Product Description
The Korean War began with a well-planned, nearly faultlessly executed invasion of South Korea by North Korean troops. Only the introduction of U.S. Army forces saved the South from destruction. This much is well-known. But what remains hidden about this “Forgotten War”?

Stanley Sandler’s reassessment of the conflict draws on newly released documents from Russian and Chinese state archives. He deals with the history of the Korean peninsula before the war, including the Japanese, American, and Soviet occupations and the arbitrary division between North and South.

The book deals extensively with the course of the fighting while relating military events to relevant diplomatic and social developments. Sandler gives special attention to technology and weaponry, the ground, air, and naval battles, and the United Nations contributions to the war. He also addresses psychological warfare and the prisoner of war camps. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Meticulous,Scholar oriented Wonderful Researches--Especially emphasized on historic background & Compairing US vs ROK Troops!
From 1991,"Reformed"Communinist,1st President
of Soviet Union,Mikail Gorovachev,Temperature of
"Cold War"began to decreased with President Reagan.
1992, after "coup",Boris Yelstin, 1st President of
Soviet Federation,many relatively light secret informations and
Archieves opened to public.From these,We coul'd see N.Korean
Kim Il Sung Requested Russian Miltary Aid for Victory over S.korea.
follwing suggesion of Stalin to Chinese Mao Tse-tung for Chinese
involvment to Korean War. Finally Mao get Air Support on Chinese
intervention from Stalin. Following thesse Political Promises,Ghosty,
sillent infiltration and encirclement and pincers of UN Foeces were
going on. On First offense of Chinese Troops divided 8th Army and
10th Corps. on 25,Oct,1950,Destroyed ROK(1st,6th and 8th Div)2nd Corps
On Nov,1950,on 2nd Chinese offensive on US 2nd Div.made pincers at
Kunuri,immediate disintegration with "Indian's Gauntlet".All of toops
escaped each ather,leaving all the vehicles includimg Tanks and equipments.only 20% of total US 2nd Div.troops made it back safely.
unexpected full scaled retreat of 8th Army to the 38 Pararelle was
unreasonable. on the atherside, main potential of US 1st Marine Div.,
10th Corps,Fighting-Back retreat from Ydam-ni to Heungnam success made
associated US 7th and 3rd DIV.Evacuations.
US Soldiers learn faster but potential power of ROK Soldiers are better !
All involved Chinese Troops were 27 Divisions.
From 1,Nov,1950,New,Swept-winged,faster,heavier Armamented Russian
Piloted MiG-15's Active Attacks made removal of obsoluted, straight-winged slow F-80C,F-84E/G,F9F,and Metere F.8s. American advanced new,
swepded-wing F-86A/E/F Saber Fighter became superior than MiG-15 mainly
fighting in their SANCTUARY "MiG ALLEY"
Following untolerable Armistice Talk, on 27,July,1953, Armistice started.!


with






of

A very good survey book on the Korean War
Stanley Sandler provides the reader with an in-depth look at a very broad range of topics on the Korean War in his work "The Korean War: No Victors, No Vanquished."Sandler covers some new topics I had not seen before, but for what he offers in breadth, he sacrificed the depth of coverage.For a 270-page book, it was a very effective trade-off.

Sandler offers insight into the modern history of Korea through the end of World War II, and the series of strategic miscalculations that led to Kim Il Sung's invasion of South Korea.The discussion of the ebb and flow of battle was at the Corps level, with Sandler making examples of units of interest.There are far too many to mention, but two of these examples are the US Marines `attack in a different direction' to leave the Chosin Reservoir, and one of the allied contributions, "The Immortal Glousters", whose exploits are highlighted in the outstanding book "The Edge of the Sword", by Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley.

