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THE COLDEST WAR: A Memoir of Korea. By James Brady. Published by Orion Books, New York, N.Y. 256 pages. $17.95 MCA Members. $19.95 Non-members. Stock #57690.
Not enough has been written about the Korean War. It is clearly the most under-reported major conflict of modern times.
The majority of available books are written at the strategic level or are mainly concerned with the political circumstances surrounding the war. Very few books are devoted to the accomplishments there of the Marine Corps. This is unfortunate because the Corps has never enjoyed a finer hour.
When you can find material on the Marines in Korea, it is nearly always about the Pusan Perimeter, the Inchon landing or the Chosin Reservoir.
James Brally's book "The Coldest War." scheduled for release this month, the 40th anniversary of the start of the war, is a refreshing change. It covers the period from November 1951 to July 1952 and is written about war at the infantry platoon and rifle company level.
Brady joined a rifle company shortly after the tough fight to take Hill 749. He became a platoon leader. The First Marine Division had settled down into defensive warfare, fighting mainly out of trenches and bunkers. The book tells what life was like for infantrymen, who in those days were sometimes known as "crunchiesm," short for gravel crunchers.
There were no major actions; just the day-to-day patrols, ambushes, artillery and mortar attacks which could kill you just as dead. There were long periods of boredom, interrupted by brief moments of terror. Brady describes it well. He is an excellent writer.
James Brady is best known for his weekly column in "Parade," the magazine which comes with the Sunday newspaper. Each column is a short interview with a celebrity. He also writes a regular column in "Advertising Age" and is working on his seventh book.
Why did he wait 40 years to write his book on the Korean War? "Actually, I wrote it about 20 years ago, in novel form." Brady said. "I couldn't sell it. They wanted Vietnam novels." "The Coldest War." fortunately reads like a novel, not a platoon leader's diary. One of the book's best attributes is that it is honest and believable. Brady tells it like...