A review by gimpyknee
On Desperate Ground: The Marines at the Reservoir, the Korean War's Greatest Battle by Hampton Sides

4.0

4-stars rather than 5 because how can you write about the Battle of Chosin Reservoir and say so little about Colonel Chesty Puller, the commander of the 1st Marines Regiment, which spearheaded the breakout and march to the south? The most decorated United States Marine, Puller was awarded his 5th Navy Cross at Chosin Reservoir. He famously said "We've been looking for the enemy some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." Puller is almost completely overlooked by Sides. He is only mentioned in a few paragraphs in a single chapter.

Kudos for Sides correctly reporting on Truman and MacArthur's meeting on Wake Island. MacArthur was a pompous ass but he did not make Truman wait for his arrival. MacArthur arrived on Wake Island fully 12 hours before Truman and was promptly at the air strip the next morning to greet him. It's also true that the pompous ass failed to salute his Commander-in-Chief.