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In October 1979, a series of potentially catastrophic events was set into motion: President Park Chung-hee was assassinated, South Korean officers staged a coup d’état, and South Korean troops brutally suppressed civilian demonstrators during the controversial Kwangju uprising. Any one of these incidents could have sparked another major conflict on the Korean Peninsula. General Wickham contends war was avoided largely because of resolute action taken by the governments of the United States and the Republic of Korea, and because of the combat readiness of U.S. and South Korean forces. Moreover, he believes that this deterrent contributed to a political-economic evolution in South Korea and to subsequent peaceful transfers of power. Korea on the Brink sheds light on how political-military policy is formulated within the U.S. government and on how such policy is shaped and executed “in the field” under trying circumstances. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A US perspective on key events in recent Korean history
"Korea on the Brink" is an account of a dramatic period of Korean/American relations by General John Wickham.As well as commanding United States Forces in South Korea, Wickham was the Commander in Chief of United Nations Command and US-ROK Combined Forces Command, from 1979 to 1982. This time period is one of the most pivotal periods of modern Korean History.Not only was a Korean president assassinated, but South Korea experienced a military coup as well as a civil uprising, both of which had long-term implications for South Korea, both in its relations with its key supporter, the United States, but also its internal security.These catastrophic events took place in a country which remains technically at war with its neighbour, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (I have always found it amusing that the most repressive of countries often choose to include "Democratic in their official name).The United States, with several thousand troops stationed in Korea and neighbouring Japan, had a vested interest in the maintenance of a peaceful Korean peninsula. However, for the time period covered by "Korea on the Brink", the diplomatic and military representatives of the United States in Korea were continually challenged in this regard.

Korea on the Brink starts with a hiss and a roar, propelling the reader straight into the events of late October 1979, when President Park Chung-hee was assassinated by the head of the KCIA. (As an aside, I can recommend the Korean film The President's Last Bang, which is a good dramatisation of the events surrounding the assassination).Another event on which Wickham understandably passes comment is the so-called 12/12 Incident.On December 12, General Chun, dismayed with the civilian response to the power vacuum created by Park's assassination, launched a military coup.The end result was 12 years of military dictatorship (not many would consider Chun's successor Roh as being a truly "elected" president), before leadership reverted to civilian policitians.Following Chun's grasp for power, Chun then had to deal with the Kwangju uprising (also the subject of a recent Korean movie, "May 12").While much of the book focuses on the issues of the South Korean leadership, at times Wickham reverts back to a bigger picture of South Korean defence, in particular dealing with infiltrations along the DMZ by the North Koreans.

At times, "Korea on the Brink" can be a little dull in its analysis, until the next crisis on the Korean peninsula arises at least! Nonetheless, "Korea on the Brink" provides an insightful look at US/ROK relations at a time of intense stress, and the difficulties in dealing with a sometimes volatile Korean leadership.If you have read Don Oberdorfer's The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History (Revised and Updated Edition), this book will supplement your understanding of the events discussed in chapter 5.

Inside the Military in a Korean Crisis
This remarkable memoir by the then Commander of U.S. Forces, Korea, the U.S.-Korean Combined Forces Command, and the UN Command is a significant contribution to the history of U.S.-Korean relations and to the major political as well as military role that a senior commander is called upon to play in a major international crisis. It is an excellent companion piece to the diplomatic history of much the same period by former Ambassador William H. Gleysteen (Massive Entanglement, Marginal Influence -- see review) and covers the dramatic period following the assassination of Korean President Park Chung-hee, the subsequent internal Korean military coup, the tragedy of Kwangju, and Chun's assumption of the presidency. While written within a narrower frame than the Gleysteen chronicle, General Wickham digs deeper into the internal Korean military intrigue and personalities, and the dialogue between himself and Korean senior officers.

