In 'The Korean War,' Bruce Cumings unveils the complex origins and devastating impacts of a conflict that reshaped the Korean Peninsula and altered global dynamics. With meticulous research, he dissects the motivations behind the war, shedding light on the roles of the United States, China, and Korea itself. This compelling narrative reveals not just the military strategies but also the human stories of struggle and resilience amidst chaos. As tensions simmer once again in the region, Cumings' insights resonate more than ever, prompting readers to reconsider the war's lasting legacy. Dive into this thought-provoking exploration of history, politics, and humanity's enduring fight for peace.
By Bruce Cumings
Published: 2011
"In the chaos of conflict, we discover that the lines dividing our humanity are often drawn in the sand, but it is in the struggle for understanding where true reconciliation begins."
A BRACING ACCOUNT OF A WAR THAT IS EITHER MISUNDERSTOOD, FORGOTTEN, OR WILLFULLY IGNORED For Americans, it was a discrete conflict lasting from 1950 to 1953. But for the Asian world the Korean War was a generations-long struggle that still haunts contemporary events. With access to new evidence and secret materials from both here and abroad, including an archive of captured North Korean documents, Bruce Cumings reveals the war as it was actually fought. He describes its origin as a civil war, preordained long before the first shots were fired in June 1950 by lingering fury over Japan’s occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Cumings then shares the neglected history of America’s post–World War II occupation of Korea, reveals untold stories of bloody insurgencies and rebellions, and tells of the United States officially entering the action on the side of the South, exposing as never before the appalling massacres and atrocities committed on all sides. Elegantly written and blisteringly honest, The Korean War is, like the war it illuminates, brief, devastating, and essential.
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“In the chaos of conflict, we discover that the lines dividing our humanity are often drawn in the sand, but it is in the struggle for understanding where true reconciliation begins.”
The Korean War
By Bruce Cumings
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Bruce Cumings is a distinguished historian and author, recognized for his extensive work on Korean history, as well as on American foreign policy in East Asia. He is the author of numerous influential books, including 'Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History,' 'The Korean War: A History,' and 'North Korea: Another Country.' Cumings' writing style blends rigorous academic research with accessible prose, making complex historical issues understandable to a broader audience. His scholarship often challenges conventional narratives, providing deep insights into the political and social dynamics of Korea and its relationship with the United States.
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