Korea And The World

The Korean War is commonly remembered as fought by the North and South Korean armies, as well as American and Chinese troops. Little memory remains of the bravery and sacrifice of British soldiers in the Korean theater, despite a human cost which far exceeded that of all others wars fought by Britain since the Second World War. Upon the attack on South Korea in the summer of 1950, British troops stationed in Hong Kong were hastily sent to support their American allies and defend what little territory remained under Southern control. These men, who formed the 27th Infantry Brigade and 41 Commando, knew little if anything about Korea prior to their deployment, yet they undertook some of the war’s most critical missions. Our guest for this episode, author and journalist Andrew Salmon, wrote two books documenting the deployment of British forces during the war. Scorched Earth, Black Snow covers the 27th Brigade and 41 Commando in the second half of 1950, from hasty preparations in Hong Kong to desperate battles i