An eye-opener
When a country is in the news regularly, I like to read up on that country so can understand the politics of the region. I got this book to learn more about Korea and how it reacts to its neighbors. What an eye-opener! Our troops have played a major role in keeping that part of the world stable and Ambassador Holbrooke comments' make it clear that a stable Korea will help considerably with the balance of power in that region. THis should be required reading for the diplomatic corps and the Foreign Service. ... Read more

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Written by a combat historian who served 5th Historical Detachment, this account of the Korean War has been updated with two additional chapters. Photographs from the first edition have also been restored. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

We Didn't Lose The War
This is a good book, one that provides much insight into the Pol-Mil factors that dominated the Korean War. Yet I take exception to the author's title. The UN Forces did not lose the Korean War. Perhaps the author wanted a snazzy title.I can assure you that he succeeded in alienating the brave veterans who stopped the Communists cold in Korea. The Communists lost the war.The nKs didn't unify Korea under the domination of the Red Star. nK was devastated and has never fully recovered from launching an aggressiveve war aagainst the RoK. Red China lost the war, losing at least 600,000 men including Mao's favorite son. More importantly, the Red Chinese delayed a national modernization plan when they jumped into a war at Stalin's bidding, setting China's receovery back thirty-years.Furthermore, the Chinese intervention in Korea made it politically possible for the US to intervene in the Taiwan Straits, preventing the Unification of China, one of Mao's stated and most important goals. Finally, the Soviet Union lost the war it encouraged Kim Il Sung to start. NATO was a hallow reed before the KW; it became a force capable of deterring Soviet intervention in Western Europe afterwards, all thanks to Uncle Joe's meddling in the Far East. In short, I take exception to the book's title. Semper Fi

Korea: The first war our politicians lost for us!!!
This is truly a good read - a bit much detail wise - but,nonetheless a good read. I am sad to note that it was my generation that rushed from our high school graduation down to the recruiting offices to do our patriotic duty only to be denied any chance to win by Truman and his ilk. Of only 25 boys in my class, 17 of us volunteered and 3 of these young men are buried in Korea. What a sad, sad waste. Back to the book - it is well worthwhile. Certainly you will learn a great deal about this"Police Action"

Too broad in scope, too little detail
Korea:The First war we lost

Bevin Alexander's book suffers from too much of a good thing-organization.492 pages are divided into 63 chapters.Each chapter identifies a good point, but in trying to cover all of them, the book develops few of them sufficiently.Instead, Alexander skips from idea to idea, devoting fewer than ten pages, and then flits off to the next idea.

The scope of his topic, from the bowels of the White House and Pentagon to the nameless ridges and valleys of Korea, is immense.In trying to cover it all, he has instead touched only the "wavetops."At the end of the book, after following the trail of policy decisions, Alexander fails to present a cogent, convincing argument that the US and her UN coalition partners indeed lost this war.The (final) stated war aim was to restore South Korea's sovereignty, and that was accomplished.I think that Alexander implicitly accepts MacArthur's statement that there is no substitute for victory, and no such thing as a war for limited objectives.While the first part is true, victory is defined by the use of military means to accomplish political objectives, and in Korea, the US and UN coalition succeeded.

The strongest theme in the book is the identification of the policy struggles between the new National Command Authorities, National Security Advisor, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Commander in Chief, Far East.Alexander does a solid job of defining the problem in terms of positions and policy, rather than the normal MacArthur versus Truman debate.He also explores the impact of MacArthur's seniority relative to the Joint Chiefs (MacArthur was the only active five star general).

Another strength of the book is its maps.Since (usually) authors have to pay for whatever maps they want included in a book, most include as few as possible.Alexander includes fourteen, most of them tactical level maps.Building off of the maps, the chapters that deal with separate battles are solid.The weakness is that Alexander fails top explain the operational integration of a series of battles into a campaign designed to accomplish strategic objectives.

If you are already familiar with the Korean War, this book can serve as an interesting read for a new look at the integration of the strategic aims with the daily battle plan, and a revealing look at the difficulty of making defense and foreign policy since 1947.If, however, you are looking for a one volume single read introit to the subject, this is not the book to read.

A seminal contribution to American military studies
In a newly revised edition, Bevin Alexander's Korea: The First War We Lost continues to be an exhaustive, scholarly exploration of the causes and effects of American involvement in the Korean War. Alexander, a combat historian during the Korean War and commander of the 5th Historical Detachment, points out the U.S. succeeded in stopping North Korean aggression, but failed in its attempt to destroy the North Korean state and eliminate this strategic shield protecting China's heartland. Alexander's informative and comprehensive text is enhanced with thirteen maps and is a seminal contribution to American military studies in general, and the Korean conflict in particular.

