“Hold on to your hats, Korea is a land of surprises.”
Taking place between 1950-1953, The Korean War is sometimes referred to as ‘The Forgotten War’, especially for those in the Western World. Taking place between the Second World War and Vietnam War, the war saw the invasion of Capitalist South Korea by Communist North Korea and would soon drag in the wider opposing forces of the Cold War.
A US-led UN coalition supported South Korea whilst Communist China backed the North in a conflict that would result in roughly three million casualties, making it one of the deadliest in modern history. What’s more, the conflict is still technically ongoing to this day.
An uneasy ceasefire signed in 1953 has largely kept the fighting to a minimum, however, tensions in the Korean Peninsula still exist today through regular aggressive military exercises. Join us here at What We Reading as we look back at the best Korean War books!
The War That Never Ended – Gordon Kerr
For those looking for an easy-to-digest overview of the Korean War, Gordon Kerr’s The War That Never Ended is the perfect starting point. In the book, Kerr explores all of the conflict’s major battles, campaigns, personalities and politics whilst also examining why it is so rarely discussed in contemporary society. Kerr argues that the war’s overlooked status comes from its frustrating conclusion and lack of a clear ‘winner’.
On Desperate Ground – Hampton Miles
In On Desperate Ground, New York Times bestseller Hampton Miles brings to life one of the most heroic and courageous moments in American military history. Featuring meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Miles tells the story of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. Between November and December 1950, spurred on by General Douglas Macarthur’s ‘Home by Christmas’ mission, 13,000 US Marines walked into a trap set by Chinese forces totalling over 300,000.
Faced with incredible odds and temperatures reaching twenty degrees below zero, Miles utilises eyewitness testimonies from the Marines and Koreans present at the siege to demonstrate what is possible in the most extreme circumstances.
King Of Spies – Blaine Harden
Blaine Harden’s King of Spies tells the scarcely-believable tale of one of the world’s most significant covert operators. Donald Nichols rose from an ordinary mechanic in Guam to one of South Korea’s most trusted spies, warning Syngman Rhee’s regime of the impending North invasion months in advance and breaking enemy codes throughout the conflict.
However, Nichols was not without controversy. Not only did he not intervene in the countless atrocities committed ordered by Rhee, but his recruitment of refugee camps and prisons would see him happily send plenty of men off to their deaths in reckless missions. A hugely enigmatic character, Harden sheds light on the life and times of Nichols and the vital role he played in the shaping of Korean politics.
A Brief History Of Korea – Michael J. Seth
Whilst it is a book that explores the entire history of the Korean Peninsula from its ancient roots to the present day, Michael Seth’s A Brief History of Korea remains one of the best guides on understanding the differences between the North and the South. Seth looks at the conflicts and occupations from its neighbours that led to the Korean conflict, and the diverging paths the present-day two countries took in its aftermath.
With one country a booming economy and the other a state closed off from the rest of the world, it is a fascinating deep dive into the Korean people, as well as the geography, politics and ideologies that keep them separated.
Mao, Stalin And The Korean War – Zhihua Shen
A riveting translation of the first-hand documents that broke Chinese taboo by not presenting conflict in a heroic light, Mao, Stalin and the Korean War serves as a deep dive into the inner workings of the two biggest Communist powers: China and the USSR. By the 1950s, China and the Soviet Union were the two most powerful Communist countries in the world.
However, through collecting never-before-seen first-hand documents, transcripts and insights, Shen sheds light on how the early cracks in what would eventually become the Sino-Soviet Split were laid during the Korean War. The book is a compelling narrative into the motivations and ideologies primarily behind the Chinese and North Korean forces during the war, and how these would go on to profoundly shape Asian history going forward.
Korea: Traces Of A Forgotten War – James N. Butcher
Attempting to shed light on a conflict known as the ‘Forgotten War’, Korea: Traces of a Forgotten War is a collection of accounts from Professor James Butcher. Butcher served as a psychologist for UN forces during the war, and the book follows his experiences with Fox Company of the 17th Infantry Regiment in the Korean War’s final year (1952-1953).
His powerful testimonies on the brutality of two major battlegrounds serve as an incredible illustration of life on the frontlines, as well as why it is so important the Korean War is never forgotten by those in the Western world.
Korean Air War – Michael Napier
From acclaimed aviation historian Michael Napier, Korean Air War: Sabres, MiGs and Meteors, 1950–53 is one of the best Korean war books on the battle for the skies during the years of the conflict. As the first major ‘hot’ conflict of the Cold War and since the end of WW2, the Korean War marked a defining point in aviation combat.
In the first instance of major jet-versus-jet combat, Napier meticulously runs through all the campaigns and missions performed by all the major powers on both sides of the war. Complete with primary reports and fascinating imagery, it is a groundbreaking piece on this overlooked slice of history.
Check out the best WW2 Books from 2022
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
