The Korean War: The Chinese Intervention

by Richard W. Stewart

They came out of the hills near Unsan, North Korea, blowing bugles in the dying light of day on 1 November 1950, throwing grenades and firing their “burp” guns at the surprised American soldiers of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Those who survived the initial assaults reported how shaken the spectacle of massed Chinese infantry had left them. Thousands of Chinese had attacked from the north, northwest, and west against scattered U.S. and South Korean (Republic of Korea or ROK) units moving deep into North Korea. The Chinese seemed to come out of nowhere as they swarmed around the flanks and over the defensive positions of the surprised United Nations (UN) troops.

39 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 23, 2008

Reviews

[William Olenick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of a series for the 50th anniversary of the Korean War. It covers the three months after the Chinese intervention into the war. Dealing with both the 8th Army and the X Corps advances toward the Yale River. Large portion of the content is devoted to the Chosen Dam fight and withdraw. It ends just after the second fall of the Southern Korean capital of Seoul. Good for those who may want to learn more about the war. It has plenty of maps and good further readings section.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Korean War has always stuck out in my mind as one of the most difficult to be a soldier in. Not only were the conditions brutal, but the nature of the war itself was disheartening. After swift victory under Douglas MacArthur, the troops were attacked by the Communist Chinese Forces. They were pushed back to where they had started, and the casualties kept coming until an armistice was agreed on. This is an official Army history of the Chinese intervention, so expect hard facts, not the drama and emotion the soldiers experienced.

[Sean Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prose is slightly improved in this volume on the Korea War. Let's see if that holds up.