INTERVIEW: The Soldier the U.S. Tried to Forget

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