Conflict: The History Of The Korean War, 1950-1953

In June 1950, Communist forces poured across the 38th Parallel (the arbitrary, militarily indefensible line of latitude separating North Korea from the Republic of Korea) to unite the country by force. Three bloody, bitter years of fighting ensued during which the seesawing fortunes of this frustrating war thwarted North Korea's ambitions while treating the ill-equipped, overconfident UN peacekeeping forces, mostly Americans, no less harshly. Conflict examines the war in all its military, political, and human aspects, including battles at Pusan Perimeter, Inchon, Chosin Reservoir, Heartbreak Ridge; significant figures like Syngman Rhee, Kim Il Sung, Ridgway, MacArthur, and Truman; controversies such as MacArthur's dismissal, P.O.W. exchange difficulties, and charges of brainwashing and germ warfare; as well as detailed analyses of American soldiers' performance and the war's impact on the U.S. military and national psyche. As such, Conflict is an unparalleled, vivid contribution to history.