In December 1950 General Matthew B. Ridgway replaced General Walton Walker as commander of the Eighth Army, and in April 1951 he succeeded Douglas MacArthur as supreme commander of the United Nations forces in Korea and supreme commander of the United States Far East Command. In this spirited book, General Ridgway describes how he took a dispirited army and rebuilt it in a few short months, leading it into battle against the Chinese and North Korean forces, forcing them back over the 38th parallel and "victory." It is a book that takes a close look at MacArthur, his failings and brilliance, and a hard look at the idea of limited war. Infused with a humane leader's appreciation for the ordinary fighting soldier, Ridgway's history also teaches important lessons about Vietnam and any future conflict. Above all, he emphasizes: We should not involve ourselves in escalating warfare without a specific and attainable goal.
* The Land of Morning CalmPrelude to the Storm * Challenge and ResponseThe Gallant Stand of Task Force Smith * The United Nations on the OffensiveThe Inchon Landing and the Breakout from the Perimeter * Near Disaster on the YaluThe Chinese Enter the WarRebuilding the Fighting SpiritReturn to the Offensive * The President and the GeneralDismissal of MacArthurCauses and ConsequencesThe Chinese Are Driven Back * Truce Talks and StalemateBitter Fighting on the Ridgesthe Nature of the Enemy * The Final MonthsThe POW RiotsClark Succeeds MeThe Truce Is Signed * Issues and AnswersMeaning of the MacArthur ControversyMilitary and Political Implications * Lessons Learned and UnlearnedTheir Significance in Our Search for Peace * Korean War Calendar
