Customer Reviews

Alpha Bravo Delta Guide to the Korean Conflict (Alpha Bravo Delta Guides)

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Let me say first to eliminate confusion that Amazon's listing is incorrect. The author is not Thomas Gordon Smith. I was unable to find any author by that name. As the rest of the information states, this excellent, enlightening, and a bit frightening resource was written by W. Thomas Smith, Jr.

At first, I was not sure I would be overwhelmed with interest in the subject of a war fought during my lifetime and rarely mentioned. I am a Vietnam veteran and have focused my reading on events in American history prior to my lifetime. This book sat on my shelf for a couple of years waiting for me to get around to it. However, I was quickly captivated by Smith's presentation. Beginning with a brief but satisfactorily complete survey of the past five or so thousand years of Korean history, the reader is brought up to date into the 21st century. Published in 2004, Smith's work brings us into the middle of George W. Bush's presidency. This book's timeliness is fascinating to me, especially since this week (3 days, in fact) finds Americans and the world remembering the 10th anniversary of the destruction of the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001. Whether you find yourself agreeing with President Bush's response to North Korea, and, for that matter, with President Truman's handling of the conflict itself is something no one can predict. I am not sure I even know now whether I agree with decisions that were made or not. History does not usually reveal the correctness or incorrectness of decisions for generations after the events are done. What I DO know is that thanks to his little book, 304 pages long, Smith has given me more to think about than I ever imagined. I am both frightened and comforted by what I have read.

Smith is a military man himself, so he knows his subject, and presents his information confidently, competently, and in a very readable way. Again, I was captivated from the first pages. Although I am sure there are many more things he could have included in his story, I am very satisfied and anxious to read more. There is an old saying that the way for a cook to win rave reviews about their cooking is to leave the diners wanting more. This W. Thomas Smith, Jr. has done, and for that reason along with style and many other things, I highly recommend "...the Korean Conflict" and give it:

Five stars!