Pork Chop Hill
A first-hand account of the battle which became legendary in the annals of combat–a dramatic true story of war at its most brutal…and of military valor at its best.”A distinguished contribution to the literature of war.”–The New York Times
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“Pork Chop Hill,” by S.L.A. Marshall, is a nonfiction work about combat during the Korean War. The title page bears the subtitle “The American Fighting Man in Action–Korea, Spring, 1953.” The book’s copyright page notes that a William Morrow edition was published in 1956. In the preface, author Marshall recounts that he went to Korea in 1953 to work as a war correspondent, but at Army request he took on the job of investigating and analyzing infantry tactics. He describes how he held question-and-answer sessions with groups of soldiers who had been in combat. This interesting glimpse behind the making of the book adds to the text as a whole.
Marshall describes many intense, horrific, bloody scenes of combat. He vividly portrays the agonizing suffering endured by these combat troops. He covers many significant topics, among them the following: Chinese military tactics; how U.S. and Korean troops worked together; communication on the battlefield; leadership and organization; the impact of terrain on battle; and types of weapons used. I found one of the book’s most interesting sections to be an account of the Ethiopian troops who fought in the war–Marshall praises these African soldiers greatly.
The book features maps and drawings by H. Garver Miller. Marshall includes a number of illuminating quotes from the fighting troops. He vividly describes how confusing the battlefield can become–the phrase “the fog of war” came to my mind over and over again as I read this book. Another phrase that this book brings to my mind is simply: “War is hell.” This gripping, graphic work really makes me appreciate the remarkable challenge faced by troops in the Korean War, and the valor with which so many faced that challenge.