The Korean War: The West Confronts Communism Book

Waged half a century ago, the three-year Korean War has been called "America's first Vietnam." It was also the first flash of fire in an otherwise cold war between the forces of capitalism and those of communism. Little was written about the war for many years, as if it were something best forgotten. Recently, books such as Martin Russ's controversial Breakout: The Chosin Reservoir Campaign, Korea 1950 and Stanley Weintraub's MacArthur's War: Korea and the Undoing of an American Hero have brought renewed attention to the bloody ordeal. Michael Hickey offers a valuable contribution to the literature with The Korean War, which examines the conflict from the point of view of America's United Nations allies, an international force comprising contingents from Turkey, England, India, Australia, Canada, Belgium, and Norway, among other countries. Hickey, who served as a lieutenant in the British forces (he modestly describes himself as an "insignificant packhorse"), examines the debates surrounding UN involvement and the British government's fear of parting ways with the Truman administration over the best approach to containing North Korean and Chinese ambitions. Hickey acknowledges events that are now much in the news, such as the South Korean military's murder of thousands of civilians thought to be sympathetic to the North. And he ventures the view that China was drawn somewhat unwillingly into the conflict after General Douglas MacArthur led a surprisingly effective counteroffensive deep into North Korean territory, uncomfortably close to the Chinese border. Yet Hickey is no apologist. He observes that the war was "well worth the effort," for with it world communism "was firmly confronted and rebuffed." Well written and carefully documented, his book offers a thoughtful history of a conflict that still haunts our time. --Gregory McNamee Read More