From an airpower perspective, his brief discussions on the USAF are both accurate, but not all encompassing.Sandler mentioned that USAF budgetary position, pursued the acquisition of a strategic nuclear bomber force (i.e. the B-36) at the sacrifice of the some of the fighter skills learned during World War II.Once the first MiGs were deployed to Korea, Sandler briefly mentions the deployment of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing and the latter approval to send 75 more F-86 Sabres.What Sandler omitted from this discussion on Airpower was the overall worldwide strategic context at the time.The USA was still convinced Korea was a feint to draw American forces into Korea, leaving Western Europe without a major contributor to repel a Soviet invasion of Western Europe.With this mindset in place, the USAF was reserving the "front line" F-86 aircraft for service in Germany, not Korea.He mentions this strategy elsewhere, but he failed to include this analysis in his discussion on the aviation contributions.

Sandler does provide a very comprehensive discussion on all the contributions of all the United Nations who deployed forces to Korea.He also provides insight into many other sociological issues such as racial integration of American forces, and the situation on the homefront.Sandler also discusses some of the technological innovations (helicopter, medical facilities) that took place during the war.

It is by no means a comprehensive book, but overall it is a very good survey book providing the reader with a very broad introduction to the Korean War.

The Korean War, No Victors, No Vanquished
Jesús Torres
Professor Woolley
War, Peace and Arms
12/8/04

The Korean War: No Victors, No Vanquished

Reaching back into the memories of childhood, and inevitably sifting through the archival collections in my ever-expanding filing cabinet of a brain, I can honestly say that I draw a blank when thinking about the Korean War.Ask me about any other war in American history, and I can undoubtedly recall what the issues were and what actually happened.Not Korea.In fact, I cannot recall any time, at any point in any of the years of elementary school up having studied the Korean War in any depth.That is, the brief overviews of the Korean War only offered that there was a dispute over borders, and not much more.
The Korean War, for whatever reason, has been dubbed such names as the "Unknown War," or the "Forgotten War," and seems to go down in history as something that shouldn't be discussed.Maybe this is because American forces suffered humiliating losses on and off the battlefield, and failed to win decisively, instead settling for an armistice peace treaty that left no victors.However, this armistice proved to show that the United States was not invincible, and seemed to put its ignorance in check.Or, maybe the Korean War failed to reach the esteem of other wars, such as World War II or the Vietnam War, because there were no heroic figures such as MacArthur, there were no battles of Iwo Jima, and there were no major controversies such as Vietnam.All these seem to be plausible theories on why the Korean War has remained such a mystery to most Americans.Rather than being studied in great detail, such as wars like World War II and the Vietnam War, the Korean War has been shuffled to the side, and has remained, even in classrooms, a hushed issue.
That is why Stanley Sandler, in The Korean War, No Victors, No Vanquished, has, in my opinion, done such a good job in bringing to the public a work that examines the Korean War from all aspects and all viewpoints.Sandler brings to light the relevance and enormity of this war that went far beyond a simple border dispute between North Korea and South Korea.The implications of this war reached far beyond what any course throughout my career has taught me.Sandler, in his book, is largely responsible for this.
Sandler methodically and analytically works through the book from the beginning of Korea's history until the end of the war.Opening up the book, he starts off with an account of the causes of the war, and the implications behind it as well.He examines the advantages to all parties concerned about entering the war, and explained that the United States did not actually want to engage in a war with North Korea.Along with other Western powers, the United States couldn't be bothered with Korea, and didn't have much interest in waging war with Kim Il Sung.However, with the Cold War in full swing, the threat of Soviet domination was reason enough to go to war.
Sandler acknowledges the fact that the Korean War had not reached the esteem of other wars, yet seems convinced, and with solid evidence, that this third costliest war should be ranked much higher than it has been.The Korean War, he argues, would have never even begun had the Cold War not been such a terrible threat to the American people.The extreme fear that the American people lived with back then was more than ample enough to justify a war with an enemy that most could not even point out on a map.
With the causes and implications behind the justification for the war out of the way, Sandler than goes on to examine the actual history of the war, and everything that goes on in war.From pre-diplomatic discussions to all the actors involved in the war, including the Chinese, Japanese and Soviets, Sandler does a thorough and complete examination of the Korean War.
While offering a general overview of the history and background of the Korean War, Sandler than gets more specific and detail-oriented in breaking down into subcategories the various elements of the war itself.He examines the major offensives and retreats that marked significant and proved to be of vital importance.While some may see this book as biased towards Americans and their doings in Korea, it is necessary to look beyond that and realize that what he is writing about is factual information.
Although the factual information does not make a book noteworthy or necessarily important, what does make it noteworthy is the fact that Sandler wrote this book and offered various different perspectives other than the traditional American viewpoint.While he did discuss America's roles, beliefs and ideologies in the war, he also touched upon the ideologies of other groups as well.
This, in my opinion, is the strongest point of the book.Different chapters are designated to the role in which each actor played a part in.For example, Sandler discusses in length the involvement of the Chinese and how they affected not only the outcome of the war, but how that affected the international political system as well.He shows the enormous effect that they had on the way war was waged after their involvement and how they were such a pivotal force in the Korean War.Additionally, along with the US perspective, he examines the role the United Nations, along with member states, played in this highly involved war.While discussing their involvement in the war, and the significant effect they had on the ability to sustain the war with North Korea, Sandler also discusses their ultimate short-comings and attributes the outcome of the war somewhat to the UN.This, to me, is very important in providing a detailed and thorough sketch of a war that most people know little about.
That point raises one issue of criticism on behalf of this book.For all its good qualities, the book, in my opinion, is somewhat long-winded and wordy.That is, it seems difficult for me to imagine this book capturing an audience and making them want to continue reading.While it is of high historical value, the complexity and detailed nature of this book would seem to be a turnoff from those who are not being forced to read it.Rather than concentrating so much on detailed accounts and factual data and statistics, a more illustrative and animated book would, in my opinion, make it a much appealing and interesting book.
While the book may tend to be dry at times, and lengthy in point, the fact remains that nevertheless, this book is crucial in shedding light on a subject that has been forgotten by so many.While people of all ages are readily familiar with other wars such as the Vietnam War, it is crucial for more writers to designate an appropriate chapter in history to bringing into perspective a war that meant so much to the history of its peoples.Like stated above, this war had enormous implications, with the Cold War raging, yet didn't have the magnificent dimensions of heroism and scandal that accompanied so many other wars.That, however, is not justification for abandoning a crucial and significant chunk of American history.This book, overall, does a fantastic job of re-examining the Korean War.

