The U.S. Marines had a soldier who fought with Chinese communists before WWII — and then created America’s first Special Forces.
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, Stephen Platt uncovers the forgotten story of Evans Carlson, the man who defied military tradition, clashed with generals, and built the Marine Raiders. His ideas shaped modern warfare, but the military wanted him erased.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
00:49 – Meet historian Stephen Platt
01:27 – Who was Evans Carlson?
03:00 – Early life & influences
04:58 – Fighting with Chinese communists
13:21 – Founding the Marine Raiders
14:55 – Why his tactics caused friction
21:22 – What happened after the war
28:24 – Final thoughts & book info
#WWII #MarineRaiders #SpecialForces #MilitarySecrets #WhyWarsHappened
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