The original Thames Television version of this documentary is clearly the best of the Korean War documentaries. It is much more engaging and informative than both "Fire and Ice" and "The Forgotten War." This amazing documentary, "The Unknown War", includes interviews with over 100 participants and eyewitnesses in the war: Many important soldiers, civilians, historians and policy-makers from the USA, UK, Australia, North and South Korea, China, the Soviet Union and Eastern bloc. This documentary follows the chronology of military events, interspersed with important issues and controversies that make the Korean War a fascinating subject. It is composed of 6 one-hour episodes that were initially shown on BBC's Channel 4 on the following dates:
Episode 1: "Many Roads to War" June 18, 1988 Episode 2: "An Arrogant Display of Strength" June 25, 1988 Episode 3: "There is No Substitute for Victory" July 2, 1988 Episode 4: "An Entirely New War" July 9, 1988 Episode 5: "The Battle for Minds" July 16, 1988 Episode 6: "Armed Truce" July 30, 1988
After much revision and editing of its original content by WGBH/Boston, it was shown on PBS in the USA two years later. Thanks to some intense lobbying efforts, it went on the air with no sponsor, just the support of "PBS viewers like you."
The historical consultants felt that both the Thames and WGBH versions were deficient on the significance of NSC 68, considered by some to be the most important American Cold War document. NSC 68 put forth a policy of direct military confrontation, through massive capital outlays to either contain America's enemies, or eliminate them altogether. It laid the basis for the great expansion of the military and military industrial complex in the USA, one that still takes a huge percentage of the US federal budget. The Korean War was the event that inaugurated this policy change.
While the Thames version makes some astounding suggestions about the Truman-MacArthur controversy (probably the most interesting event of the war to American audiences), the WGBH version waters them down. The Thames version suggested that the Truman Administration wanted to attack China with atomic weapons, and that the firing of MacArthur was not just about civilian supremacy (as the Truman people insisted), but also an effort to get a reliable field commander in place had the president decided to implement his plans to nuke China.
The US version did expand the segment on the Incheon landing and extended the segment on African Americans in the US military in Korea. The WGBH version also added more of the South Korean's viewpoints on the war and subtracted from the North Korean's views relative to the Thames version. That neither of the Korean sides honors the complete truth of the war, or both claim exclusive possession of the truth, was not taken into consideration by the people at WGBH.
On the whole, the Thames version is better, but both versions are extremely important additions to the documentary treatment of the Korean War.
Episode 1: "Many Roads to War" June 18, 1988 Episode 2: "An Arrogant Display of Strength" June 25, 1988 Episode 3: "There is No Substitute for Victory" July 2, 1988 Episode 4: "An Entirely New War" July 9, 1988 Episode 5: "The Battle for Minds" July 16, 1988 Episode 6: "Armed Truce" July 30, 1988
After much revision and editing of its original content by WGBH/Boston, it was shown on PBS in the USA two years later. Thanks to some intense lobbying efforts, it went on the air with no sponsor, just the support of "PBS viewers like you."
The historical consultants felt that both the Thames and WGBH versions were deficient on the significance of NSC 68, considered by some to be the most important American Cold War document. NSC 68 put forth a policy of direct military confrontation, through massive capital outlays to either contain America's enemies, or eliminate them altogether. It laid the basis for the great expansion of the military and military industrial complex in the USA, one that still takes a huge percentage of the US federal budget. The Korean War was the event that inaugurated this policy change.
While the Thames version makes some astounding suggestions about the Truman-MacArthur controversy (probably the most interesting event of the war to American audiences), the WGBH version waters them down. The Thames version suggested that the Truman Administration wanted to attack China with atomic weapons, and that the firing of MacArthur was not just about civilian supremacy (as the Truman people insisted), but also an effort to get a reliable field commander in place had the president decided to implement his plans to nuke China.
The US version did expand the segment on the Incheon landing and extended the segment on African Americans in the US military in Korea. The WGBH version also added more of the South Korean's viewpoints on the war and subtracted from the North Korean's views relative to the Thames version. That neither of the Korean sides honors the complete truth of the war, or both claim exclusive possession of the truth, was not taken into consideration by the people at WGBH.
On the whole, the Thames version is better, but both versions are extremely important additions to the documentary treatment of the Korean War.
