This Kind Of War: The Classic Korean War History - Fiftieth Anniversary Edition - Softcover

Fehrenbach, T. R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1574883348 ISBN 13: 9781574883343

Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc., 2001

Synopsis

This Kind of War A classic account of the Korean war written from the perspective of those that fought in it by a US Army battalion commander. It describes the decisions made by the US commanders, both good and bad, and the effects of those decisions on the ordinary GIs on the frontline. Full description

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.

Immensely readable.

A comprehensive and impressively written history of the Korean War.

The lesson of the Korean War as it has not yet been told by anyone . . . terse, machine-gun bursts of common sense.

"Immensely readable."--New York Times
--New York Times

"A comprehensive and impressively written history of the Korean War."--Washington Post
--Washington Post

"The lesson of the Korean War as it has not yet been told by anyone . . . terse, machine-gun bursts of common sense."--Life magazine
--Life magazine

"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
--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...)

About this edition

• Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc.
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 1574883348
• ISBN 13: 9781574883343
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 540