A good, well-rounded introduction to the Korean War
Stanley Sandler writes a concise and seemingly standard history of the Korean War.This is a well-rounded account, including perspectives on the political issues, negotiations, and reactions on the home fronts.Of course, full accounts of the progressive military campaigns fill out the rest of the book.Sandler does a good job of encapsulating this in 270 pages.He is at times supportive and at times critical of the U.S. and U.N. effort in Korea.The same can be said of the personalities involved on all sides, except for both Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee who were determined to pursue the war to disasterous ends.

But, like the conflict itself, this book is not inspiring.Not that the author or his writing lack inspiration.The book does what it sets out to do.It provides a detailed account of the contentious and uncertain time.Yet, Sandler didn't seem to offer much new information in his text besides some perspective on Stalin's motivations from now-available Soviet documents.But, this was relatively minor.The opening of records in P'yongyang one day will provide much new information.In the mean time, Stanly Sandler's offering is a good place to start.And the impressive bibliography points to many good sources for future reference. ... Read more

Product Description
Destroyers were the workhorses of the U.S. Fleet during the Korean War. This is the story of their experiences told by an enlisted man from the USS John A. Bole. Writing as a young sailor with the banter, sea stories, and bawdy language typical of the era, James Alexander presents an accurate and revealing view of the war through a seaman's eye while giving the reader a useful overall perspective of the war. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

KOREA UNVEILED.
To a Coastie of the 90's this brought the "Forgotten War" of the sailor of the 50's to life.I enjoyed how it gave a little personnel insight to Mr. Alexander's life aboard the destroyer and also his personnel love letter's to his future wife.Then it gave a little Navy operations overview and finally an overview of the armed forces (i.e. Army and Marine) in the Korean War.I didn't realize that the destroyermen and those who manned the sweepers paid for their service in blood.I would have enjoyed more personnel stories from the sailors, but over all I enjoyed this story and have a new found respect for all Korean War veterans.I salute you all and thank you for your service and sacrifices for mine and my children.Thank you.

