“Superb…A masterpiece of thorough research, deft pacing and arresting detail…This war story — the fight to break out of a frozen hell near the Chosin Reservoir — has been told many times before. But Sides tells it exceedingly well, with fresh research, gritty scenes and cinematic sweep.”—Washington PostFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Soldiers and In the Kingdom of Ice, a … Soldiers and In the Kingdom of Ice, a chronicle of the extraordinary feats of heroism by Marines called on to do the impossible during the greatest battle of the Korean War
On October 15, 1950, General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander of UN troops in Korea, convinced President Harry Truman that the Communist forces of Kim Il-sung would be utterly defeated by Thanksgiving. The Chinese, he said with near certainty, would not intervene in the war.
As he was speaking, 300,000 Red Chinese soldiers began secretly crossing the Manchurian border. Led by some 20,000 men of the First Marine Division, the Americans moved deep into the snowy mountains of North Korea, toward the trap Mao had set for the vainglorious MacArthur along the frozen shores of the Chosin Reservoir. What followed was one of the most heroic–and harrowing–operations in American military history, and one of the classic battles of all time. Faced with probable annihilation, and temperatures plunging to 20 degrees below zero, the surrounded, and hugely outnumbered, Marines fought through the enemy forces with ferocity, ingenuity, and nearly unimaginable courage as they marched their way to the sea.
Hampton Sides’ superb account of this epic clash relies on years of archival research, unpublished letters, declassified documents, and interviews with scores of Marines and Koreans who survived the siege. While expertly detailing the follies of the American leaders, On Desperate Ground is an immediate, grunt’s-eye view of history, enthralling in its narrative pace and powerful in its portrayal of what ordinary men are capable of in the most extreme circumstances.
Hampton Sides has been hailed by critics as one of the best nonfiction writers of his generation. As the Miami Herald wrote, “Sides has a novelist’s eye for the propulsive elements that lend momentum and dramatic pace to the best nonfiction narratives.”
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What a book! Through moment-by-moment, intensely-researched details, On Desperate Ground utterly immerses the reader in this harrowing battle. Hampton Sides gives us a better understanding of the history behind current U.S. relations with Korea and China while offering a series of captivating profiles in human courage—an absolutely riveting read.
On Desperate Ground is a masterpiece of war history, a sweeping and powerfully drawn epic of the Korean War and its mightiest battle. The astonishing heroism, resourcefulness, and grit of the Marines trapped at Chosin Reservoir boggles the mind, and Hampton Sides’s telling of the story largely through the voices of those who fought (including Koreans) makes for a spellbinding and moving narrative. One of the most harrowing accounts of war I have ever read, this book is destined to become a classic
On Desperate Ground is first-rate narrative history. Hampton Sides’ characters are richly drawn, his background history engrossing, and his battle scenes bone-chillingly realistic–a great read.
Hampton Sides’s On Desperate Ground is a heart-pounding, fiercely written account of the brutal Chosin Reservoir Campaign during the Korean War. Every page pulsates with drama. Sides, an American master of nonfiction, has written one of the finest battle books ever
Turning defeat into victory is one of the hardest of military accomplishments. Pulling off a retreat under a pressure is an extraordinary tactical maneuver, fraught with disaster. This excellent book details one of the Marine Corps greatest accomplishments that accomplished both. The author goes into detail into how this was accomplished and the bravery of the men who made this happen. Must read for all students of military history.
My father has shared his experiences of the Chosin Reservoir campaign with me and I have been horrified for him ever since. I have extensively researched and read about this inhuman event that he and so many others endured. Not until I read Hampton Sides’s account, which includes many personal heartbreaking and triumphant stories, have I actually lived and experienced it myself. If you want to feel terror, horror, and anguish, witness unremitting bravery in the face of ceaseless, overwhelming, and ghastly battle, and immerse yourself in the most unforgiving terrain and climate U.S. troops have ever faced, you must read On Desperate Ground. Hampton Sides takes you there. You will be overwhelmed.
Robert M. Lynch, Author of THE BED I MADE: A journey of fulfilled hope, fifty years in the making.
The beauty of well-written history is that it reads like a gripping literary work. In most cases when we read history, we know the outcome, excepting if you happen to pick up the biography of an obscure historical figure such as, for example, Thomas Cromwell (kudos to Hilary Mantel for her excellent work on that fascinating English figure). But reading a well written historical work that keeps your rapt attention, even when you do know the outcome, is pure delight. This is why I have such respect and admiration for the late Barbara Tuchman, whose works encompassed disparate issues such as the Black Plague in 14th century France, the root causes of World War 1, and U.S. foreign policy in China. All of her works read like novels, especially my favorite Tuchman work of all: Stillwell and the American Experience in China. This work follows the career of Gen. Joseph Stillwell, one of the least-known four-star American generals to have served in World War 2.
