This essential companion provides a comprehensive study of the literature on the causes, course, and consequences of the Korean War, 1950-1953. Aimed primarily at readers with a special interest in military history and contemporary conflict studies, the authors summarize and analyze the key research issues in what for years was known as the 'Forgotten War.' The book comprises three main thematic parts, each with chapters ranging across a variety of crucial topics covering the background, conduct, clashes, and outcome of the Korean War. The first part sets the historical stage, with chapters focusing on the main participants. The second part provides details on the tactics, equipment, and logistics of the belligerents. Part III covers the course of the war, with each chapter addressing a key stage of the fighting in chronological order. The enormous increase in writings on the Korean War during the last thirty years, following the release of key primary source documents, has revived and energized the interest of scholars. This essential reference work not only provides an overview of recent research, but also assesses what impact this has had on understanding the war.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Introduction, Donald W. Boose, Jr. and James I. Matray. Part I Political Background and Participants: Prelude to conflict, 1910-1948, Boram Yi; South Korea, Jinwung Kim; North Korea, Hakjoon Kim; The United States, Steven Casey; The People’s Republic of China, Yafeng Xia; Britain and the Commonwealth, Robert Barnes; The Soviet Union, Kathryn Weathersby; The United Nations, William A. Taylor. Part II Tactics, Equipment, and Logistics: The ground wars, 1948-1953, Allan R. Millett; Airpower, Kenneth P. Werrell; Naval operations, Edward J. Marolda; Logistics, Charles R. Schrader; Atomic, chemical, and biological weapons, Conrad C. Crane; Amphibious warfare, Donald W. Boose, Jr.; Intelligence, Peter G. Knight; Special operations, David Gray; American ground forces, William M. Donnelly; Republic of Korea Army, Il-Song Park; Korean People’s Army, Robert M. Collins; Chinese People’s Volunteers Force, Bin Yu; United Nations command and Korean augmentation, Jiyul Kim; British and Commonwealth forces, Jeffrey Grey. Part III Course of the War: Koreans invade Korea, James I. Matray; To the Pusan perimeter, Janet G. Valentine; The Inch’ŏn landing, Michael Pearlman; North to the Yalu, Paul M. Edwards; Chinese intervention, Michael Sheng; Period of mobile warfare, S.P. MacKenzie; Military stalemate, Xiaobing Li; Kaesŏng and P’anmunjŏm, William C. Latham, Jr.. Postscript: Operations Glory and Big Switch, Charles S. Young; Aftermath, 1953-2013, Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr.. Appendix: order of battle; Index.