Hampton Sides is an excellent historian and an engaging writer. In this book, as in his others - In the Kingdom of Ice is one of the most compelling books I have ever read - he latches on to an incident about which many know a little.
In On Desperate Ground, his detailed telling of the story of - and the stories around - t the ill-fated 1950 advance to the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea and the heroic, terrible withdrawal of the American forces, including the storied First Marine Division, gives a rich understanding of the event and also places it into a broader political and historical context. And, along with the events and the forces that shaped them, he adds finely drawn portraits of individual protagonists - politicians, generals, officers, fighting men and civilians. Even if you’ve read biographies of Truman and MacArthur, there are insights here. If you know the military history of the campaign, you will learn more. And if you have studied actions of individuals and groups under dire circumstances, this book holds new portraits of courage, gallantry, callowness and redemption.
Sides weaves these three levels of the story. First, the macro-political and strategic featuring Truman, MacArthur, commander of the First Marine Division General O.P. Smith and Army Major General Edward Almond who had overall command of American ground forces. Next, the intricacies and details of the preparation for battle on the home front and the battlefield. Finally, intimate and harrowing stories of what happened to those engaged in the battle - soldiers and civilians on both sides.
A true historian, Sides leaves the judgments about character, morality and success or failure to his readers. He is even-handed to a fault, even offering redemption to the most venal of the protagonists. He communicates the absolute horror of the battles and their aftermath without sensationalism, again leaving the reader to softly whisper ‘Holy shit’ at the endurance of the human spirit.
The book bears some poignancy. Sides interviewed survivors of the battle - the Chosin Few - as their numbers dwindled. The epilogue tells the stories of what happened to many of them in later life. Read it closely.
Like In the Kingdom of Ice, this is a very compelling read. Detailed enough to appeal to dedicated non-fiction readers and with characters, color and intricate stories that will appeal to those with a more casual interest.
Published by Doubleday. Borrow it from your local library, or buy it from your local independent bookstore - I recommend Warwick's of La Jolla.
Published by Doubleday. Borrow it from your local library, or buy it from your local independent bookstore - I recommend Warwick's of La Jolla.
