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Osprey Essential Histories #8
The Korean War - 1950-1953 by Carter Malkasian (28-Sep-2001) Paperback
The Korean War was a significant turning point in the Cold War. This book explains how the conflict in a small peninsula in East Asia had a tremendous impact on the entire international system and the balance of power between the two superpowers, America and Russia. Through the conflict, the West demonstrated its resolve to thwart Communist aggression and the armed forces of China, the Soviet Union and the United States came into direct combat for the only time during the Cold War.
Paperback
First published September 25, 2001
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About the author
Carter Malkasian
13 books38 followersDr. Carter Malkasian leads the Stability and Development Program at the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA). In late 2007 and again in early 2008, he led a team that advised Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) in eastern Afghanistan. Previously assigned to the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) as an advisor on counterinsurgency, he deployed for the war in Iraq from February to May 2003, February 2004 to February 2005, and February 2006 to August 2006. Most of that time was spent in Al Anbar province. Dr. Malkasian’s most recent publication is a co-edited book (with Daniel Marston of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst), Counterinsurgency in Modern Warfare. His other books include: A History of Modern Wars of Attrition (2002) and The Korean War, 1950-1953 (2001). His journal publications include: “Did the Coalition Need More Forces in Iraq? Evidence from Al Anbar,” Joint Force Quarterly; “A Thin Blue Line in the Sand,” Democracy: A Journal of Ideas; “Signaling Resolve, Democratization, and the First Battle of Fallujah,” Journal of Strategic Studies; “The Role of Perceptions and Political Reform in Counterinsurgency,” Small Wars & Insurgencies; and “Toward a Better Understanding of Attrition,” Journal of Military History. Dr. Malkasian holds a doctorate in the history of war from Oxford University.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 29, 2021
The book, The Korean War, is a great informational book on the Korean war that enjoyed reading. Authored by Carter Malkasian, a respected military historian who has a doctorate in military history from the University of Oxford, the book goes in depth, talking about some important concepts in the Korean War. In the book Malkasian writes of the political and physical war in Korea at the time. He talks of the battles and skirmishes, and their consequences for both sides. Important concepts such as limited war were emphasized, leading to a quality understanding of the war and how it changed how wars were fought.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2024
Starting reading this to learn more about the Korean War. Finished reading it knowing a lot more than I thought I would. It's a brief explanation of the forgotten war and it does it's job very well. Overall fantastic for beginners and those who want to know more about this conflict.
March 14, 2019
Excellent summary of this war, and some of the implications that made this conflict unique.
March 19, 2023
If you are like me, your knowledge of the Korean War consists of The Pusan Perimeter, the Inchon Landings- Chosin reservoir, and then the MASH part of the war- as in the Movie and TV Show of the 1970s. Yeah- I understood a few parts of the War in some depth, but I didn't really get the whole thing that well. Then this is the book for me-and you. Carter Malkasian, a scholar and author on post 1945 confrontations is here to explain in broad strokes the first Super Power struggle of the Cold War. Its another Essential History from Osprey Publishing, so the author is fully backed up by photos both colour and b/w, maps, graphs and diagrams to explain finer points. I actually learned a lot- and a saw a lot of things I want to explore further with other reading- something I consider a good thing. Its certainly aimed at the English Speaking world- I think Koreans may find their part in the war sometimes underplayed (and its the KOREAN War you may recall)-but it does give the reader a sense of a very destructive and confusing war for all concerned. After the unrestrained mayhem of WWII the idea of limited wars with limited objectives was new for all the participants. Malkasian shows you that The South Korean, North Korean, and Soviet leadership did not in fact have limited objectives at the start of the period. Then everyone had to settle.
Malkasian is good at setting the scene, the US , Western Allies , Soviets Koreans and Red Chinese all fresh off triumphs- but settling in to a new power paradigm. In a way, this is the war that made the Cold War Cold. And set the new idea of limited wars under a Nuclear Umbrella and while the other confrontation points stayed peaceful. After the North Koreans had almost won at the beginning of the war - then been thrown back by the Inchon offensive and then the UN forces being thrown back in turn by the Chinese - the MASH part of the war begins. I thought Malkasian explained this part of the war- as the two sides began to jockey for positions near the 38th parallel- where they had begun- quite well. The UN Forces using material and firepower superiority- the Chinese and North Koreans trying to use their numbers and experience from their recently won Civil War. The author does a good job explaining the cost to draw a line in the sand- and how it effected thinking in the Cold War that followed.
There are some adult themes and violent atrocity descriptions, so this is best for the Junior Reader over 12/13 years. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast its a great little package. The Gamer gets a single, short but complete enough book to give a Warhammer player if they want to join a Bolt Action/Flames Of War/Battlegroup Korean War Campaign- and bring them up to speed on the history. The Modeler will find better sources for diorama/build ideas- but this might be a good starting point if you are going in cold. For the Military Enthusiast who might , like me , not have read much on this war- its a good starting point- with enough details to pique interests in more reading. "Choppers sir" as Radar might say. I enjoyed the book and learned.
Malkasian is good at setting the scene, the US , Western Allies , Soviets Koreans and Red Chinese all fresh off triumphs- but settling in to a new power paradigm. In a way, this is the war that made the Cold War Cold. And set the new idea of limited wars under a Nuclear Umbrella and while the other confrontation points stayed peaceful. After the North Koreans had almost won at the beginning of the war - then been thrown back by the Inchon offensive and then the UN forces being thrown back in turn by the Chinese - the MASH part of the war begins. I thought Malkasian explained this part of the war- as the two sides began to jockey for positions near the 38th parallel- where they had begun- quite well. The UN Forces using material and firepower superiority- the Chinese and North Koreans trying to use their numbers and experience from their recently won Civil War. The author does a good job explaining the cost to draw a line in the sand- and how it effected thinking in the Cold War that followed.
