Chosin

"Leaves the reader in awe of the feat of arms."-Infantry Magazine "Full of accounts of the stuff that legends are made of."-Sea Power Magazine "A factual, revealing, and penetrating look at war at its worst and men at their best."-San Diego Union Told from the point of view of the men in the foxholes and tanks, outposts and command posts, this is the definitive account of the epic retreat under fire of the 1st Marine Division from the Chosin Reservoir. The author first sketches in the errors and miscalculations on the part of the American high command that caused the Marines to be strung out at the end of a narrow road scores of miles from the sea. He then plunges right into the action: the massing of Chinese forces in about ten-to-one strength; the Marines' command problems due to the climate and terrain and high-level over-confidence; and the onset of the overwhelming Chinese assault. There is a wealth of tactical detail and small unit action: from an intelligence officer trying to make sense of conflicting reports, to engineers improvising a wooden bridge made from logs and then paving it with snow, to tired, frightened Marines being marched off to POW camps. In one of the most startling episodes a battle-weary officer reports to a higher headquarters safely located in the rear behind friendly lines and finds formally dressed staff personnel sitting down to full course dinners. Chosin is the most complete book written to date on this iconic battle. Author Eric Hammel's masterful account offers an invaluable perspective on war at the gut level.Hammel, Eric M. is the author of 'Chosin', published 2007 under ISBN 9780760331545 and ISBN 0760331545.