Excellent Meld of Military and Political Aspects of the War
MY GOODNESS, I HAVE JUST read three Korean War books in a row. Completing the hat trick is Alexander's book. Don't judge the book by its title: thereis a fair compendium of the facts (and fantasies) of all the Korean Warparticipants: China, Russia, NKPA and ROK forces, the UN, the US andaffiliated armies all swung from victory to defeat; wild bouts of optimismand valleys of despair. Perhaps it is fitting that this country of MorningCalm and intense moods; of vertical ridges and sprawling mud flats, should so condemn those who set foot on its rich and fragrant soils. Do not makeAlexander's book the first book you read about the Korean War. ReadAppleman, Knox and perhaps Acheson first. Then Alexander's mastery of thewar and its complex web ofintrigue (NY to Seoul; Beijing to Moscow;London to Delhi) in the high courts of the nascent cold war will hit youhardest where it should: right in the heart. When you count the staggeringloss of life-especially in the two years the negotiations dragged on, adelay Alexander rightly blames largely on the USA-and realize they werespent to capture worthless ridges, I doubt tears won't come to your eyes.What a pathetic account Truman and Acheson make of themselves, even if manydecisions they reached had merit.
Alexander's grasp of history here isvery insightful. He claims that it is our obsession with 'total victory'over Japan in WWII that allowed the Russians to enter the Asian war and ledto the division of the Korean peninsula in the first place.
So too isthe author's discussion of NKPA actions off the main Seoul/Taejon/Taegubattle axis. If NKPA forces had not dilly dallied in the west (defendingports the UN never attempted to regain) and on the east coast (deploying inthe mountains to prevent ambushes, which also never came), they would havecrushed the still weak Pusan defenses weeks before a perimeter could beestablished.
Few books mix politics with military analysis. Even fewerdo it well, and Alexander's is one of them. He breaks thediplomatic/political initiatives into tangible issues.While intelligentand analytic, he remains youthful in his comments: "One can onlyimagine the dispatches that transpired between Moscow and Ambassador JacobMalik!" The photo of the Russian diplomat's vacant chair at theSecurity Council meeting is a Korean War icon. To right wingers, anappropriate metaphor for what communist state-ism would always be: empty.

While other analyses (In'chon, Chosin, the decision to cross theparallel) and conclusions (that the US was an aggressor! for going intoNorth Korea) are more suspect, they do not detract from the book. ... Read more

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The book explores the implications of the democratic movement that took place in Gwangju, a southwestern city of Korea, in May 1980 when military paratroopers brutally crushed a group of protesters who demonstrated against General Chun Doo-hwan, who was about to become the country¡¦s president. Because of the event now known as the Gwangju Uprising, 191 people perished and 852 were wounded.In The Gwangju Uprising, Choi Jungwoon analyzes various discourses and motives of the uprising and vividly paints the demonstrators¡¦ street battles against paratroopers. He gives an in-depth scrutiny of the participants¡¦ mentalities and incentives, and the type of brutality involved. He also examines the stages the participants went through during the uprising, from the peace and togetherness they had at first, to the internal conflict that soon followed, to the lessons they learned in the uprising¡¦s aftermath. Choi argues that the united front experienced by the participants during the uprising was a driving force that changed modern Korean history. ... Read more

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After the 1997 Asian crisis, most Asian countries embarked on a serious process of reform to revitalize their economies. This highly topical book begins with a thorough analysis of the reforms proposed and implemented in China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia. This analysis focuses on financial and corporate sector reforms and on the changing role of public administrations. The authors argue that the chain effects of the Asian crisis are not only confined to a regional economic context: the evolution of the role of regional associations and of the security scenario in East Asia outlines the beginning of a deep and comprehensive political, economic and social change.

Leading scholars with in-depth knowledge of each country focus on these international variables, in particular: the role of APEC in the wake of the Asian crisis and the Seattle debacle, the process of economic integration in East Asia and the evolution in East Asian regional security.

As a multidisciplinary work, Reforming Economic Systems in Asia will be warmly received by researchers and academics of Asian studies, political science and political economy. Anyone involved in international business and in designing strategies for international enterprises will also find this book of special interest. ... Read more

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Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan - East Asia’s newly industrialized economies (the NIE-3) - experienced a profound development transformation over recent decades. Christopher Dent makes a comparative study of their foreign economic policies, highlighting how the NIE-3 have engaged with the international economic system in an increasingly dynamic way. The book develops a new macro-framework of foreign economic policy analysis that provides the structure for this study.