KOREA UNVEILED.
To a Coastie of the 90's this brought the "Forgotten War" of the sailor of the 50's to life.I enjoyed how it gave a little personnel insight to Mr. Alexander's life aboard the destroyer and also his personnel love letter's to his future wife.Then it gave a little Navy operations overview and finally an overview of the armed forces (i.e. Army and Marine) in the Korean War.I didn't realize that the destroyermen and those who manned the sweepers paid for their service in blood.I would have enjoyed more personnel stories from the sailors, but over all I enjoyed this story and have a new found respect for all Korean War veterans.I salute you all and thank you for your service and sacrifices for mine and my children.Thank you.

Brings back a lot memories to a tin can sailor in the KW
Very good description of life on a tin can during Korea.I was a radarman petty officer on the USS Eversole (DD789). Some flaws:I saw no "posh hotels" in Yokosuka; in fact, nothing posh in Japan at that time.Misspelled the Keyes from Desdiv 31.Accurate description of a tin can in a typhoon except I believe the descriptions of rolls in the high 50-degrees and up to 70 degrees exceed the design limits of a top-heavy Sumner.The worst I ever experienced was 47-degrees and we almost didn't come out of it.The "incident" that MacArthur was apparently trying to create off Swatow begs for verification.Have never read of the incident in any history of the war, including a book on the covert/intelligence side.Without giving a source for the information, the author is asking a lot of the reader.But I highly recommend the book for any tin can sailor in the Korean War. ... Read more

Product Description
This reference work is the definitive chronology of the Korean War. It covers in-depth the day-by-day events, major and minor, of all combatants, including the United States, Great Britain, South Korea and other U.N. allies; North Korea; China; and the Soviet Union. Truly comprehensive, it details the war in the air, at sea and on land, with the actions of participating units, commanders and civilian leaders. Sixteen appendices provide significant statistics and supplemental information, including Medal of Honor recipients, U.S. naval vessels, units and commanders of each American military branch, carrier deployments, casualty figures andaces. There are 464photographs accompanying the text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Awesome, the most comprehensive chronology of the Korean War.
This study begins with a brief summary of post WWII history that will lead to the Korean conflict. Much space is given to the machinations of Stalin in his attempts to gain control of Europe and the Far East as well as helping Communist China gain stability. Its also shown that Stalin provokes the US every chance possible. The author shows how South Korea was ill prepared to go to war and how the US was blind to the major signals that an invasion was coming.
This 3 volume set covers the entire war and has 1088 pages. I have other almanacs but they can't compare. The daily entries include military and political involvement on the peninsula and around the world. Stalin, Mao and Truman play an important part. The entries are very specific and comprehensive about battle action and planning. It covers what a good job General Ridgeway did. MacArthur's influence is of course included. Clark's brief involvement is also included. The Chinese counter offensive is also well done. With nearly a thousand pages devoted to the Chronology of this short but brutal war, you can surmise the coverage is very comprehensive. The author provides excellent ground coverage, drilling down to regiment, battalion and even company level when discussing the engagements.

In addition to the narrative, there are 458 really good photos that help convey what the war was like on the ground and in the air.
There are also 29 maps; 24 of which are small scale maps that show topography, troop disposition and axis of advance of some of the key engagements of the war.

The first volume covers the first three months of the war while the second volume consumes the next year. The final volume finishes the war. It also has an impressive appendix that includes an Order of Battle, Major Combat Events, Medal of Honor recipients, Air Force Commanders, Naval Vessels and so much more. It also has a user friendly 63 page index. A good bibliography is included if further reading is desired.

