The Coldest War

America's "forgotten war" lasted just thirty-seven months, yet 54,246 Americans died in that time -- nearly as many as died in ten years in Vietnam. On the fiftieth anniversary of this devastating conflict, James Brady tells the story of his life as a young marine lieutenant in Korea.
In 1947, seeking to avoid the draft, nineteen-year-old Jim Brady volunteered for a Marine Corps program that made him a lieutenant in the reserves on the day he graduated college. He didn't plan to find himself in command of a rifle platoon three years later facing a real enemy, but that is exactly what happened after the Chinese turned a so-called police action into a war.
"The Coldest War "vividly describes Brady's rapid education in the realities of war and the pressures of command. Opportunities for bold offensives sink in the miasma of trench warfare; death comes in fits and starts as too-accurate artillery on both sides seeks out men in their bunkers; constant alertness is crucial for survival, while brutal cold and a seductive silence conspire to lull soldiers into an often fatal stupor.
The Korean War affected the lives of all Americans, yet is little known beyond the antics of "M*A*S*H." Here is the inside story that deserves to be told, and James Brady is a powerful witness to a vital chapter of our history.
James Brady is the author of "Further Lane," "Gin Lane," "The House That Ate the Hamptons," and "The Marines of Autumn." His weekly columns for "Advertising Age" and" Parade" magazines are considered must-reads by millions. He lives in Manhattan and in East Hampton, New York.
America's "Forgotten War" lasted just thirty-seven months, yet 54,246 Americans died in that time--nearly as many died in ten years in Vietnam. On the fiftieth anniversary of this devastating conflict, James Brady tells the story of his life as a young marine lieutenant in Korea.
In 1947, seeking to avoid the draft, nineteen-year-old Brady volunteered for a Marine Corps program that made him a lieutenant in the reserves on the day he graduated college. He didn't plan to find himself in command of a rifle platoon three years later, facing a real enemy, but that is exactly what happened.
"The Coldest War" vividly describes Brady's rapid education in the realities of war and the pressures of command. Opportunities for bold offensives sink in the miasma of trench warfare; death comes in fits and starts as too-accurate artillery on both sides seeks out men in their bunkers; constant alertness is crucial for survival, while brutal cold and a seductive silence conspire to lull soldiers into an often fatal stupor.
The Korean War affected the lives of all Americans, yet little is known beyond the antics of "M*A*S*H." Here is the inside story that deserves to be told, and James Brady is a powerful witness to a vital chapter of our history.
"Mr. Brady has written a superb personal memoir of the way it was. What distinguishes Mr. Brady's book is its clarity and modesty; there is no heroic flag-waving here."--"The New York Times"
"A marvelous memoir. A sensitive and superbly written narrative that eventually explodes off the pages like a grenade in the gut . . . Taut, tight, and telling. Jim Brady proves again that he is one of the most underrated writers in American books."--Dan Rather
"It is about time somebody wrote about the personal side of the Korean War-the forgotten war. It is a gripping and honest book. Everyone prone to think simply about war should read it."--Jim Lehrer
"His story reads like a novel, but it is war reporting at its best--a graphic depiction, in all its horrors, of the war we've almost forgotten."--Walter Cronkite