The Big Picture: A Day in Korea

111.TV.196 -- In “A Day in Korea,” an early episode of The Big Picture, Captain Carl Zimmermann gives audiences a better idea of what the war was like in Korea, not through diagrams or logistics, but by simulating a typical day in combat for the US soldier. This episode chronologically describes the routine of servicemen, from morning to night. It gives details on how basic necessities were delivered, like food, mail, and coffee, and how nothing, even showers, were taken for granted. Audiences also learn about specific tasks the Army completed frequently, such as locating and eliminating enemy artillery with the help of recording devices, and transporting supplies up a mountain. This episode gives viewers an idea of what thoughts were running through a soldier’s head as he interacted with his peers, waits on the front lines as the day passes into night, and even as he is being taken for medical care after being wounded. The importance of this The Big Picture episode is that it emphasizes the individual. Instead of examining the war from a strategic perspective, this episode makes clear that the most important aspect of war is the soldier, the one who gives up their normal life, and persists in the fight no matter the cost.