There are some adult themes and violent atrocity descriptions, so this is best for the Junior Reader over 12/13 years. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast its a great little package. The Gamer gets a single, short but complete enough book to give a Warhammer player if they want to join a Bolt Action/Flames Of War/Battlegroup Korean War Campaign- and bring them up to speed on the history. The Modeler will find better sources for diorama/build ideas- but this might be a good starting point if you are going in cold. For the Military Enthusiast who might , like me , not have read much on this war- its a good starting point- with enough details to pique interests in more reading. "Choppers sir" as Radar might say. I enjoyed the book and learned.
December 29, 2016
Carter Malkasian succeeds in providing a complete-feeling overview of the Korean War within the very limited Essential Histories format. In only 96 pages, this book provides adequate background, chronology, and geopolitical implications of the Korean War. This includes discussions on why this war was fought on a limited basis, the importance of the war for each involved party, the often devastating effects of the war on Korea, and the War's contribution to the evolution of warfare. Paying more attention to the politics behind the war than on individual battles, Malkasian keeps the focus of this book on the broader picture of the conflict between ideologies, rather than the soldier's perspective of the war on the ground. That is not to say that important battles aren't discussed in a fair amount of detail here, just not to the same level that individual battles receive in some other Essential Histories I've read. Malkasian's approach works very well here, as the Korean War in particular really was a proxy war between superpowers where the focus was very much on politics and attrition, rather than total victory.
Many aspects of the Korean War make it stand out as being a vehicle for change in the way wars are fought. Inflicting casualties in an effort to gain bargaining chips for diplomacy was perfected here. Jet airplanes were first used broadly as fighters/bombers. Helicopters proved their usefulness in transportation and evacuation. The threat of nuclear annihilation became the US's most powerful deterrent to escalation. Also important was the emergence of the United Nations as a vehicle for diplomacy and for legitimizing war. This was the first time the UN supported the invasion of another country in order to maintain future peace. Malkasian does a remarkable job in laying out the many unique aspects of the Korean War.
While this war might not have turned out that way either side had hoped (particularly Koreans), we must be thankful to some degree that it ended when it did. This book makes it quite apparent how close the world came to a third World War during this conflict. Both the United States and the Soviet Union were apparently very close to escalating this war, which would have undoubtedly had devastating results for Southeast Asia, and very likely for the rest of the world.
Read this book, help yourself remember the forgotten war.
Many aspects of the Korean War make it stand out as being a vehicle for change in the way wars are fought. Inflicting casualties in an effort to gain bargaining chips for diplomacy was perfected here. Jet airplanes were first used broadly as fighters/bombers. Helicopters proved their usefulness in transportation and evacuation. The threat of nuclear annihilation became the US's most powerful deterrent to escalation. Also important was the emergence of the United Nations as a vehicle for diplomacy and for legitimizing war. This was the first time the UN supported the invasion of another country in order to maintain future peace. Malkasian does a remarkable job in laying out the many unique aspects of the Korean War.
While this war might not have turned out that way either side had hoped (particularly Koreans), we must be thankful to some degree that it ended when it did. This book makes it quite apparent how close the world came to a third World War during this conflict. Both the United States and the Soviet Union were apparently very close to escalating this war, which would have undoubtedly had devastating results for Southeast Asia, and very likely for the rest of the world.
Read this book, help yourself remember the forgotten war.
March 3, 2023
Based on this book, The Korean war was a war fought in Korean peninsula between US and China.
Appreciated all the details on military strategies and battels occurred during the war. Good synthesis on how having nuclear arms in the background affected military strategy- how seeking total victory was replaced by small goal approach.
Didn't realize how such prolonged negotiation for cease-fire resulted in high casualty (what's the meaning of such deaths?). Seeing how Koreans were almost absence deciding the fate of the war and county is so disheartening.
Appreciated all the details on military strategies and battels occurred during the war. Good synthesis on how having nuclear arms in the background affected military strategy- how seeking total victory was replaced by small goal approach.
Didn't realize how such prolonged negotiation for cease-fire resulted in high casualty (what's the meaning of such deaths?). Seeing how Koreans were almost absence deciding the fate of the war and county is so disheartening.
October 25, 2016
Before I start I want to say that the author's bias often switched between the Americans and the soviets, because of this; I'm starting to think that he's was just trying to be fair.
after WW2 since japan had wiped the Korean empire off the map, Korea was spilt into communist north and capitalist south. but troubles began when north Korea started to want to reunite the peninsula under their control. so after meeting with the USSR and china, they invaded.
after WW2 since japan had wiped the Korean empire off the map, Korea was spilt into communist north and capitalist south. but troubles began when north Korea started to want to reunite the peninsula under their control. so after meeting with the USSR and china, they invaded.
June 4, 2010
The volume is indeed useful, especially when trying to get an overview of the Korean War and to put a plan together for a work based on it, as was my case. This also means that it should not be taken as an exclusive source.
August 4, 2013
These Osprey 'Essential Histories' are really well done. The perfect balance of details and background while still being fairly brief and concise.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews