Voices from the Korean War: Personal Stories of American, Korean and Chinese Soldiers
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4.05 · Rating details · 22 ratings · 5 reviews
" a selection of The History Book Club and The Military History Book Club Read a chapter from the book "In three days the number of so-called 'volunteers' reached over three hundred men. Very quickly they organized us into military units. Just like that I became a North Korean soldier and was on the way to some unknown place." -- from the book South Korean Lee Young Ho was seventeen years old when he was forced to serve in the North Korean People's Army during the first year of the Korean War. After a few months, he deserted the NKPA and returned to Seoul where he joined the South Korean Marine Corps. Ho's experience is only one of the many compelling accounts found in Voices from the Korean War. Unique in gathering war stories from veterans from all sides of the Korean War -- American, South Korean, North Korean, and Chinese -- this volume creates a vivid and multidimensional portrait of the three-year-long conflict told by those who experienced the ground war firsthand. Richard Peters and Xiaobing Li include a significant introduction that provides a concise history of the Korean conflict, as well as a geographical and a political backdrop for the soldiers' personal stories. (less)
This War was not taught in any aspect of my education, so I decided to do some reading and educate myself.
There is an introduction explaining the war, and what led up to it. The stories come from varied individuals, and overall the book is very eye-opening and informative.
There is an introduction explaining the war, and what led up to it. The stories come from varied individuals, and overall the book is very eye-opening and informative.
Feb 12, 2018Parker Duren rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Great for anyone who has either no knowledge of the Korean war or is very knowledgeable. I am the former, and can gladly say that I now have a small understanding of the Korean war and the events surrounding it. The interviews give many perspectives, so as to not bias the viewpoints that this book gives on the events of the Korean war. Very interesting.
Mar 29, 2007Jenny rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Recommends it for: Everyone searching for more of a context for the Iraq war
I feel that I am a fairly informed person in regards to politics and the world stage. However, I realized that although I might read the Times everyday, listen to NPR religiously, and am myself a "product" of the Vietnam war (father being a refugee), I knew nearly nothing about the Korean War. I wanted to read something that would give a good overview of the political climate as well as several different view points, not just the history book ethnocentric one.
This book has a great historical set up to begin with and the following 3/4ths of the book are personal testimonials from American, South Korean, North Korean, and Chinese soldiers. I've learned a lot and the current situation with Kim and the "6 party talks" make a lot more sense. (less)
This book has a great historical set up to begin with and the following 3/4ths of the book are personal testimonials from American, South Korean, North Korean, and Chinese soldiers. I've learned a lot and the current situation with Kim and the "6 party talks" make a lot more sense. (less)
This book was about people from the Korean War there were lots of differnt jobs that people did. It was a good book it had lots of good stories and things that really happened.
Feb 24, 2015C. Adam Volle rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: korea-books-read, nonfiction, books-read-in-2015
There's a little value here if you're capable of critically comparing the accounts on your own, but the connections aren't made for you and the storytelling skills of the laypeople naturally vary. (less)
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