The Korean War: The West Confronts Communism

About this book

Set in the midst of international power politics alongside fears of a worldwide conflagration the Korean War at its height involved rapid large-scale troop movements over long distances as each side experienced both outstanding success and disaster. In addition to covering the dominant American involvement Michael Hickey also sets in context the contributions many of them quite out of proportion to the size of their contingents of the other nations that answered the U.N. call and sent troops in response to the North Koreans surprise attack. Along with American troops troops from Britain Australia Canada New Zealand South Africa Turkey and elsewhere joined the effort working together despite problems of culture and logistics. The Korean War recounts such masterstrokes as MacArthurs landing behind the enemy lines at Inchon the drama of the glorious Glosters episode and both collaboration and mutiny in the prisoner-of-war camps of either side. Drawing on many previously unused sources from several countries including recently declassified documents regimental archives diaries and interviews Michael Hickey adds extensively to our knowledge of one of the most significant conflicts of modern times.