This Kind of War: A Study in Unpreparedness (Association of the United States Army S.) - Softcover

Fehrenbach, T. R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1574881612 ISBN 13: 9781574881615

Publisher: Brassey's US, 1998

Synopsis

An account of the Korean War, written from the perspective of those who fought it. Partly drawn from official records, operations journals and histories, it is based largely on the personal narratives of the US small-unit commanders and their troops in fierce battle with the communist invaders.

About this title

Review

"This Kind of War has been studied by two generations of soldiers. Fehrenbach describes good decisions and bad ones with insight and expertise. But what he does best of all, and what is so memorable, is his eloquent, sometimes painful description of the GIs who must bear the burden of those decisions. That is the awful beauty of this book-it cuts straight to the heart of all the political and military errors, and reveals the brave souls who have to bleed and die for mistakes made. A timely reissue of a military classic."-Gen. Colin L. Powell

From the Back Cover

The fiftieth anniversary of the Korean War makes this an appropriate time to revisit This Kind of War, the monumental study of the conflict that began in June 1950. Successive generations of U.S. military officers have considered this book an indispensable part of their education. T. R. Fehrenbach's narrative brings to life the harrowing and bloody battles that were fought up and down the Korean Peninsula. Partly drawn from official records, operations journals, and histories, it is based largely on the compelling personal narratives of the small-unit commanders and their troops. Unlike any other work on the Korean War, it provides a clear panoramic view, sharp insight into the successes and failures of U.S. forces, and a riveting account of fierce clashes between U.N. troops and the North Korean and Chinese communist invaders. The lessons that Colonel Fehrenbach identifies still resonate. Severe peacetime budget cuts after World War II left the U.S. military a shadow of its former self. The terrible lesson of Korea was that to send into action troops trained for nothing but serving a hitch in some quiet billet was an almost criminal act. Throwing these ill-trained and poorly equipped troops into the heat of battle resulted in the war's early routs. The United States was (more...)

Edition details

• Publisher: Brassey's US
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1574881612
• ISBN 13: 9781574881615
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 498