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From Pusan to Panmunjom
Now in paperback, the memoir of the 29 year-old that became South Korea's first four-star general. The candid and revealing wartime memoir fo the foremost South Korean general of the Korean War. With photographs and a foreward by the commanders of U.S. forces in the war, Gen. Matthew B. Ridgeway and Gen. James A. Van Fleet, From Pusan to Panmunjon brings and unprecedented perspective to a cataclysmic war.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 17, 2012
An immensely important contribution to Korean War discussions, From Pusan to Panmujom chronicles the Korean War from instigation to armistice from the viewpoint of arguably the most influential and well-respected ROK Army officer ever, former General Paik Sun Yup. His involvement permeated virtually every major battle and decision that occurred on the battlefield and thus, innately qualifies him to narrate the vastly overlooked Korean perspective of the war. From frantically forming a counterattack to repel the invading North Korean forces, holding the line at the Pusan Perimeter, re-establishing tactical dominance back near the 38th parallel and beyond to capture Pyongyang, to domestic objectives such as quelling the communist guerrilla force near Mt. Jiri and representing the armed forces at the armistice talks, General Paik was the quintessential key player in every major event during the Korean War. His story is begging to be heard.
As Paik concedes, just prior to the war The ROK Army was an overwhelmingly under-equipped militia at best. It was only army in name. None of the heavy armor, long-range firepower, or logistical support existed yet and thus, was reduced to being compared to the U.S. Army as nothing more than a ragtag group of underpaid and undertrained volunteers and forced draftees. While this might be partially correct, the later joint U.S. Army's contribution of heavy armor and superior howitzers combined with the ROK's infantry proved to be an effective fighting force despite relatively little previous experience. Paik maintains that his men's determination to unify the country and staunch anti-communism stance steeled them into hardened soldiers willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of the country. Paik proudly writes highly of his men; so much so that it's difficult to imagine how he must have dealt with the loses inflicted by the numerous Chinese human wave offenses that inundated his forces.
Not only was Paik the first Korean to reach the prestigious rank of Four-Star General, he was also amazingly young; few other 33-year-olds could claim his level of success. Yet, Paik comes off as a humble working-man's soldier; a man devoted to the service of his country but who could also see the internationally unfolding big picture. Even as he pens this memoir decades later, he attributes successes to those around him and claims responsibility for failures. Men of Paik's caliber are indeed rare.
Paik's memoir affects me on a few personal levels. As a former enlisted member of the U.S. armed forces, I can understand the clear reasons why he was quickly promoted; Paik appears to have been an outstanding commanding officer at a time when they were likely few and far between. The history nerd in me appreciates Paik's ability to give grand scheme analyses when deconstructing individual battles; he appropriately expounds on certain contextual details to help color the circumstances that he and his men faced. His politically sensitive language, too, is foretelling of his second career in diplomacy. Furthermore, he often goes beyond dryly stating who did what; Paik briefs the reader of the men around him who would later rise to future successes inside and outside of the military. For all of Paik's militaristic achievements, he also maintains a certain degree of literary professionalism that hovers around frankness and cordiality. For such a heavy topic, it's really a great read.
This is a well-constructed memoir, no doubt about it. I have very few reservations about recommending it. If only the reader does a short brush-up on basic military hierarchy and unit strength comparison (corps, battalion, company, etc) the book then becomes highly appreciable by non-military and former military alike. Like many others who have read this book, I come away feeling not only more informed and also grateful to Paik for writing down his astonishing experiences. If you're interested in Korea or the Korean War, you will surely appreciate this organically Korean side of the story.
As Paik concedes, just prior to the war The ROK Army was an overwhelmingly under-equipped militia at best. It was only army in name. None of the heavy armor, long-range firepower, or logistical support existed yet and thus, was reduced to being compared to the U.S. Army as nothing more than a ragtag group of underpaid and undertrained volunteers and forced draftees. While this might be partially correct, the later joint U.S. Army's contribution of heavy armor and superior howitzers combined with the ROK's infantry proved to be an effective fighting force despite relatively little previous experience. Paik maintains that his men's determination to unify the country and staunch anti-communism stance steeled them into hardened soldiers willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of the country. Paik proudly writes highly of his men; so much so that it's difficult to imagine how he must have dealt with the loses inflicted by the numerous Chinese human wave offenses that inundated his forces.
Not only was Paik the first Korean to reach the prestigious rank of Four-Star General, he was also amazingly young; few other 33-year-olds could claim his level of success. Yet, Paik comes off as a humble working-man's soldier; a man devoted to the service of his country but who could also see the internationally unfolding big picture. Even as he pens this memoir decades later, he attributes successes to those around him and claims responsibility for failures. Men of Paik's caliber are indeed rare.
