Xiaobing Li

I enjoyed reading this book. It is first hand accounts of a war that seems to be forgotten. I especially liked the wide variety of accounts on all sides of the war and how each one became a part of the war, what they did in the war and what happened after.

The book steers away from the political standpoint and brings a fresh outlook on a war that effected millions of people. From front line soldiers to logistic personals to the nurses and doctors who bandaged the wounded, this book covers it all. From NVA, ARVN, and the allies in-between, everyone's story is unique and enlightening.… (altro)

This remains a very good examination of why Mao Tsetung felt obligated to involve his new regime in the Korean War, the qualities that made the Chinese "Volunteers" immediately successful, and why those qualities were insufficient to carry the day in what was supposed to be the decisive offensive of 1951. You will learn a great deal about how the Chinese political and military leadership saw themselves, and how they adapted in the face of near failure. Where this book might have become just a bit lacking is while we know that the current Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, takes the history of this conflict very seriously, the question is just what lessons he thinks he's learned; at the very least they seem to include making sure China has answers to American military doctrine and technology when planning a war of choice.… (altro)