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Summary: Don't miss this astounding story.
Review: An invaluable historical work, lacking the dryness of much historical writing. This is a GREAT read! Russ tells the story of one of the most courageous campaigns in military history through the words of the participants. Page after page you experience the freezing weather, the hunger, the dispair, the fear and the determination of the Marines who were there. You share their incredible victory. Do not miss this astounding story.
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Summary: Reviews/quotes
Review: "...The most gripping account of a legendary battle ... at last, half a century after it happened, Martin Russ has given us the definitive story of an epic. This is a vital and lasting contribution, a sermon on the splendor of human courage." -W.E.B. Griffin "An outstanding history." -Library Journal "The defintive account...a compelling tapestry." -Publishers Weekly "No more chilling or terrible account of war in a frozen hell has ever been written. Nor has any American army come as close to panic and disintegration....if they ever add a stanza to the 'Marines' Hymn,' here are the lyrics." -James Brady, author of The Coldest War "Will stand as a classic work on the Korean War." -Joseph C. Goulden, author of Korea: The Untold Story
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Summary: Advance praise for Breakout
Review: "A first rate history. Russ makes the Chosin Reservoir campaign come alive in a narrative that's impossible to put down." --Kirkus Reviews "Russ (The Last Parallel) has written the definitive account of the 1st Marine Division's epic breakout from the Chosin Reservoir in the winter of 1950." -- Publisher's Weekly
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Summary: Correct spelling to CHOSIN - not Chosen
Review: Correct spelling to CHOSIN not Chose
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Summary: DONT MESS WITH THE U.S.M.C.
Review: This is the story of the chosin reservoir campaign. It lasted for a short time in nov- dec 1950. The Marines were surrounded, outnumbered 50 to 1 and still managed to show that the Marines are the greatest fighting group that the world has ever seen. Low on ammo, medical supplies and in temps. below zero much of the time, the chinese troops still did not stand a chance, they were cut down like so much chaff. "Retreat hell im attacking in another direction"
This is a must read for everyone!
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Summary: War below Zero
Review: This a a book about a bunch of very brave, cold Marines.
They got in their situation by poor Generalship by Doug MacArthur and General Almond. The Marines had been fighting Chinese since the end of October, 100 miles south of the Chinese border. No one believed there were Chinese in any numbers there. Marine General Smith smelled a rat, and in spite of orders to advance quickly, advanced only a mile or so a day, and built supply dumps, and an airstrip at a vital spot.
The cold is the story, with temps at 20 and 30 degrees below zero. Machines and weapons would not work. Casualties from frostbite were 6 times the battle wounds. People froze to death. Even when the Chinese attacked at the end of November and sent the 8th Army running for its life, Gen Almond insisted the Marines continue to advance.
The author is a Marine writing about Marines. Other than the Army engineers that built a bridge across a chasm to allow the Marines to get back to the coast, he has nothing good to say about the Army. They are incomptentent fools that deserved to die. The Army Col that got the Medal of Honor in this fight did not deserve it.
Chesty Puller is here, making statements that make headlines.
Col Ben Davis is here, making a cross country (mountain) trek to reinforce a Lt McCarthy, who is holding a key pass that will allow the Marines to get to the Coast. The Marines fought off somewhere between 7 and 9 divisions, inflicting thousands of casualties. The Chinese too, suffered from the cold. They wore tennis shoes, and when they attacked, the Marines could hear their frozen feet clacking on the ground, as the Chinese feet were solid blocks of ice. The ROK soldiers involved were people that had been kidnapped off the street for the Korean Army, and had no military training. They were useless.
The civilians, as usual suffered the most, getting killed by both sides. Gen Smith never did say "Retreat Hell, We're just advancing the other way!". He said, "Heck, wer are just advancing the other way." The reporters improved on it. As other reviewers have noted, it is a very biased book, and others should be read to get a balanced story. Be in a warm place when you read the book. It is a story about incredible cold and bravery
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Summary: Break out the crayons
Review: This book is a true tale of heroism. As I've read many of the other reviews, it appears a battle between Marines and other service members has ensued. For those of you who have never served in the military, there is now and has always been a inner service rivalry. There are soldiers, saliors and Marines. Marines have always done the toughest jobs for the US as is evident in this book. The Marines have not only faced the worst opposition solely, however something I don't think the Army teaches it's recruits in boot camp is the Marine Corps became well endowed with vehicles and other heavy equipment as they picked it up from the army after the retreated and abandoned their equipment in Korea. Funny....same thing happened while I served in the first Gulf War. Hey no reason to be bitter. Thanks for the stuff, it was nice to get new gear for a change. Back to the book. My brother-in-laws father was with the frozen chosin mentioned in this book and is mentioned twice in the book. He earned himself a Silver Star and obviously a Purple Heart while serving there. When he recommended I read this book, I was blown away. They say Korea is the forgotten war, we they sure are right until now. Read this book you will not regret it.
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Summary: Exciting account with annoying flaws.
Review: Martin Rus' account of the Chosin campaign is gripping. As an oral history it's real page turner. It is a terrifying account. Yet, there are several factors that made it hard to follow. The most glaring of which was the lack of time references. The whole campaign is described by day and night. There are almost no date references. This may be done on purose to give the reader an idea of what it may have been like for the Marines on the ground but it is hard on the reader. This is compounded when the author switchs back and forth between the naratives of participants. He tends to tell each of their stories form beginning to end. This gives the impression of many days passing rather than the events ocuring concurrently.
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Summary: Custer's last stand in snow!
Review: I read a lot of military history, but I hadn't read much about the Korean War. What a way to start! This book by Russ is a real classic and a tribute to the valor of the US Marines fighting for their lives around the Chosin Reservoir. I couldn't put this book down. Many times during descriptions of all out attacks by masses of Chinese troops against isolated groups of Marines I was put in mind of Custer's last stand. The big difference here is that the Marines managed to scrape and claw their way out. Definitely a 5 star recommendation!
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