The author argues that the ‘development context’ of the NIE-3’s foreign economic policies is grounded in their common development statism and semi-peripheralization. He further contends that it is the pursuit of economic security that primarily motivates their respective foreign economic policies.

This new conceptualization of economic security in the context of foreign economic policy will appeal to academics, researchers and students in a wide range of disciplines including: Asian studies, international relations, international political economy, economics and politics. ... Read more

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More than 230 full-color images by someof theworld's most-renowned photographers.South Korea, with its craggy hillsides, gnarledtrees, and ancient temples, is steeped intradition yet, at the same time, is thoroughlymodern—the tenth-ranking industrial power in the world. Its capital city, Seoul, is one of themost populous cities in the world and home tosuch cutting-edge buildings as the Samsung Tower Palace.

The beautiful landscape andday-to-day details of life in South Korea aredepicted here in images taken by thephotographers of Magnum—the famed cooperativewhose members are among the greatestphotographers of our time. Here we see a richculture that both respects a dynamic culturalhistory and celebrates the latest trends infashion, technology, and architecture. Theseextraordinary photographs are set in theirhistorical context by an insightful text byhistorian Bruce Cumings. 247 color photographs ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Korea
Beautiful book-perhaps a bit heavy on "people" and less on the physical beauty of the country.

Korea at its finest.
Of the dozens of photo books of countries that I have this is the finest ever.I have travelled extensively in Korea and have lived there.This book is true to the country and the people.It truely is agreat work of art and terrific value.

A Lovely Book
A lovely book, high quality pictures and, for someome who lived there for 2 years, a nice trip down memory lane. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Must Read for Any Serious Korea Scholar
The author of this book James V. Young was the first US defense attaché to the Republic of Korea that served at the US Embassy in Seoul at critical times in recent Korean history.If anyone would have an insightful story to tell about their involvement with the Korean peninsula it would be Young.

This book does not disappointment because Young does write an insightful book that provides many new details from his own on the ground perspective as a defense attaché in Seoul. The new details in regards to the failure of President Carter's troop withdrawal policy and the 1980 Gwangju Tragedy to me, was worth the price of the book alone, much less all the other great stories Young includes in the book.

Overall, Eye on Korea is a great book, but I would not recommend this book for anyone that doesn't already have a background in Korean history and culture.This book is for those who are looking to get a deeper understanding of important events in modern Korean history from someone who was an insider involved in all of these events.The book is a short read of 171 pages, but it definitely delivers and I recommend it to anyone serious about expanding their knowledge and understanding of the Korean peninsula.

an interesting read for both Koreaphiles and politicos
Though a part of Texas A&M's military history series, this book often serves as more of a study in the political conflicts between the Defense and State Departments.As a result, it details enough of the conflict between the two to intrigue both Koreaphiles and those interested in the political process and posturing.

The author was in the unique position to know fully about both positions during key moments in Korea's modern history.The result is a read that is sometimes funny, often insightful, and always interesting.

Perhaps what is best about this book is that while it helps to have a basic understanding of Korea's recent history in advance, it is by no means required.Young's straightforward style makes otherwise complicated issues seem as simple as night and day.It also provides a wealth of information in under 200 pages without overwhelming the reader.

The Keen Eye of Experience
Colonel Jim Young has developed a keen analytical eye for things Korean developed over a multi-decade career of study, friendship and focus on this fascinating but enigmatic country. Young uses the vehicle of autobiography to detail some of the high points in the modern developmental history of South Korea and along the way opens the curtain to an insider's view of US governmental machinations. The Colonel had an uncanny way of being involved over many years with key events in US-Korean relations such as threatened troop withdrawals under President Carter, assassination of President Park, the death of dictator Kim Il-sung in North Korea, the murder of US Army officers and many, many other events. Final chapters discuss nuclear North Korea and the complexity of the tense situation there.
This book offers the reader a fresh insight to events and analysis not seen elsewhere. It is written for a non-technical audience but is valuable for the cognoscenti as well. I recommend 'Eye on Korea' most enthusiastically to every concerned person who wonders what the future holds for America in the vital but tumultuous environment of the Korean Peninsula.

Readable Modern History
Eye on Korea is a tremendous contribution to modern Korean history.It is a very easy and entertaining read.It will appeal to those who know nothing about Korea, and to those of us who have lived or travelled there extensively.There is little to no jargon, things that would not be familiar to the average reader are explained quickly and clearly.