Paik's memoir affects me on a few personal levels. As a former enlisted member of the U.S. armed forces, I can understand the clear reasons why he was quickly promoted; Paik appears to have been an outstanding commanding officer at a time when they were likely few and far between. The history nerd in me appreciates Paik's ability to give grand scheme analyses when deconstructing individual battles; he appropriately expounds on certain contextual details to help color the circumstances that he and his men faced. His politically sensitive language, too, is foretelling of his second career in diplomacy. Furthermore, he often goes beyond dryly stating who did what; Paik briefs the reader of the men around him who would later rise to future successes inside and outside of the military. For all of Paik's militaristic achievements, he also maintains a certain degree of literary professionalism that hovers around frankness and cordiality. For such a heavy topic, it's really a great read.
This is a well-constructed memoir, no doubt about it. I have very few reservations about recommending it. If only the reader does a short brush-up on basic military hierarchy and unit strength comparison (corps, battalion, company, etc) the book then becomes highly appreciable by non-military and former military alike. Like many others who have read this book, I come away feeling not only more informed and also grateful to Paik for writing down his astonishing experiences. If you're interested in Korea or the Korean War, you will surely appreciate this organically Korean side of the story.
May 14, 2019
Great book straight from the personal experiences of a leading South Korean General. Really learned a lot as a result.
July 28, 2008
Most books about war suffer from one of two problems. The are either at such a high level that they are completely impersonal, and it is therefore hard for the reader to care that this unit went here and that unit went there, or they are so personal and low level that they don't give you a good picture of the whole conflict.
This book is an exception, in that it is the deeply personal story of an individual, but that individual played such a pivotal role in the Korean war that his story gives you an excellent view of the whole conflict.
General Paik tells his story fully and unflinchingly, including not just the military side of things, but the personal. He describes telling his wife and child to flee from Seoul during the north's first surprise attack, as he headed into battle, and of himself fighting on the front lines for months, not knowing where they were or if they were safe. He tells of the moment when he gave in to despair and his staff had to physically carry him out of a command post that was being overrun by the enemy, saving him from certain death.
Despite the very personal nature of this tale, the author was instrumental and involved in the entire conflict, and in the loop on high level leadership decisions. He trained and led South Korean troops, communicated and cooperated with the U.S. leadership, and ultimately was involved in the negotiations that ended the conflict.
This gives us a glimpse into the South Korean experience of the war, which is not often explored. Most books about Korea focus on the U.S. side of the story.
I found this to be well-written, compelling, and moving. And I came away from it with a much better understanding of the war.
This book is an exception, in that it is the deeply personal story of an individual, but that individual played such a pivotal role in the Korean war that his story gives you an excellent view of the whole conflict.
General Paik tells his story fully and unflinchingly, including not just the military side of things, but the personal. He describes telling his wife and child to flee from Seoul during the north's first surprise attack, as he headed into battle, and of himself fighting on the front lines for months, not knowing where they were or if they were safe. He tells of the moment when he gave in to despair and his staff had to physically carry him out of a command post that was being overrun by the enemy, saving him from certain death.
Despite the very personal nature of this tale, the author was instrumental and involved in the entire conflict, and in the loop on high level leadership decisions. He trained and led South Korean troops, communicated and cooperated with the U.S. leadership, and ultimately was involved in the negotiations that ended the conflict.
This gives us a glimpse into the South Korean experience of the war, which is not often explored. Most books about Korea focus on the U.S. side of the story.
I found this to be well-written, compelling, and moving. And I came away from it with a much better understanding of the war.
March 9, 2016
Prior to the start of the Korean War, the South Korean army was little more than a militia. The United States did not want them capable of fighting a war on their own. As a result, their navy had just a few coastal vessels, their air force was non-existent, and their army was ill-equipped. For the 40 years prior to the end of World War II South Korea did not have a military because they were a nation occupied and controlled by the Japanese.
General Paik Sun-Yup was commander of the ROK 1st Infantry Division at the time of the North Korean invasion of the South. This book is his first hand account of the Korean War from its beginning to its end. As such, it is a valuable addition to the literature covering this war.
General Paik Sun-Yup was commander of the ROK 1st Infantry Division at the time of the North Korean invasion of the South. This book is his first hand account of the Korean War from its beginning to its end. As such, it is a valuable addition to the literature covering this war.
August 23, 2015
I'm not normally a fan of memoirs as they tend to be all about self justification. I'm not saying this isn't the case with General Paik, but his writing style is entertaining and he provides a look at the Korean War from a perspective all too rare in published accounts; that is to say, the Korean perspective.
October 21, 2015
Very interesting book which is, basically, the war time memoirs of Gen. Paik, Sun Yup. Interestingly, the founder of Taekwon-Do, Gen. Choi, Hong Hi makes a cameo appearance as he served under Gen. Paik at one point during the Korean War.
August 28, 2014
Great book telling the stories of the Korean war from the viewpoint of Korea's first four-star general, Paik Sun Yup (백선엽). Definitely a must-read for anyone interested in the history of North-South Korean relations.
May 6, 2009
Superb book about the war from the Korean perspective. Written by a man who rose through the ranks and even commanded American troops and is today an iconic figure in Korea.
July 17, 2015
I thought it was a great book. It offers a different but really good insight into the Korean War. I have only read one other books about the Korean War and this one is worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews