This kind of war
This Kind of War is the most comprehensive single-volume history of the Korean-American conflict that began in 1950 and is still affecting United States' foreign policy. Fifty years later, not only does this enlightening account give details of the tactics, infantrymen and equipment, but also chronicles the story of military and political unpreparedness that led to a profligate loss of American lives in Korea. The author T.R. Fehrenbach, an officer in the conflict, provides us with accounts of the combat situation that could only have been written by an eyewitness in the thick of the action. But what truly sets this book apart from other military memoirs is the piercing analysis of the global political maneuverings behind the brutal ground warfare that marked this bloody period of history, one which has been all but forgotten. Hailed as "a must for all soldiers and former soldiers" by an Amazon.com reviewer, This Kind of War restores the Korean War to its rightful place in American history -- as a touchstone for United States foreign engagement and a lesson for politicians ready to shed American blood on far-away soil.
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- The British system were called Rainbow Codes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Code
See this from the article:
"During WWII, British intelligence was able to glean details of new German technologies simply by considering their code names. For instance, when they began hearing of a new system known as Wotan, Reginald Victor Jones asked around and found that Wotan was a one-eyed god. Based on this, he guessed it was a radio navigation system using a single radio beam. This proved correct, and the Royal Air Force was able to quickly render it useless through jamming."
Read R.V. Jones book "Most secret* war" if this kind of war-engineering interests you.
* Pay attention to "most secret" rather than the ghastly Americanism "top secret"!
- War is diplomacy by other means, a fundamentally political decision. As long as there are armies, it is politicians who will send men to die, and those politicians are responding to their voting blocs.
Thus senior military leadership is keenly interested in readiness. This requires training, R&D, and intelligence. "Are my officers and troops more physically and mentally prepared than the enemy's?" "What's the best weapon I've got?" and "What's the best weapon they've got?" are critical questions.
See T. R. Fehrenbach's "This Kind of War" for the US's brutal baptism into the darker side of their role as a superpower, a war no American wanted to get involved in. The short-hand in history for this necessity of readinesss is Task Force Smith (2).
(1) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1574883348
(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Osan#Task_Force_Smit...
- Good recommendation.
A few more books worth reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Private_Life_of_Chairman_M...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_China_Blues
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/118690.This_Kind_of_War
It may not be possible to fully understand China's 20th century struggles, but it's a fascinating subject.
- This Kind of War (reading list Marine Corps commandant 2026 Vietnam War) suggests the answer is that the US fought crusades through WW2. Then they got Korea; not absolute war, not a crusade. And the US had no reference frame for that. Who is winning and why and why are Americans dying for this?
- > the Pentagon leadership didn't read that book before starting the Iran affair.
The current Pentagon leadership is the kind of people that buy thousands of books with public money that nobody will read (written by their friends).
- "Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card" is the only one from the list I have read.
- "This Kind of War: The Classic Korean War History, by T. R. Fehrenbach" seems interesting. South Korea still seems very grateful to the USA and commemorates the USA (and the rest of allies) that helped them during the Korean war.
- >- "This Kind of War: The Classic Korean War History, by T. R. Fehrenbach" seems interesting. South Korea still seems very grateful to the USA and commemorates the USA (and the rest of allies) that helped them during the Korean war.
For "easy reading"- viewing - on that war there are somewhat informative - in very coarse grain sense - movies that i watched recently:
SK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_of_Jangsari
China (with heavy propaganda angle of course and a big budget): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_at_Lake_Changjin