I have spent the better part of my adult life in Korea or working with Koreans.I was surprised and delighted by the things I learned by Eye on Korea.It filled many gaps in my understanding of how things went down in the late 70's and 80's.It was full of names, places and events that I recognized, but had never before had a coherent picture of how they all related.Eye on Korea provides that coherence.

If I am forced to complain about anything, it would be the brevity.I would have enjoyed a couple hundred more pages.It's evident from what Col. Young tells us--and from what he doesn't tell us--that he knows enough to fill volume upon volume.

This is a MUST BUY for anyone interested in Modern Korea or Korean-US relations.

A Fresh Look at Contemporary Korean-American Relations
James Young, one of the American military's first area specialists, has written what may well be the most interesting and definitive book on recent Korean-American diplomatic and military relations in print today. Young, a former Army Colonel, spent almost 20 years in Asia, including 14 in Korea, where he was an advisor to five American ambassadors and several Secretaries of Defense. In this appealing memoir, he writes with the expertise of an old Korea hand.

After four years of training in Korean language and culture, Young was a first hand witness and participant as American diplomats convinced South Korean President Park Chung-hee not to develop his own nuclear weapons. The lessons from this experience might well be of use today in dealing with North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

From the perspective of a military attache,Young provides new insights into the intrigue and behind-the-scenes efforts to derail President Jimmy Carter's troop withdrawal policies. His on-the-scene account of the military coup of 1979, and subsequent events, is extraordinarily authoritative and comprehensive, and provides new information for historians. He provides personal observations on the imposition of martial law and the Kwangju incident that followed, when Korean military forces ran amok during protests in the city and killed and wounded hundreds of civilians. For the first time, he details how the United States was caught flat-footed, and how policy makers at the time failed to respond, thus sowing the seeds of anti-Americanism in the years to come.

Additionally, Young's insider account of dealing with the senior leadership in North Korea in both diplomatic negotiations and business settings makes a major contribution to understanding the internal dynamics within this secretive state.

"Eye on Korea" is a great mixture of contemporary military and diplomatic history. It offers stories that are entertaining, provocative, and often humorous. Those interested in the region, the issues, and modern Korea will value this book. ... Read more

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In 1910, Japan took control over Korea by military and political force. Then, in 1945, Korea was arbitrarily divided by the Soviet Union and the United States into North and South Korea. The Soviets impeded all United Nations efforts to hold elections and reunite the country under one government. Korea has been struggling for independence and reunification ever since.

In this memoir, Won Tai Sohn recollects the unusually harsh Japanese treatment of Korean people in Korea, Manchuria, China and Japan, and remembers his close relationship with North Korean president Kim Il Sung from their boyhood to President Kim’s sudden death in 1994. According to Dr. Sohn, President Kim devoted his entire life to the liberation of Korea, starting with fighting against the Japanese stationed in North Korea and China. He became the first premier of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea when it was established in 1948, and led his nation in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. In 1993, President Kim’s nuclear program and defense policy became a great concern for the United States when intelligence analysis estimated that North Korea was less than two years away from being able to strike South Korea and Japan with nuclear missiles. President Kim died two months after talks with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter about ending North Korea’s nuclear program. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

an important piece of the puzzle that is north korea
Do not read Dr. Won Tai Sohn's "Kim Il Sung and Korea's Struggle" if you are seeking a sophisticated political analysis of how Kim Il-song and Kim Chong-il have built and run the North Korean state.But do invest in this book if you seek to know the pain and nationalistic hopes characteristic of the Korean people as they struggled under the yoke of Japanese occcupation from 1910 to 1945. And, above all, do pay close attention to Dr. Sohn's description of his childhood exile in Manchuria, for his family sheltered and worked with the young Kim Il-song in organizing the Korean youths in China to keep alive their love of the motherland.

If your primary interest regarding this book is how the Koreans dealt with the Japanese occupation, then "Kim Il Sung and Korea's Struggle" is well-teamed with Richard Kim's "Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood."On the other hand, if your interest lies primarily in Dr. Sohn's first-hand knowledge of Kim Il-song as a youth, then the book is best teamed with Professor Dae Sook Suh's definitive biography of Kim Il-song. ... Read more

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The Kwangju Uprising--"Korea's Tiananmen"--is one of the most important political events in late twentieth-century Korean history. What began as a peaceful demonstration against the imposition of military rule in the southwestern city of Kwangju in May 1980 turned into a bloody people's revolt. In the two decades since, memories of the Kwangju Uprising have lived on, assuming symbolic importance in the Korean democracy movement, underlying the rise in anti-American sentiment in South Korea, and shaping the nation's transition to a civil society. Nonetheless it remains a contested event, the subject still of controversy, confusion, international debate, and competing claims.

