What sebastian junger and restrepo wont tell you about. Sebastian junger on korengal the documentary filmmaker revisits the world of his oscarnominated movie restrepo for a look at the soldiers p. Return to afghan combat outpost leads to unexpected. Hell is the korengal shows one very bad day in the lives of the soldiers of a2 in 2006 in the infamous korengal valley. Forces leave afghanistans korengal valley five years after entering what would be one of the bloodiest battlegrounds in afghanistan, u. The korangal valley or korengal valley, or garangal valley in northeastern afghanistan is located south of the pech river in the pech district of kunar province. Sebastian jungers korengal is a kind of sequel to 2010s restrepo, but also stands on its own as an intense and. What is courage korengal breaks down war in afghanistan.
The attack was the bloodiest battle for us forces since the battle of wanat in july 2008, which occurred 20 miles 32 km away from. Sebastian junger spent 5 months in the korengal valley of afghanistan, 25 miles from pakistan border. The author visited afghanistans korengal valley five times in 2007. Sebastian junger is the author of,the perfect storm and this book war. Sebastian junger on war and restrepo in afghanistan.
Into the valley of death a strategic passage wanted by the taliban and alqaeda, afghanistans korengal valley is among the deadliest pieces of terrain in. Korengal valley road afghanistan war series book 11. Most soldiers are decorated with tattoos, and one of the soldiers has seven set up a tattoo parlour in his barrack. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the u. The soldiers from the hhc have to be in a constant state of readiness to combat the tactics of the alqaeda terrorists. The korengal outpost kop was considered one of the most dangerous postings in afghanistan, and the last stretch of road to it the most illfraught miles in the country as well. War, sebastian jungers account of one american platoons experience fighting in a remote outpost in the korengal valley in afghanistan, is intended to give readers an idea of what war is really like for the soldiers on the front lines. Interesting watching his personal progression from from young soldier through grizzled veteran to competent junior leader, but the focus is really on the smallscale individual, squad, and company level actions. Bonded to deadly afghan valleycapturing the war that many forgot.
May 29, 2014 director and writer sebastian junger took audiences into a combat zone with u. In 200708 he collaborated with fellow correspondent tim hetherington in a series of visits to an american platoon manning a remote outpost in afghanistans korengal valley and interviews with the men after their tour there was over. This academy awardnominated featurelength documentary chronicles the deployment of a platoon of u. Restrepo is a 2010 american documentary film about the afghanistan war, directed by. Kunar province, eastern afghanistan, valley korengal. War by sebastian junger meet your next favorite book. Unintended star of restrepo returns to afghanistan stripes. The place is the outpost of resprepo at the top of the mountain. According to korengals press kit, the documentary picks up where restrepo left off. The remote korengal valley has been the scene of some the most intense fighting in the afghanistan war. War documentary korengal explores consequences of combat.
With powerful individual vision, magnum photographers chronicle the world and interpret its peoples, events, issues and personalities. This is war, full stop, reads website prose above their directors statement about the film. The campaign ended with a us withdrawal from the valley, after suffering heavy casualties, and a taliban takeover of the area. Hetherington was joined by writer sebastian junger, spending oneyear capturing images. Nobody thinks about foreign policy in restrepo, a documentary shot during the 15 months an american company fought there under almost daily fire. His oscarnominated documentary restrepo, won the 2010 grand jury prize at the sundance film festival.
In the new documentary korengal, journalist and director sebastian junger again takes viewers into afghanistans korengal valley once considered one of. Forces leave afghanistan s korengal valley five years after entering what would be one of the bloodiest battlegrounds in afghanistan, u. The film consists of closeup interviews with soldiers in a platoon stationed at outpost restrepo, during and after their deployment. Restrepo by tim hetherington, sebastian junger tim. Soto had received the package when a helicopter brought mail to the korengal outpost in 2008. Jordan carter soldiers from the afghanistan national army ana gather for a quick photo on february 16, 2008, outside the korungal outpost, afghanistan. The korangal valley campaign was a series of military operations conducted by isaf forces against taliban insurgents in the korangal valley in kunar province, afghanistan, from october 2004 to april 2010. The battle of kamdesh took place during the war in afghanistan 2001present.
