S2 E4: The Korean War, with Eddie Izzard

Why is Korea divided between North and South? Who was Kim Jong Un’s grandfather Kim Il Sun, and what did he want? Why did the United Nations intervene in Korea? And did the Korean War really almost go nuclear?

In this episode we were joined by celebrated stand up comedian, writer, actor and activist Eddie Izzard, in a special recording that took place on the ship HMS Belfast. Our experts were IWM Curator Hilary Roberts, veteran Brian Parritt and SOAS Professor Owen Miller.

CELEBRITY GUEST

  • Episode 4 - Eddie Izzard - Korean War

    Eddie is a comedian, activist and performer whose work includes Six Minutes to Midnight and Dress To Kill.

OBJECTS

See some of the IWM collections items featured in this episode.

  • Photomontage of images from Korean War

    Photomontage

    Photomontage of images from the Korean War put together by the United Nations to mark its first armed collective security action.

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  • They Stand Ready - film

    Documentary

    An account of National Servicemen in Korea and elsewhere.

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Conflict of Interest- Series Two

See more from Series Two of Conflict of Interest, a podcast which invites celebrities to ask the simple questions about the world's most complex conflicts, with guests including comedian & activist Eddie Izzard, actor Katherine Parkinson and radio host Cerys Matthews, alongside curators, experts and eyewitnesses.

Listen Here >

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EXPLORE MORE

Two soldiers from the King's Own Scottish Borderers, pass British crosses in the UN Cemetery in Pusan, where a memorial service was held for fallen comrades.
© IWM (MH 31493)
Cold War

Voices of the Korean War

The Korean War lasted from 1950 - 1953. Korea was split into two zones after the end of the Second World War. The country had been occupied by Japan since 1910, and the victorious Allied powers agreed at The Potsdam Conference that Korea should be divided along a circle of latitude - the 38th Parallel.

IWM holds a collection of oral history recordings of those who fought –  hear veterans of the Korean War tell their stories of the conflict. 

A platoon from 1st Battalion The Black Watch pose for the camera before going out on patrol. On the extreme right is 2nd Lieutenant A T Baillie, the Platoon Commander. On the extreme left is Sergeant Atholl Bluck, the Platoon Sergeant.
Cold War

25 Photographs Of The Korean War

Explore photos that show the experiences of some of the men who served in Korea and the conditions in which they lived and fought during the war.

HMS Belfast in Korea thumbnail
Cold War

Korean War and HMS Belfast: The hottest point of the Cold War?

The Korean War broke out on the 25th June 1950 when communist North Korea invaded South Korea. HMS Belfast was soon in action. In her two years of service in Korea, she saw more action than at any point during the Second World War. The Korean War was primarily fought on land, so why did HMS Belfast see such intense action during this period?