As one of the few Western eyewitnesses to the Uprising, Linda Lewis is uniquely positioned to write about the event. In this innovative work on commemoration politics, social representation, and memory, Lewis draws on her fieldwork notes from May 1980, writings from the 1980s, and ethnographic research she conducted in the late 1990s on the memorialization of Kwangju and its relationship to changes in the national political culture. Throughout, the chronological organization of the text is crisscrossed with commentary that provocatively disrupts the narrative flow and engages the reader in the reflexive process of remembering Kwangju over two decades. Highly original in its method and approach, Laying Claim to the Memory of May situates this seminal event in a broad historical and scholarly context. The result is not only the definitive history of the Kwangju Uprising, but also a sweeping overview of Korean studies over the last few decades. ... Read more

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This book argues that the college choices of ethnic Chinese in Korea changed in relation to their political and legal status within Korean society and examines the reasons behind the changing educational trends. ... Read more

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Asia in Focus: The Koreas presents an authoritative and unprecedented look at the contrasts and similarities between the history, geography, politics, economy, culture, and society of North Korea and South Korea. It offers a wealth of new insights into North Korean life, as well as extensive explorations of Korean music, arts, language, cuisine, and popular culture, including the "Korean wave,Ó which began with the export of Korean television dramas to other parts of Asia and has spread South Korean culture around the world. Also included are sections on women's history and roles, class and ethnicity, and a wide range of contemporary issues.

For a deeper understanding of one of the most closely watched regions of the globe, this volume is a must.

Customer Reviews (3)

Comprehensive and substantive
The Koreas succeeds in being both comprehensive and substantive, from ancient history to modern table manners.Topics are broken down into logical chunks so that students can use this book almost like an encyclopedia for reports or research projects.The list of references at the end of each section adds considerable value to this resource.Clear black and white photographs give visual support to the information.This is THE go-to book for high school, college, and interested adult readers who want either a strong understanding of a particular topic or a magisterial course in Korean history and culture.

Comprehensive and Concise Introduction of Korean History
As a Korean American, I confess that I knew next to nothing about Korean History. World History textbooks will include China and Japan, but ignore Korea. The only mention of Korea in American History textbooks is the Korean War. Even then, the role of Koreans are marginalized in favor of the United States and China. As a result, Korean Americans are implicitly taught that Korea is an inconsequential nation with no history of value.

"The Koreas" is a comprehensive introduction to the rich and dynamic history of Korea and its people. Instead of sharing a sequential history of Korea, the book is wonderfully organized in content specific areas: Geography, History, Government and Politics, Economy, Society, Culture, and Contemporary Issues. Each section is written in a manner that makes it easy for the reader to compare ancient and recent Korean history. Furthermore, each individual entry is 2-3 pages in length, making the wealth of information much easier to digest.

I believe "The Koreas" is an essential resource for educators, whether they be K-12 teachers or university professors who teach introductory level courses in Asian American History.

I also recommend this book to Korean Americans who want to learn about Korean History. They will walk away with a greater appreciation for their rich & unique heritage.

A top pick for high school to college-level libraries strong in Asian studies
Joining others in the 'Asia in Focus' series, THE KOREAS is a history and social survey of the contrasts and similarities between two nations. History, geography, politics and cultures are considered in chapters exploring the countries and their connections, making this a top pick for high school to college-level libraries strong in Asian studies. ... Read more

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Great introduction to a fascinating culture
This is a wonderful book written for a wide audience which includes high schoolers, educators, and anyone interested in Korea. Ms. Connor, who is a high school teacher herself,covers history, culture, politics, economics and more.Every high school library should have 'The Koreas' in stock. The book is well researched, well written, and serves as a great platform from which to begin study of North and South Korea. Bravo! ... Read more

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Korea is one of the critical flashpoints in the world today. News of North Korea's recent nuclear tests, conducted in defiance of international pressure, drew widespread condemnation and raised serious concerns about the threat now posed to regional and international security by the regime of North Korea's dear leader Kim Jong-Il.