Korengal valley road afghanistan war series book 11 kindle edition by james f. Read an excerpt of sebastian jungers war meet the press nbc. Often overshadowed by events in the neighboring korengal valley. Asmar, afghanistan sebastian jungers bestselling book war reconstructs in visceral detail a day in 2007 when taliban insurgents ambushed a u. Soldiers of the 173rd arrive at a remote afghan outpost and are targeted from day one by the taliban. Afghanistans korengal valley photos the big picture. Korengal valley road afghanistan war series book 11 kindle edition by christ, james f download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Abc news jake tappers new book delves into infamous 2009 taliban attack. Its just that tim hetherington and sebastian junger had too much respect for the soldiers dignity to include the footage in the final film. Yet the new film a flawed but intriguing companion piece to the 2011 oscar nominated. Afghanistan is a word on the news, debated in terms of our foreign policy. Along with hetherington, junger, who has also recently experienced great success with his companion book war, shot about 150 hours of footage in the korengal valley in 2007 and 2008 during a combined 10 trips to the country. Specialist misha pemblebelkin left and an unidentified soldier of second platoon, battle company, 173rd u. Restrepo is a featurelength documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of u. Maybe it is because i havent seen restrepo yet, but this documentary just doesnt work for me. Jun 20, 2010 the documentary restrepo is an unsparing, upclose look at the life of a group of soldiers in the deadly korangal valley of afghanistan. An eyewitness view of a combat platoon fighting in afghanistan.
Jun 26, 2014 second platoon soldiers on patrol in korengal valley, afghanistan. From constant patrols and engagements against a rarelyseen enemy, we experience the frustration and anger of our soldiers. In the spring of 2007, i began a yearlong project of following one platoon of american soldiersabout 35 menat a remote outpost in the korengal valley, the eastern part of the country. To the east is asadabad, capital of kunar province, to the west is the chapa dara district, and to the south is the chawkay district diwagal valley. Korengal outpost valley of death afghanistan carlow. It is based on jungers experiences as an embedded reporter, and it has all the advantages. Winner of the grand jury prize for documentary at sundance film festival 2010, restrepo chronicles the development of a platoon of u. It is the sequel to restrepo, which was nominated for a best documentary oscar in 2011. Two years later, in the korengal valley in afghanistan, soto and the soldiers of second platoon, bravo company, had their hands full.
Told by the korenaglis that they were not wanted, the platoon turned back for the kop korengal outpost but was immediately ambush. Since march 2010, there are not isaf tropps anymore, just talibans. Airborne at outpost restrepo, korengal valley, afghanistan, in the documentary. Sebastian jungers 2010 book war, and the subsequent film restrepo, document his experiences while embedded with battle company, 2nd battalion, 503rd infantry, 173rd airborne brigade combat team manning the small outpost restrepo, named for fallen medic juan sebastian restrepo, in the korangal valley. Korangal outpost was the third area of eastern afghanistan where combat outposts closed. But the hardships do not lead to gloom and sadness. Raw and unapologetic, to quell the korengal is a firsthand account of life on the front lines.
Jan 09, 2016 to quell the korengal is sure to be a classic. The goal of the deployment was to clear the korengal valley of insurgency and gain the trust of. In 2007 and 2008 two posts and a smaller satellite base were closed in. Korengal is a 2014 documentary that picks up where the film restrepo left off, taking the viewer deeper into soldiers experiences of war in the korengal valley of afghanistan. Afghanistan war movie restrepo military dvd australia. Infidel is an intimate portrait of a small battalion of us soldiers posted to an outpost in the korengal valley, an area considered to be one of the most dangerous afghan postings during america and its allies war against the taliban. Battle company, the best within the brigade, was assigned the toughest area of operations. Its tape had been torn open, but its contents remained undisturbed a paperback book giftwrapped. They were in the korangal valley, described on cnn as the most dangerous place in the world. During their 15month tour, battle company saw more combat than any unit since vietnam. Hetheringtons photographs prove surprisingly tender arguably.
