1. The War in Korea 1950-1953: A Military Study of the War in Korea up to the Signing of the Cease Fire. By Major R.C.W. Thomas, O.B.E.. Aldershot, Gale and Polden Limited, 1954

2. Korea: the Unknown War. By Jon Halliday and Bruce Cumings. Pantheon Books, 1988

The Korean War was one of the most tragic events of modern history. A people utterly destroyed after what was meant to be the organized disbanding of the Japanese military by two opposing superpowers. After the Pacific War ended, Korea, having been colonized by Japan since 1910 was to be set free and made independent. What ensued was three years of murderous warfare, besieged regimes and mass destruction of every kind of infrastructure including social and cultural as well as industrial. What made the U.S. commit so heavily to Korea in a limited war under the banner of the U.N.? And what made the U.S. go so far in trying to crush the very existence of Communism in the North? These are questions which must be addressed when delving into the causes of the Korean War.

With recent developments on the Korean peninsular it is topical that the Korean War is revisited. Even though the futur

1. The War in Korea 1950-1953: A Military Study of the War in Korea up to the Signing of the Cease Fire. By Major R.C.W. Thomas, O.B.E.. Aldershot, Gale and Polden Limited, 1954

The War in Korea is a military history which could only be written with the skill and deft of a member of the armed forces. However lopsided the narration may be, an educated reader is able to read between the lines and distinguish between what is fact and what could be none other than gross exaggeration. Especially with the assertion of Soviet troops giving massive support and aid to the North Koreans when this was far from the truth. Also the number of Chinese forces in North Korea is exaggerated. This could merely be because of the time the book was written. Only one year after the war had ended information and troop estimates were exactly that, estimates. However one must also note the convenience a book like The War in Korea has in instilling a fear and sense of danger in the public psyche especially in 1954 when U.S. conduct and leadership of the war was being questioned in Europe, in particular, the U.S. saber rattling of using nuclear weapons.

One major argument brought up in Korea: the unknown war is that of the treatment of POWs by the opposing sides. U.N. POWs held in North Korea were treated relatively well by the communists considering the conditions and lack of facilities according to Korea: the unknown war. This was not the case for Chinese and North Korean POWs held by U.S. and South Korean forces. Especially during the armistice talks held to discuss, among other things, repatriation of North Korean and POWs. In Korea: the unknown war many instances of brutality and torture of the POWs by U.N. forces are given. One of the key factors of U.S. post conflict propaganda was that of the freedom of choice of repatriation of Communist POWs. Many were tattooed with anti-communist slogans according to Korea: the unknown war to make it more difficult to go home. Torture is also mentioned as being commonplace in influencing the decision of POWs of where they should repatriate after the war. One of the many questions a!

While The War in Korea is as gripping as it is deceptive, Korea: the unknown war is simple as it is informative. Creating the argument that, similar to Vietnam, Korea was a revolutionary war, this book has many photographs, cartoons and illustrations giving the reader an insight into the nature of the war.

The difference between Korea: the unknown war and The War in Korea is profound. Not only the difference in writing in hindsight at the near close of the Cold War but also in the search for the truth of both sides. Reconciliation, being a major prerequisite of permanent peace on the peninsular, is a large part of Korea: the unknown war. Thomas, in his military history has written The Korean War to set a standard history suitable for the Cold War public. Descriptions of a valiant war fought for the freedom of all peoples and deterring the “Red Horde” are rampant. Similar themes of fighting outright aggression are found today in recent wars often blinding the public to what is actually happening. All important in a functioning democracy where the population is alert and will not stomach atrocities even though geopolitical national interest is paramount in policy.

If there is to be any criticism of this book it would be how the authors set about to systematically discredit the U.S. and U.N. involvement in the war. With the underlying argument of the Communists fighting for independence

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Approximate Word count = 2379
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)