chosin Reservoir movie will give proper acknowledgement to the outstanding leadership of Marine general Oliver P. Smith, who had sufficient presence of mind to see that General MacArthur and General Almond were pursuing aggressive policies that were uninformed and very risky (to say the least) and therefore had his troops build airstrips at the south end of the reservoir so that the wounded could be evacuated and supplies airlifted in, and at the same time build three strongpoints a day's march apart that allowed the Marine and Army forces to withdraw without being routed by the Red Chinese.
I hope the movie compares and contrasts the debacle that the Army forces on the east side of the reservoir suffered because of poor leadership and the much better Marine performance due to good leadership and good planning.
Occam's Tool| 12.21.12 @ 12:44PM
I believe the difference in leadership is studied in military academies these days.
G-d Bless the Marines, and all of our fighting men and women who protect me.
Skippy| 12.21.12 @ 2:19PM
When do we get the film revealing Mark Clark as the most inept US commander since McClellan?
At each opportunity, he screwed up and cost thousands of losses, yet is still revered to some extent.
Total f*ckup.
SUBVET| 12.23.12 @ 10:29AM
Usually that was taken care of by friendly fire....1965
Bill8472| 12.26.12 @ 3:09PM
He was President of the Citadel when I was a cadet there. He was a jerk there, too. All 2,000 of us stifled guffaws one Friday on parade when he attempted to jump in a manly fashion from his jeep and messed it up, landing on his crotch on the metal rim of the rear of the jeep. Oh, the pain. In our ROTC class, one of our military officers, the teacher of the course, showed John Huston's movie The Battle of San Pietro, and said about General Clark and the fight for the Liri Valley on the way to Rome, "If you want to see murder, watch the type of battle the troops were fighting to take San Pietro."
markenoff| 12.21.12 @ 2:11PM
GEN Almond witnessed US Army Engineers under the Command of MG Smith building airstrips all along the 10th Corps route.
" What are the airstrips for?" asked Almond.
"For my wounded." said Smith.
"What wounded?" asked Almond (at that point the Marines were advancing against almost no opposition as the PLA "volunteers" had not yet entered the fight.
Smith just shook his head and turned away.
Another example (Battle of the Bulge being another) when too many people and too many general thought the war would be "over by Christmas". Never underestimate the enemy.
Doctor Right| 12.21.12 @ 11:37AM
I hope the film will feature the amazing story of Marine 1st. Lieutenant Chew En Lee, a Chinese-American platoon commander whose resilience and bravery in the face of extreme danger was exemplary to hundreds of Marines.
Doctor Right| 12.21.12 @ 11:58AM
Here's a great news story about Lt. Lee.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/sto.....id=8013142
In combat, he wore a bright red vest so US attack aircraft could distinguish US troops from the Chinese. Of course, this exposed him directly to enemy fire, but he says he didn't care, it had to be done. Bu doing so, he shielded 8,000 Marines.
There's a movement to get Lt. Lee the MoH; he's 86 years old, and lives in Virginia.
Occam's Tool| 12.21.12 @ 12:43PM
How many Paulbot Cheeseheads are worth one Lt. Lee? Well, as Lee was an almost infinite positive value, and Cheeseheads tend to be Packer fans and are almost immediately summed up as nehgative values by that alone, hard to tell.
Occam's Tool| 12.21.12 @ 12:45PM
"negative".
Stan Redmond| 12.21.12 @ 3:03PM
Unfortunately we don't like to talk about wars where we fought against communism and socialism. I hope those veterans put their thoughts and memories to paper before they are gone.
Alan's Girl| 12.21.12 @ 3:37PM
Any American who does not value the sacrifices & accomplishments of the U S Military cannot fully appreciate the freedoms that they enjoy on a daily basis.
My Father (WWII U S Army 32nd Division, "Red Arrow" 128th Infantry, Company D) fought in the Battle of Buna- one of the worst in WWII Pacific Theater. Typical of his peers, my Father looked at his service as not only duty, but just what had to be done by those willing to do it.
We have forgotten the meaning of the words, "sacrifice", "honor" & "valor".
Quartermaster| 12.21.12 @ 8:17PM
My uncle was a Marine and was killed at Chosin. I have met a number of Marines who were there, as well as the Army. While Marines were the anchor, without the Army doing its part, far fewer would have come out of that mess.
I am compelled to say that MacArthur was uninformed. There was a serious intelligence failure as well as betrayal in Washington, as we now know. Most of MacArthur's plans were being passed to the reds (the reason why most of what he wanted to do had to be approved by DC was because of the red sympathizers in the Truman Administration). Theater intelligence had no positive evidence the Chinese were coming in, but DC did have it and refused to pass it on. As a result, the command in Korea was not prepared for the explosion that was coming. Truman and his minons were directly responsible for the resulting slaughter. Ironically, after Ridgeway took over is when the heaviest casualties began to be taken, and it worsened after Clark took command. Clark was an incompetent, frankly, and Ridgeway was only marginally better. They were simply politically acceptable.
Rhoetus| 12.23.12 @ 3:56PM
Not only did President Truman betray MacArthur and our fighting men in Korea he allowed the Communists to take control of the Chinese mainland. The brutal regime in N. Korea is a testament to Truman's ignorance, stupidity and failure.