This book penetrates the veil surrounding the conflict on the Korean peninsula and North Korea's missile and nuclear programmes. It provides a thorough historical analysis of relations between the two Koreas since the Korean War, which traces both North Korea's path to economic ruin and South Korea's transition from struggling dictatorship to vibrant democracy.

As well as examining the political and economic development of North and South Korea at the domestic level, the book goes on to explore regional relations with Russia, China and Japan and, most importantly, America's dealings with Korea and its negotiations with North Korea, in particular. It concludes with an analysis of North Korea's current nuclear programme and its likely impact on international security in the 21st century. ... Read more

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Hamizrachi offers a fascinating examination of the emergence of the Israeli-controlled Security Belt and the rise of Lebanese Major Saad Haddad in South Lebanon. The detailed descriptions of events and people, often based on the author's personal experience, in the Lebanese kaleidoscope will give scholars, students, decision-makers, and journalists a better understanding of the ongoing internal struggle and the external pressures in Lebanon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An Excellent Book For the Study of Lebanon
Beate Hamizrachi's book is an incredible addition to any library dealing with Israeli-Lebanese relations, the "Security Zone" or on the early SLA (South Lebanon Army). Hamizrachi details the first connections between Israeli and the northern (Mount Lebanon area) Christian militia groups and with southern villages. Her first hand interviews with Saad Haddad are both interesting and informative. She additionally talks in detail (including the force numbers and even the types of weapons used) about the battles fought by Haddad's militia to secure south Lebanon from the PLO and Islamo-Leftist forces.

Based upon personal experiences of Yoram Hamizrachi.
Yoram Hamizrachi certainly must have been the major co-author of this book attributed to his wife Beate.A historical record of conflicts in Lebanon during the 1970s based upon first hand knowledge. ... Read more

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The Japanese invasion and occupation of Korea, which lasted from 1592 to 1598, was the only occasion in Japanese history when samurai aggression was turned against a foreign country. During the occupation of Korea the Japanese built 25 wajo or castles. Unlike the castles built in Japan, these castles were never developed or modernized after the Japanese departure meaning that the details of late 16th century castle construction are better preserved than at many other sites.

Written by Stephen Turnbull, an expert on the subject, this book examines the castles built by the Japanese in Korea, as well as the use the samurai made of existing Korean fortifications, particularly city walls. This resulted in curious hybrid fortifications which dominated the landscape until the Japanese were pushed out of the peninsula by a furious onslaught from the huge Chinese armies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

NOT a book I'd recommend on Far East Military history
I always welcome people writing books about the Imjin War because there are so few of them available to English-speaking readers. However, this book is rather too specialized; not a good read for layman. I read about halfway thru and couldn't find it interesting enough to finish reading it.

I would compare this Japanese castles in Korea 1592-98 something like a book of "Japanese defense in the Philipines 1941-1945". Is this something that a layman would spend his money and time to read ??

Also, a lot of information overlap with his classic "Samurai Invasion (2002)" (NOT the 2008 edition). If you have the money in this rough economy, buy the 2002 version "Samurai Invasion".

Japanese castles' short life in Korea
Stephen Turnbull's Japanese Castles in Korea is definitely one of these weird unknown subject matter that is worthy of Osprey's Fortress Series. In this short book, Turnbull managed to give a pretty good summary account of history of Japanese castles that were built during Hideyoshi's Korean invasion between the years 1592 to 1598. The book explained how these castles were built initially to support the invasion, support the supply lines, to control and policed the area around it and finally to support the withdrawal of Japanese troops from Korea after Hideyoshi's death.

Stephen Turnbull managed to do all this in this short book with clarity and understanding that don't bogged the reader down. Turnbull also stated that Japanese castle designs at that time proves to be quite capable of withstanding the might of the Ming armies from China. From what I understand, lack of artillery consideration appears to be the major weakness of the Japanese military when defending their castles. Still, three major sieges of Japanese castles in Korea all ended with Japanese victories. And according to the author, the Japanese forces also adapted Korean cannons to their defensive lines as well.

Interestingly, the author also spent few paragraphs describing how these castles were built and the hardships of the impressed Japanese peasants and Korean workers forced to worked on these fortresses. Brief outline of the war in Korea was given but the readers would have to wait for the Turnbull's Campaign series (Samurai Invasion of Korea 1592-1598) book coming out in July 2008 on the subject to get greater details or read a book already published by him on the subject (Samurai Invasion) that came out in 2004.

