Korean War

In the summer of 1950, American troops fought to hold a shrinking perimeter around Pusan. By winter, forces were withdrawing through the mountains of North Korea in bitter cold. Korean War: America at War follows these changes of fortune and the long struggle that ended with an armistice in 1953.

Jack Maddox presents 377 archival photographs, 56 chapters and campaign graphics. Follow Korea's division after World War II, invasion, retreat, counterattack, negotiations and homecoming in this volume of the America at War series.

INVASION AND THE FIGHT FOR SOUTH KOREA
Follow the North Korean advance, the commitment of American troops and the response of the United Nations. Chapters cover Task Force Smith, Taejon, the Pusan Perimeter and the fighting along the Naktong. See how ports, airfields, carriers and supply routes helped sustain the defense before the landing at Inchon and the fight to recover Seoul.

CHINA'S INTERVENTION AND THE WINTER RETREAT
The advance north brought troops toward the Chinese border and into widely separated mountain positions. Follow China's intervention, the Eighth Army's retreat and the fighting around the Chosin Reservoir. Photographs and maps help explain the road to the coast, the evacuation from Hungnam and the movement of both soldiers and civilians south.

COUNTERATTACK AND A WAR OF POSITIONS
Trace the recovery under Ridgway, the stand at Chipyong ni and the return to Seoul. Chapters examine the fighting on the Imjin and at Kapyong, then the battles for Bloody Ridge and Heartbreak Ridge. As negotiations continued, troops lived in bunkers, patrolled between positions and fought for outposts under heavy artillery fire.

AT SEA AND IN THE AIR
Explore jet combat, carrier operations, naval gunfire and the bombing campaign. Aircraft, helicopters and ships appear in photographs of the people flying, maintaining and supplying them. Explanatory graphics connect these machines to their roles, from supporting troops on the ground to carrying patients away from the fighting.

LIFE DURING THE WAR
The photographic account includes infantrymen, tank crews, nurses, surgeons, engineers and families waiting at home. Chapters examine cold weather clothing, food, medical care and the work of keeping units supplied. South Korean and allied troops, displaced civilians and communities facing destruction are part of the story throughout.

DECISIONS, ARMISTICE AND REMEMBRANCE
Follow Truman's dismissal of MacArthur, the limits placed on the war, the negotiations and Eisenhower's election. The final chapters cover the last battles, the armistice, reunions and rebuilding beside an armed boundary. Veterans, families and public memory give the account a conclusion beyond the date the shooting stopped.

Campaign maps, diagrams, a timeline, glossary and subject index help readers follow the chronology or find a particular operation. Captions identify the photographs and their context. Photographic compositions show terrain, equipment and daily conditions.

Four sections trace the change from rapid advances and retreats to a prolonged struggle over limited ground. American service appears alongside South Korean and other United Nations forces, with attention to public opinion, protest, military integration and civilians.

Written for adult readers, students and history enthusiasts, this volume serves as an introduction or a photographic companion to further reading. Families can explore the campaigns associated with a relative's service. A gift book for birthdays, Christmas or graduation, with subjects for readers interested in infantry, aviation, naval operations and remembrance.

The illustrated Kindle edition retains all 377 selected photographs, with adjustable narrative text, captions, linked contents and a linked index. Color designs display in grayscale on monochrome screens.