Mr Hanning has done a terrific job of creating the Chronology, based on US and Allied documents and secondary sources, assembling a nice photo collection and finishing up with an excellent Appendix that would be further assistance to researchers. I find good chronologies like this one so intriguing, informative and worth the investment. If you're interested in the Korean War or just like chronologies, give this one a consideration. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a compilation of Cape Verdean-Americans from the New Bedford, Massachusetts area who were Korean War veterans. ... Read more

Product Description
This poignant and nostalgic book highlights the Korean War-era service and sacrifice of the people of Rutherford County, North Carolina.Many Rutherford County residents contributed to the war effort both overseas and on the home front; this book ensures that posterity will remember their legacy and extraordinary efforts.

Featuring over two hundred vintage photographs from the era, Rutherford County in the Korean War provides a glimpse into the lives of an outstanding group of Americans who bravely gave of themselves during a trying time in our country’s history.When the United States called upon its citizens to mobilize against a common enemy, the men and women of Rutherford County truly rose to meet the challenge.

From the details of daily life at home and in foreign lands to dramatic accounts of fighting at the front, this book offers an intimate and revealing portrait of the strength of a community and the character of its people. Anita Price Davis and James M. Walker create a fascinating window into the history of an American county and its people and set the county’s contribution to the Korean War effort in the context of local, national and international affairs. ... Read more

Product Description
Should be Soldiers is set during the chaotic and pivotal first five months of the Korean War of 1950-53, America's "Forgotten War." It is a unique non-fictional work based on the author's experiences and observations while serving as a medical officer in the medical aid station of an army combat infantry battalion. While primarily about combat medicine, the book is also about the American soldiers who fought and died. Many of them little more than teenagers, they resented having to fight a war for a cause they could not appreciate in what they perceived as a far-off backward and alien Asian land. Motivation and morale suffered, but brutal combat against savagely attacking communist North Koreans hardened them. Shortly after finally reclaiming South Korea, the American forces, now supported by allies under the United Nations, were sent north by ill-advised commanders to invade North Korea, despite on coming near-arctic winter and threats of reactive Chinese intervention. When they did intervene with massive force, the author's battalion was soon fighting desperately in sub-zero weather as they tried to retreat to escape encirclement and annihilation. The battle became one of the worst defeats ever suffered by American arms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

"Should Be Soldiers" A Great Read
As an infantry officer who served during the Korean War, I was delighted by John Benton's terrific book, "Should Be Soldiers."Benton, a captain with the Army's 2nd Infantry Division during some of the hottest fighting in that war, shows us a seldom explored side of combat -- what happens to the soldier when his luck runs out and he ends up WIA.Most frontline soldiers don't dwell on it, yet the possibility of wounds or death are part of the daily grind.In Dr. Benton's gutsy, knowledgeable account of his days as a combat medic we get a real, in-depth and unflinching picture of what happens when the enemy takes us apart and it falls to our medics to put us together again, often under fire, under stress and under conditions that few civilian doctors can even imagine.This is a book that looks at combat from a point of view few of us have ever considered: the story of soldiers who save lives rather than take them, but who must often put their own lives on the line to get the job done.That said, Benton's book also examines a unique factor: what happens when a doctor must set his healing tools aside and take command as a combat leader.The account of the Chinese suddenly entering the war and the retreat of the U.S. forces from North Korea makes some of the most exciting reading imaginable.And Benton's in the middle of it.

I give "Should Be Soldiers" 5 well-deserved stars.

Reviewed by William Douglas Lansford ... Read more

Product Description

The Korean War represented a series of firsts for Canadian soldiers - their first military action under UN auspices, their first under U.S. corps and army command, their first in Asia as ground troops, and their first in which people at home initially ignored their efforts, and then forgot about them.David Bercuson evokes the tastes and smells, the frustrations, the unfamiliar terrain, the international complexities, and the heroism that made the Korean War an unforgettable experience for those who fought there.

Caught by surprise with only a phantom army, the Canadian government in the summer of 1950 was forced by its major allies to promise a ground combat contribution to the UN effort to push back the Communist invasion of South Korea from the north.The Canadian Army Special Force, as the Korean contingent was first called, was hurriedly raised, trained, and sent to Korea, ill-prepared for a mountain war against a determined, well-armed enemy.Canadian soldiers fought bravely, often against impossible odds, to carry out their mission, but they were hindered by several factors -cautious UN Command strategy, poor British and Canadian defence doctrine, uneven leadership, andinadequate equipment and training. They did their duty, and more, in stopping Communist aggression in its tracks, but the Canadian army chose not to remember the lessons of Korea, even though that conflict, as a limited war, set the pattern for virtually all those that followed.

Blood onthe Hills is the first full, non-official history of the Canadian army's operations in the Korean War.The book covers the period from the start of that war to the cease-fire in July 1953 and describes and analyses the mobilization of the Canadian contingent, its training, manning, and equipment, and its efforts in combat.David Bercuson focuses on the many consequences of the army's unreadiness for combat in Korea and on the army's lack of success in learning lessons from its experience in an active theatre of war.

Customer Reviews (2)

Dr. Bercuson Needs A Proofreader
Once again, Dr. Bercuson has rushed another book into print, leaving readers to wonder whether his inability to get the small details correct should affect their ability to take him seriously on the larger issues.

His colloquial style is a little jarring and seems put on, as if he is consciously trying to talk to the largest audience, eschweing his "intellectual" status.Perhaps he thinks that using soldier's slang will fool his readers into thinking his background was with the military (I am under the impression he is a labour historian, not a soldier).The whole text reads as if he didn't bother to proof it - clumsy mistakes, typos, and repetitive or silly phrases what usually get cut out on third or fourth reading.

Bercuson seems to make a habit out of getting the small details wrong - in The Valour and the Horror Revisited he didn't know the difference between a DSO and a DCM, in Battalion of Heroes he miscaptioned at least two photos (The StuH IV and the returning RCA unit), and in this volume he talks about a "Mark IV" rifle (perhaps he means No. 4 Mk 1)?

Bercuson ADMITS that he has not done all the research required when he tells us that no one has compared incidence of criminal behaviour in Korea with those in WW II.He tells that until that is done, "no one can conclude that Canadian soldiers in Korea were more, or less, inclined to break laws..." (p. 176)So why didn't Bercuson do it?

And like Battalion of Heroes, there are no useful appendices, no lists of casualties (incidentally the one in Battalion of Heroes is very unreliable - I have updated the entire list independently and there were many errors), no list of decorations, significant dates, personalities, etc.Only two monochrome maps show Canadian locations/movements in Korea.

In conclusion, a rushed job which does benefit from good primary research.One has to wonder though, if his conclusions, whether on the life of a soldier or the grand strategy, can be accurate given his poor grasp of details.

Comprehensive within its limits, fairly dry prose
This book is exactly what the subtitle implies - a history of the Canadian army in Korea.As such, the scope is limited to army operations and the political background required to justify the Canadian government'scommitment of ground troops in this war.There is very little about theforces of other countries involved except where they are intimately relatedto the Canadian brigade.This is a strength of the book - it has welldefined boundries and is thorough within those boundries, including copiousendnotes and sources.The maps are limited, but easily accesible (allcollected at the beginning of the book, for ease of reference).

Theauthor is quite critical with the politicians both in Ottawa andWashington, as well as the middle-ranking officers (say, major to colonel)in the field and in the training camps.He is highly critical at the lackof training in Canada before shipping out, and the complacency that set inalong the front in the final year and a half of the war.Interestingly, hedoes not blame the senior officers, but rather the politicians, for thiscomplacency in the lines (not allowing vigourous offensive action while thepeace talks were stalemated but continuing, even in the face of powerfulChinese attacks).

For someone unfamiliar with the Korean conflict, thisbook would be inadequate.Bercuson seems to assume at least a cursoryknowledge of the major events in the war.I would suggest Hasting's"Korean War" before reading this.Additionally, it seems alittle strange to go into such detail on the army operations withoutmentioning Canadian naval and air forces.At 300 pages, surely he couldhave included this material - it feels incomplete without it.Finally, theprose is a little too dry.

