Charlie: What do you think Soldiers thought of their leadership at this point in the war? Why?

It seems the Soldiers’ and Marines’ thoughts of leadership would have wavered greatly throughout section 5.  From November, 1950 through February of 1951, the Soldiers and Marines experienced the heights of believing the war is almost over to traveling through negative 24 degree temperatures and withdrawing back behind the 38th parallel.

In November of 1950 the 7th Marines fought in the valleys of Yudam-ni, Hagaru, and Kot’o-ri.  The Marines thought the war was almost over, however, the will to fight was lessening.  With faltering old equipment from world war II and the 18 inch deep frozen ground, Marines were finding their will to fight from the Officers.  The Marines were now 50 percent filled with reservists and very few of them were ready for the fight that was ahead.  These Marines found their motivation from leaders like Lieutenant Yancey who fought through multiple battle wounds and temporary blindness.  Any Marine or Soldier would follow that leader into battle, but this is one of the positive instances whereas there are many which are negative.

These Marines and Soldiers were losing men left and right.  I believe this is a lot like the story of Easy Company 1/505th in Bastogne.  Replacements were coming in who had no battle experience.  Looking at leaders who just held civilian positions and had little to no reasoning as to why they were where they were would make it difficult to find confidence in them.  I feel as if the Soldiers and Marines felt their leadership was failing them after watching so many men die while charging north only to withdraw back south.

There was an instance where artillerymen were asked to fulfill infantrymen positions, however, they would run away at the sound or sight of the enemy.  It did not matter who was leading them, because these men felt as if the rifleman position was outside of their military occupation specialty, so they felt that no one had the right to tell them to go fight as such.

This section ends around 15 February 1951 when “the CCF suffered its first tactical defeat at American hands.”  Morale would have to be lifted, however, I do not believe it would be able to overcome the failures that had been seen prior.  My opinion is that the Soldiers and Marines would feel as if they were only there to plug holes and sacrifice their bodies for more time.  Soldiers and Marines would feel as if they were expendable and had to face the reality that they would die no matter who was leading them.