Carter Malkasian completed his doctorate on the history of wars of attrition, specialising in the Korean War, at
Oxford University. He has taught a number of history courses at Oxford, including the history of the Cold War.
Review
"... superb full colour maps, which are worth several thousand words in explaining the key actions of the
war."
--David Porter (Miniature Wargames)
Oxford University Press Web Site, May, 2003
Summary
The Korean War was a significant turning point in the Cold War. This book explains how the conflict in a small
peninsula in East Asia had a tremendous impact on the entire international system and the balance of power between
the two superpowers, America and Russia. Through the conflict, the West demonstrated its resolve to thwart Communist
aggression and the armed forces of China, the Soviet Union and the United States came into direct combat for the
only time during the Cold War.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chronology
Background to war: Two Koreas, the Superpowers and China
Outbreak: The Communists strike
The fighting: Avoiding a third world war
Portrait of a soldier: Patrolling, raiding and digging
The world around war: The domestic and international impact
Portrait of a civilian: Kyonshill Kang
How the war ended: Closing moves
Conclusion and consequences The significance of the Korean War in the history of warfare
