Customer Reviews

Raiders of the China Coast: CIA Covert Operations During the Korean War (Civil War in the West)

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I had high hopes for this book. It touched on a little-known aspect of not only the Korean War but the complicated role of China in US foreign policy as well. It was also an important opportunity to demonstrate the importance of covert ops in war by someone who was there.

Unfortunately, "Raiders" was 90% chummy tales of the men and their antics in the barracks. It was much closer to a "Hogan's Heroes" sort of tale, i.e., "then Bobby got drunk and sank the boat, ha ha, and then the commander transferred him..." Who cares? Details of operations were non-existent and the role they played in the larger strategic conflicts was ignored. I found the book laborious to get through. Way too much time is spent describing the personality quirks of the men involved and they're presented in a blizzard of names that a reader will have difficulty keeping track of.

The writer also desperately tries to tell his story in a dry, straight-shooter-damn-the-politicians Clint Eastwood kind of way. It fails, unfortunately, to bring life to the book. All in all, save your money.

This book, which focuses on a little-known U.S. campaign to diminish Chinese capabilities at the height of the Korean War, provides a fascinating and entertaining insight into how U.S. covert operations were conducted in the early days of the Cold War, and the bravery and camaraderie of those involved in these operations. A VERY enjoyable and insightful read.

Frank Holober's account of the CIA paramilitary operations on the southeastern coast of China is unusually insightful. By focusing on the men who ran the operation, he humanizes the story in a way few CIA insiders-turned-authors have managed. It makes for an entertaining, as well as informative, read -- a rare find within this usually dry-as-toast genre. I recommend it to all history buffs as well as readers newly venturing into the intricacies of Cold War activity. It's a gem for anyone's bookshelf.