Jones practices his golf swing while at the main kop firebase in the valley. Apr 16, 2012 kunar province, eastern afghanistan, valley korengal. His debut book, the perfect storm, chronicles the deaths of a crew of gloucester, mass. Afghan elders of the korengal valley arrive for a meeting with u. From constant patrols and engagements against a rarely.
Us troops have pulled out as part general mcchrystals counterinsurgency strategy. Jul 14, 2017 in the spring of 2007, i began a yearlong project of following one platoon of american soldiersabout 35 menat a remote outpost in the korengal valley, the eastern part of the country. The documentary korengal revisits the same troops from 2011s restrepo who have bonded in war. Sebastian junger on his new war documentary korengal. The area is extremely isolated, rugged and mountainous terrain. Soldiers from second platoon hang out at the restrepo outpost. The ill fated american military base was in a remote afghan valley. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading korengal valley road afghanistan war series book 11. Hell is the korengal afghanistan war series by james f.
Jul 31, 2011 asmar, afghanistan sebastian jungers bestselling book war reconstructs in visceral detail a day in 2007 when taliban insurgents ambushed a u. Written by a grunt on the ground, it is rife with gun fights, grueling foot patrols, a villainous company commander, the austere routines of the american soldier, and the kind of humor only found in war. Since march 2010, there are not isaf tropps anymore, just talibans the. Dec 03, 2007 a strategic passage wanted by the taliban and alqaeda, afghanistans korengal valley is among the deadliest pieces of terrain in the world for u. On october 2, 2006, the third platoon a2 10th mountain divi. The fighters sees iraq, afghanistan wars through eyes of. Director and writer sebastian junger took audiences into a combat zone with u. Soldiers in korengal valley, afghanistan 2008 2010. Most nato units faced opposition from multiple factions in their regions, but the korengal valley was a high priority for both the jamaat al dawa al quran, or jdq, and al qaeda. In a new book, the cnn anchor tells the story of combat outpost keating. May 31, 2014 in the new documentary korengal, journalist and director sebastian junger again takes viewers into afghanistans korengal valley once considered one of the militarys most dangerous postings.
The movie focuses on a remote 15man outpost, restrepo, named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. Its tape had been torn open, but its contents remained undisturbed a. With lamonta caldwell, miguel cortez, stephen gillespie, aron hijar. Fighting with the afghan national army in the korengal valley this is excerpted, with the permission of the author, from to quell the korengal. That resulted in their film restrepo 2010 and jungers book war, published in the same year. Apr 15, 2010 the remote korengal valley has been the scene of some the most intense fighting in the afghanistan war.
With the 2010 film restrepo, war documentarians sebastian junger and the late tim hetherington brought a searing immediacy to the afghanistan conflict. Afghanistan war movie documentary not many afghanistan war movies around yet, but this is a real movie about one base outpost in the korengal valley afghanistan named in memory of pfc juan restrepo who was killed in action. Aug 08, 2018 soto had received the package when a helicopter brought mail to the korengal outpost in 2008. Picking up where restrepo left off, korengal follows the men of battle company 2503 during and after their service in the korengal valley from 200708. Junger wrote about the experiences of these soldiers in a book that he. In the south east there is narang wa badil district badeil valley, and in the. An afghan elder from the korengal valley speaks during a meeting with u.
This book was the result of five trips to the korengal valley in eastern afghanistan that i took between june 2007 and june 2008 for vanity fair. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or. Magnum photos is a photographic cooperative of great diversity and distinction owned by its photographer members. What sebastian junger and restrepo wont tell you about war. Soldiers spend about 2 weeks at the restrepo outpost before coming back to the main kop base where they can get a hot shower and call their family. After hundreds of billions of dollars spent in afghanistan and more than 2,300 american lives lost, the taliban are weakened but. The korengal valley is a visceral symbol in the yearold war.
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