All in all, this is a good, but not great,book not up to the standard of the same author's Maple Leaf vs. the Axis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Infantryman's view of life in Hell
In Vietnam, we often spoke of seeing the "wolf" while Civil War veterans saw the "elephant". While the canine and pachyderm can't fully describe combat, they symbolize the enigmatic aspect of it.Anyone who has been in combat can't describe it and neither can those who haven't been in combat understand it.Sherman Pratt's book comes closest to bridging that gap between understanding and explaining the unexplainable than any book I have read.

The Korean War was a cold, violent, physically demanding war for both sides. Pratt's thesis is that certain battles were watershed events that shaped the outcome of the war. Pratt's description of life on the front lines is accurate and gives the layman an idea of what it was like to fight the Chinese human wave attacks.

After serving in WWII in Africa and Europe, Pratt reported to the famed 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division and was told he could kick up his heels in a staff job. He volunteered to take a rifle company from the Naktong River line to North Korea and back south after the Chinese intervention.

I can find little fault with the book other than some typographical errors and with some illustrations. The photographs are excellent and while they are obviously snapshots, they depict war as it was in 1951. I felt some battles were not told in sufficient detail such as the Twin Tunnels battle but Pratt is obviously keeping with his theme of Decisive Battles of the Korean War.

Pratt has strong opinions about his fellow officers and is most charitable with his superiors who made grievous errors.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know the infantryman's view of combat. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's large-scale digitization efforts. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the original text that can be both accessed online and used to create new print copies. The Library also understands and values the usefulness of print and makes reprints available to the public whenever possible. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found in the HathiTrust, an archive of the digitized collections of many great research libraries. For access to the University of Michigan Library's digital collections, please see http://www.lib.umich.edu and for information about the HathiTrust, please visit http://www.hathitrust.org ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Official History
The Korean war was very interesting from many standpoints. It was a war fought with limited objectives where the political process was involved with the fighting. While there was a desire to win, there was the ever present feet that the war could grow to World War III fought with nuclear weapons if the Soviet Union felt her basic interests threatened.

During the last two years of the war, truce talks were being conducted at the same time the war was being fought. Both sides tried with some success to induce more reasonable negotiating attitudes in their adversaries through the application of limited military pressure.

This book is the story of fighting while talking during the last years of the war. It is the official history written by the Army. It was written with access to all of the information available to the Army, except of course classified documents.

Of particular interest to me was following the negotiations. The style of the Communists worked well up against the representatives of a democracy who had political leaders back at home putting constraints on the outcome and journalists reporting everything back to the people. This kind of set the stage for the Viet Nam peace talks much later. ... Read more

Product Description
Despite American success in preventing the conquest of South Korea by communist North Korea, the Korean War of 1950-1953 did not satisfy Americans who expected the kind of total victory they had experienced in World War II. In that earlier, larger war, victory over Japan came after two atomic bombs destroyed the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But in Korea five years later, the United States limited itself to conventional weapons. Even after communist China entered the war, Americans put China off-limits to conventional bombing as well as nuclear bombing. Operating within these limits, the U.S. Air Force helped to repel two invasions of South Korea while securing control of the skies so decisively that other United Nations forces could fight without fear of air attack. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Despite occasional overstepping, reasonably balanced
The Korean War is one that is often forgotten and when mentioned, the comments about it are often incorrect. This pamphlet is about how the United States used air power in the Korean War and as the title implies, much is said about how it was not used. While the Korean War was not the first one fought by America with limited objectives, the war against the British in 1812 fills that role, observers lacking a historical perspective often claim that it was.
The use of American air power in Korea is one more instance of the often forgotten fact about air power. "Unless you use nuclear weapons to utterly annihilate an area, aerial bombardment alone is not enough to force a nation to surrender." As is mentioned in this book, very early in the war General Douglas MacArthur stated that American air power would be enough to defeat the North Koreans. This of course was false, although it is arguably true that the massive use of air power prevented the United Nations forces from being expelled from the Korean peninsula by the initial North Korean offensive.
Despite the occasional arguments that the political limits placed on the U. S. Air Force damaged the United Nations war effort in Korea, this pamphlet is reasonably balanced. In the final analysis, the death of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin probably had more to do with the end of the Korean War than anything done by any western leader. While Eisenhower made it clear to the Chinese that he was willing to use nuclear weapons in Korea, there is little indication that Stalin was moved by that fact. Any targets struck by American nuclear weapons would have been in Korea and China and Stalin would have been happy to use that as a propaganda weapon. The deaths of millions of Chinese or Koreans would have meant nothing to him.
Finally, one of the best points made in this book is the major failure of the American Air Force in the Korean War. The Chinese were able to move hundreds of thousands of troops into Korea undetected by aerial surveillance. Had these movements been detected, many of the major mistakes made by United Nations commanders would have been avoided. Unfortunately, it is most unlikely that the outcome would have been different. ... Read more