Like all Osprey books, this book come well illustrated with very useful drawings and illustrations of these Japanese castles and their designs. Turnbull also inserted many black and white photos of the remains of these Japanese castles, mostly only their stone base remains while using castle parts from Japan to illustrated what they could have look like in Korea as well.

Overall, this book covers a subject that is beyond the common knowledge of most people in the English speaking world and despite of the shortness of the book, I found this book to be utterly interesting in terms of information given.

A pick not just for military libraries but for any specializing in early Asian history.
Stephen Turnbull's JAPANESE CASTLES IN KOREA 1592-98 is a pick not just for military libraries but for any specializing in early Asian history. The focus on Japanese-built castles and Korean fortifications follows the design and use of key fortresses and joins the publishers' 'Fortress' history series.

Books to love and learn from when doing active waiting.
I travel for a living and love these books.Easy packing, entertaining airport reads and educational.I have purchased many and will continue to do so. ... Read more

Product Description

Following its liberation from Japanese colonialism, at the end of WWII, Korea was divided into two separate nations. Because the Korean nation enjoyed a long dynastic history, its postwar partition was particularly traumatic. The ensuing Cold War years spawned the Korean War and subsequent decades of strained inter-Korean relations and tensions in the region surrounding the peninsula. This volume provides readers who are unfamiliar with Korea's heritage insight into how Korea became a divided nation engulfed in international geopolitical tensions, providing expert analysis of this rendered nation's background, modern circumstances, and future prospects.

The Korean peninsula in Northeast Asia is home to a country that was divided at the end of the Second World War after its liberation from Japanese colonialism. Because the Korean nation enjoyed a long dynastic history, its postwar partition was particularly traumatic. The ensuing Cold War years soon spawned a very hot Korean War and subsequent decades of strained inter-Korean relations and tensions in the region surrounding the peninsula. This volume provides readers who are unfamiliar with Korea's heritage with insight into how Korea became a divided nation engulfed in international geopolitical tensions, providing expert analysis of this rendered nation's background, modern circumstances, and future prospects.

After a survey of Korea's geographic setting and historic legacy, Olsen details the circumstances of Korea's liberation and subsequent division. Drawing on that background, he analyzes the evolution of both South Korea and North Korea as separate states, surveying the politics, economics, and foreign policy of each. What are the key issues for each state from an international perspective? What are the prospects for reuniting the two into one nation? What challenges would a united Korea be likely to face? Olsen determines that stability in Korea is essential to future peace in the region. He concludes that a successful move toward unification is the best way to resolve issues connected to North Korea's nuclear agenda.

Customer Reviews (1)

Overview of Korean Peninsula Culture
Up front, I would buy this work as a companion to another work, but would not buy this as my first read on Korean culture. Olsen's scholarly work begins with an overview of Korean history and the development of their perspective since 2333 B.C."Korea: The Divided Nation" ends with the prospects for the future of the peninsula.The work is a quick read and easily understood. However, I find four significant shortcomings in the work. First, there are "Notes" at the end that lead to more in-depth information, but there are neither footnotes nor true endnotes. Since there is more than one version for some of the information in the book, the author should indicate the sources that he used. Second, other than the "Notes" there is no bibliography.Next, I could not find a single reference to one of the most respected works on this topic, that being Don Oberdorfer's "The Two Koreas", which was published 8 years before. Finally, there is not a single map or chart.With the importance of the regional geography on the development of Korean culture, a hand full of charts or maps would have contributed significantly to following his text. ... Read more

Product Description
This dictionary presents a balanced and objective view of South Korea, providing a long perspective and covering varied aspects of South Korean life.Domestic, political, and social events, foreign affairs, economic and cultural developments, and the men and women who have influenced the country's history are reviewed in the more than 400 entries, many of which are new or have been updated from the first edition. The dictionary's chronology and historical narrative, also updated, cover the entire history of Korea for the benefit of readers who have little or no knowledge of the overall history of the Korean people. The extensive bibliography has been updated to include the most current and best books, journals, and websites, making this a valuable reference source for the scholar, student, and general reader. ... Read more

Product Description
This study aims to connect the changes in the geography of selected countries with the movement of international market forces and the changing world economy. The author explores the worldwide managerial strategy of Japanese multinational companies through their location decisions. ... Read more