Hampton Sides’ latest book On Desperate Ground is about the U.S. ‘fighting’ withdrawal from the Chosin Reservoir in the midst of one of the coldest winters ever in Korea in December 1950. Although we know the outcome (the majority of the Marine and Army troops got out safely), the heroism of the men—particularly those of the First Marine Division—never ceases to astonish when you take in Sides’ detailed, but readable work. Unbeknownst to U.S. Marine and Army troops who—at the behest of General Douglas MacArthur—raced toward the Yalu River in the fall of 1950, Chinese People’s Liberation Army forces were massing just across the border. As the weather grew colder, U.S. and United Nations’ forces (primarily South Korean troops) were unaware that Chinese PLA forces had already infiltrated Korean territory and were massing for an ambush near the Chosin Reservoir. This reservoir was created by a hydro-electric project, that had been built by the Japanese in the 1930s to help power industry on the east coast of Korea to assist the war machine of the Japanese Imperial Army in WW 2 (one of the many interesting historical anecdotes you will find throughout the book). Blinded by ambition, dismissive of the available intelligence, and urged on by Gen. MacArthur, Army General Edward ‘Ned’ Almond ordered the Army and Marine units right into the Chinese trap. When the Chinese launched their attack, U.S. troops were surrounded and outnumbered by four to one. Had it not been for the foresight and tactical acumen of Marine General Oliver Smith (and the gallantry of Naval and Marine pilots—including the Navy’s first African-American pilot), many more Marines and soldiers would have met their death.
Sides also focuses on various individuals whose heroism in the battle helped to win the day, and on various individuals who simply survived. Sides elucidates many facts that are lost against the greater story, for example, the fact that many of the wounded were actually saved by the fierce cold snap (sometimes measuring as low as -36 degrees Fahrenheit). Wounds that would normally have meant death by blood loss were often tamped down by the freezing weather. Of course, many other men died of exposure. Sides describes the story of a brave young Korean man who survived the battle of Seoul in the fall of 1950 and volunteered to work as an interpreter for U.S. and UN forces at Chosin. Sides also points out that Mao Zedong’s oldest son—Mao Anying—was killed in a U.S. napalm strike on PLA forces in late November as the battle was commencing. There are too many anecdotes to be retold in this short of a space, but Hampton Sides needs to be commended for bringing to our attention an amazing story in an almost forgotten campaign. The Battle of the Frozen Chosin Reservoir will always loom large in the lore of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Great read
Incredible story
Richly deserves its place among the best books of the year
The Korean War. The war everybody forgets. This book is so well written and gives you a reason to respect those that fought and died in this frozen land.
Inspirational book of great marine courage and endurance against overwhelming odds and in terrible weather with inadequate equipment
Sides writes history with a novelist’s sense of drama and suspense and his latest “On Desperate Ground” displays his great gift of storytelling.
Another well-told history by Hampton Sides about the Marines in the Korean War
Quite simply one of the finest accounts of military history that I have ever read.
Stirring and engrossing, it’s non-fiction that reads like a compelling novel.
The writing is exceptional.
An exploration into the history, geo-political motivations and the recklessness and egos of some of our leaders, did someone say, “MacArthur”? , that surrounded the Korean conflict.
Meticulously researched and finely detailed, it is a rich, rewarding, and informative look at the human spirit in the face of supposedly insurmountable odds.
The heart of this tale, however, is the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. The greatest battle of the Korean War and one of the bloodiest campaigns in military history. Told from a soldier’s-eye view.
Mr. Sides intersperses the story with personal glimpses into various soldiers lives which enriches and deepens the human aspect of this account.
The suffering these men endured and the courage they showed is almost unimaginable.
The honor and bravery of these Marines, soldiers, and airmen made me well-up with pride.
I want to thank everyone who has ever served, is serving, and who will ever serve for “laying-it-on-the-line” for democracy and freedom.
“On Desperate Ground” is a remarkable achievement. A triumph.
The author of Blood and Thunder and Ghost Soldiers takes on the allied fight at the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. His exceptional prose, detailed research, and in-depth analysis make this book a great read. His tails from the President to the Marine in the foxhole cover the subject expertly.
A nonfiction book that keeps you wanting to read more.