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This reference is designed to provide brief but helpful information about all aspects of the war including units involved, the United Nations, political and military actions, significant sites and operations, and weapons used. Written to be clear and understandable, it is the perfect research tool. Unlike existing dictionaries that focus on the individuals (political and military) involved or concentrate on military units and actions, this Dictionary covers the wide range of topics necessary to inform both casual readers and scholars alike. The extensive bibliography provides leads to the best and most recent published and electronic works available. ... Read more

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The Korean War marked an important point in the development of Commonwealth defence co-operation. World War II had accelerated the loosening of such ties, and the immediate post-war period confirmed the process. Militarily the Commonwealth retained a capacity to interact effectively on the battlefield even when the political inclination was waning. This is a study of alliance relations, both between the national forces of the Commonwealth countries involved and between the Commonwealth armies and the Americans. It focuses on problems of command, administration, logistics, finance and manpower, as well as operations. It concentrates upon the co-operation, or otherwise, of forces in the field and the policies directly affecting them, in the belief that the military effectiveness of allied forces is the real test of success in coalition warfare. ... Read more

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Shaping the lives of young men in college who would answer their nation's military call in the Korean War, were the sage veterans from World War II. The vets became the mentors for the male freshmen at The University of Texas in 1947 and '48, and these young men would later be called to arms in the Korean conflict beginning in 1950. The war began in June, less than five years after the cessation of hostilities of World War II-and the American public was not ready for a new and major conflict to be thrust upon them. The draft of young men was instituted, and therefore many thousands of young Americans served during one of the bloodiest of wars. Balancing tragedy with humor, anecdotes of the period make for interesting reading about an era where stress, crime and drugs were subjects rarely mentioned in America on the home front-plus school violence was unheard of. Of course, there was no television in the'40s, and very little central air-conditioning in the early '50s. Still, it was a very pleasant era, good music abounded and folks often gathered around the piano to sing. High Forties, Low Fifties describes the easy times but takes the reader overseas to the war that suddenly breaks out. The hi-jinks of college life described segue to the chaos of the Korean conflict, and the reader is treated to heroics and humor in the nonfiction book. ... Read more

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Often referred to as the forgotten war, the Korean War was one of the most influential events of the cold war era. It was the first shooting war between democracy and communism and one that would lead to many significant U.S. foreign policy changes. This anthology contains documents by influential Washington policy makers as well as popular editorialists of the day. ... Read more

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In view of their crucial importance to military success, mobilization and logistics deserve thorough attention from historians.Although the Army's ability to mobilize has improved in recent years, much remains to be done, and the Korean War experience can provide valuable insights.Planners involved in the attempt to perfect current automated manpower mobilization systems need to prepare for possible strains and even collapse of those systems.In an emergency, we may have to rely on manual methods such as those that saw us through the Korean War. Industrial preparedness also has received increased emphasis and support in the last decade.But in this area, as well, there is much to be learned from the Korean War's partial mobilization. Finally, we can study with profit the problems encountered in supplying the large forces that we fielded in Korea. Planners who deal with theater logistics could benefit from detailed analysis, solidly grounded in original sources, of those problems and the solutions devised for them during the war. This monograph should provide impetus to examine Korean War mobilization and logistics.Through a discussion of the available literature, the author presents an overview of the most pertinent issues addressed thus far.He then suggests how future investigators might elaborate on particular points, and offers topics that warrant further research. WILLIAM A. STOFFT Brigadier General, USA Chief of Military History ... Read more