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The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War

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The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War

by David Halberstam

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	9619 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
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Print length	:	744 pages

The Korean War was one of the most pivotal conflicts of the 20th century. Fought from 1950 to 1953, it was the first major war of the Cold War and the first time that the United States had fought a communist power. The war was a brutal and bloody affair, with over 3 million people killed. The United States suffered over 36,000 casualties, including over 8,000 killed in action.

In The Coldest Winter, acclaimed historian David Halberstam tells the story of the Korean War from the American perspective. Based on extensive research and interviews with veterans, Halberstam provides a gripping and comprehensive account of the war, from its origins to its bloody end.

Halberstam begins by describing the Truman administration's decision to intervene in Korea. President Truman believed that the North Korean invasion of South Korea was a Soviet-backed attempt to spread communism throughout Asia. He also believed that if the United States did not intervene, it would send a message to other communist powers that they could attack their neighbors with impunity.

The United States' intervention in Korea quickly escalated into a full-scale war. The North Koreans were initially successful, capturing Seoul and pushing the United Nations forces back to the Pusan Perimeter. However, the United States and its allies were able to stabilize the front and launch a counteroffensive. In September 1950, General Douglas MacArthur led a daring amphibious landing at Inchon, which cut off the North Korean supply lines and forced them to retreat.

The United States and its allies then pursued the North Koreans into North Korea. However, in November 1950, the Chinese intervened in the war. The Chinese army was much larger and better equipped than the North Koreans, and they quickly pushed the United Nations forces back to the 38th parallel.

The war then settled into a bloody stalemate. The United States and its allies tried to break the stalemate by launching a series of offensives, but the Chinese and North Koreans were able to repel them all. In July 1951, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire. The ceasefire line remains the bFree Download between North and South Korea today.

The Korean War was a costly and bloody conflict. However, it also had a profound impact on the Cold War. The war showed the United States that it could not afford to ignore communist aggression, and it helped to convince the Truman administration to adopt a more aggressive policy of containment. The war also helped to unite the United States and its allies, and it laid the foundation for the development of a more robust American defense system.

The Coldest Winter is a masterful account of the Korean War. Halberstam tells the story in a gripping and suspenseful manner, and he provides a wealth of detail about the war's many battles and turning points. He also provides insightful portraits of the war's many key figures, including Truman, MacArthur, and Eisenhower. The Coldest Winter is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the Korean War and its impact on the Cold War.

The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War

by David Halberstam

4.6 out of 5