Thunder of the Captains: The Short Summer in 1950

Common wisdom says that we should learn from all our experiences, including our mistakes. Over time individual memories fade, so the lessons learned might not be the lessons that should have been learned. Detzer gives his readers a chance to ponder the lessons of our involvement in Korea's civil war by concentrating on the first days of the conflict and the conflict's precursors.The first four chapters of the book are devoted to understanding the backdrop for the war. Detzer does not present the reader with a bunch of dry facts, but weaves a captivating tale about people and their lives in June of 1950. He tells us what some average Americans were doing and were thinking. He paints a word picture of President Truman with insider insights and the view from the average Joe. Detzer adds background on General MacArthur and the peacetime Army, especially those stationed in Asia in 1950. Further, Detzer provides insights into Korea itself: the leaders, the soldiers, and Americans in Korea. As expected, the "invasion" itself is covered. Detzer continues the story through the retreat of American forces from Osan and the political ramifications that followed.All in all, Detzer is a wonderful storyteller. The facts are in there, but they are not the dry facts of history loathed by public school students. Instead, Detzer paints a masterpiece for the reader: a human portrait both terrifying and compelling.

This is a great korean war book. It's practically the best book I've ever read. It's Better than Thunder Of the Captains (the original book). I enjoyed readig this book more than playing the computer! Hey if you ask me you should definatly get this book used or unused cause it's the BEST EVER!