This Kind of War: The Classic Korean War History. - Review - book review

Aerospace Power Journal, Summer, 2001 by Kenneth P. Werrell

This Kind of War: The Classic Korean War History by T. R. Fehrenbach. Brassey's (http://www.brasseysinc.com/index.htm), 22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, Virginia 20166, 1998, 483 pages.

Many people consider T. R. Fehrenbach's This Kind of War a--if not the--standard history of the Korean War. The book under review is a large-format, paperback reprint of that 1963 study. Getting this book back into print is clearly a contribution; however, Brassey's effort is marred by sins of omission and commission. Deletion of the photos may be only regrettable, but exclusion of the maps is criminal, justifying retention of earlier editions of the book. The only other change to the original is the substitution of a new subtitle--the grander "The Classic Korean War History"--for the humbler and more descriptive "A Study in Unpreparedness." There is no introductory essay, no indication of why this is a "classic," and no indication of how more recent scholarship has changed or modified what Fehrenbach wrote over a third of a century ago. But enough of the publisher.

This Kind of War is a long study of US involvement in the Korean War, notable for its anecdotal approach. It centers on US ground forces and gives readers an excellent feel for the troops. As the original subtitle indicated, one of the major themes of the book is the unpreparedness of the US military and what that cost. The book makes a number of other points as well. For example, unlike most American authors on the subject, Fehrenbach is sympathetic to the performance of the South Korean army. At the same time, he is blunt in his criticism of US military performance and gives good coverage of the prisoner of war issue--both US and communist. Fehrenbach also delves into other areas of current interest. One is the problem of "friendly fire," which clearly occurred more frequently than we would like to believe. Perhaps most relevant for today (and tomorrow) is the author's assertion that citizen armies can best fight in defense of their homeland or on crusades but not (very well) in limited wars. In Fehrenbach 's energetic words, "citizens, unless they hear the clarion call, or the angel's trumpet, are apt to be a rabble in arms" (page 61).

Overall, then, how does This Kind of War stack up? Clearly, it is dated in its presentation of the political context and the MacArthur firing. From today's perspective, the author's language and views of the Cold War are almost quaint. While the emphasis on individuals stands up well, despite the book's length, Fehrenbach's coverage of the war is narrow. There is very little on the air portion of the war. The lack of either citations or a bibliography also limits the usefulness of this effort. Finally, this is a long book written in a flamboyant, journalistic style that some readers will find refreshing and others will find annoying. A number of books have appeared since 1963 that are as detailed, anecdotal, and readable as this effort but broader and more up to date. Therefore, while I am happy to see This Kind of War back in print and will refer it to students, I will do so with both caveats and caution.