The Korean War in Asia

The collection of essays in this anthology represents an important moment in the study of the Korean War. First, the field of Korean War studies is no longer dominated by macroanalyses of Cold War geopolitics. The “view from above” will no doubt continue, as it should, but this volume’s second contribution is how “forgotten” can be redefined. Typically, “forgotten” means the war’s absence from US historical memory. Few Americans learn much about the war in high school history classes, and even fewer are aware of the war’s role in establishing a permanent military industrial complex in the US. But these essays detail how Japan and Taiwan’s participation in the world is forgotten or ignored, the effect of the war on the lives of individuals not from the peninsula, and the unexpected connections between the war and countries like Mongolia. For example, one essay describes the lone Japanese POW and how his life ties together several wars, countries, and armies into an integrated East Asian and micro-historical view of the war. A wonderful balance to the top-heavy studies of the Korean War, which students will appreciate. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All public and academic levels/libraries. * CHOICE *
This remarkable book’s unique approach makes it one of most important works we have on the Korean War. Rather than attempt to answer traditional questions regarding origins or battle tactics, it traces the domino effect of the war on governments and peoples peripherally related to the actual slaughter itself. In providing a multi-dimensional perspective on the extent to which this war profoundly affected the broader region, the authors advance our knowledge of the ‘forgotten’ war while offering a model for adopting a wider perspective on wars in general. This study will be essential reading to all those interested in Korea and modern war. -- Mark Caprio, Rikkyo University
A truly essential book at a critical juncture for Northeast Asia. In lucid prose and with far-ranging examples, Tessa Morris-Suzuki and her fellow authors powerfully reveal that ‘the very divergent ways in which the Korean War is remembered and forgotten in the countries that participated in the conflict have the power to fuel present and future regional tensions.’ This should be required reading for everyone involved in thinking about Korea and its place in the world today. -- Alexis Dudden, University of Connecticut