The Coldest Winter by David
Halberstam
A Perfect Audiobook
David Halberstams magisterial and thrilling The Best and the Brightest was
the defining book for the Vietnam War. More than three decades later,
Halberstam used his unrivalled research and formidable journalistic skills
to shed light on another dark corner in our history: the Korean War. The
Coldest Winter is a successor to The Best and the Brightest, even though
in historical terms it precedes it. Halberstam considered The Coldest
Winter the best book he ever wrote, the culmination of forty-five years of
writing about Americas postwar foreign policy. Up until now, the Korean
War has been the black hole of modern American history. The Coldest
Winter changes that. Halberstam gives us a masterful narrative of the
political decisions and miscalculations on both sides. He charts the
disastrous path that led to the massive entry of Chinese forces near the
Yalu, and that caught Douglas MacArthur and his soldiers by surprise. He
provides astonishingly vivid and nuanced portraits of all the major figures --
Eisenhower, Truman, Acheson, Kim, and Mao, and Generals MacArthur,

Almond, and Ridgway. At the same time, Halberstam provides us with his
trademark highly evocative narrative journalism, chronicling the crucial
battles with reportage of the highest order. At the heart of the book are
the individual stories of the soldiers on the front lines who were left to deal
with the consequences of the dangerous misjudgments and competing
agendas of powerful men. We meet them, follow them, and see some of
the most dreadful battles in history through their eyes. As ever, Halberstam
was concerned with the extraordinary courage and resolve of people
asked to bear an extraordinary burden. The Coldest Winter is
contemporary history in its most literary and luminescent form, and
provides crucial perspective on the Vietnam War and the events of today.
It was a book that Halberstam first decided to write more than thirty years
ago and that took him nearly ten years to write. It stands as a lasting
testament to one of the greatest journalists and historians of our time, and
to the fighting men whose heroism it chronicles. Includes an Afterword by
Russell Baker Tributes to David Halberstam David Halberstam died at
the age of 73 in a car accident in California on April 23, 2007, just after
completing The Coldest Winter. Legendary for his work ethic, his kindness
to young writers, and his unbending moral spine, Halberstam had friends
and admirers throughout journalism, many of whom spoke at his memorial
service and at readings across the country for the release of The Coldest
Winter. We have included testimonials given at his memorial service by
two writers who made their reputations at the same newspaper where he
won a Pulitzer Prize for his Vietnam War reporting, The New York Times:
Anna Quindlen ...David occupied a lot of space on the planet. Perhaps he
felt the price he must pay for that big voice, that big reach, that big
reputation, was that his generosity had to be just as large. Most of us,
when we take to the road and meet admiring strangers, vow afterward to
answer the note pressed into our hands or to pass along the speech we
promised to the person whose daughter couldnt be there to hear it. But
with the best will in the world we arrive home to deadlines, bills, kids,
friends, all the demands of a busy life. We mean to be our best selves, but
often we forget. David did it. He always did it. The note, the call, the book,
the advice. When I mentioned this once he dug his hands deep into the
pockets of his grey flannels, set his mouth at the corners, looked down and
rumbled, Well, but its so easy. Thats nonsense. Its not easy. But it is
important, and why he has been remembered with enormous affection by
ordinary readers all over this country, and why each of us who live some
sort of public life would do well, with all due respect to Jesus, to ask
ourselves about those small encounters: what would David do? ... Read
her full tribute Dexter Filkins ...If I could use a sports metaphor--and I
think David would have appreciated that--David was the pulling guard, as
in a football game. The pulling guard who sweeps wide and clears the hole
for the running back who runs through behind him. We reporters in Iraq
were the running backs. David went first--a long time ago--and cleared the
way. In Iraq, when the official version didnt match what we were seeing on
the streets of Baghdad, all we had to do--and we did it a lot--was ask
ourselves: what would Halberstam have done? And then the way was
clear.... Read his full tribute A Timeline of the Korean War

How It Began January 1950 Secretary of State Dean Acheson leaves
Korea out of Americas Far East Defense Perimeter. June 25, 1950
The North Korean Army crosses the 38th parallel with a force of about
135,000 troops. The Republic of Korea is taken completely by surprise by
the invasion and their forces are soon in full retreat. July 7, 1950
General Douglas MacArthur is officially put in command of the forces set to
defend the Republic of Korea. August 1950 Relentlessly focused
attacks by the North Koreans drive the ill-prepared defense forces into the
countrys southeast corner. The Pusan Perimeter is established as the last
best hope of maintaining a toehold on the peninsula. August-Sept. 1950
The North Koreans launch assault after assault against the Pusan
Perimeter, with particularly brutal fighting taking place along the Naktong
River. U.S. soldiers are in constant danger of being overrun.
September 15, 1950 MacArthur delivers his masterstroke with the
amphibious landings at Inchon. The invasion blindsides the North Korean
defenders and relieves pressure on the Pusan Perimeter. UN forces are
able to drive north from Pusan and east from Inchon. By the end of
September the North Korean forces are routed on all fronts, Seoul has
been recaptured, and MacArthur receives permission to cross the 38th
parallel. The Debacle November 1950 U.S. soldiers march
deep into North Korean territory, eventually reaching the Yalu River border
with China. But the first warning of a conflict with the Chinese takes place
at Unsan, where the Eighth Cavalry is mauled by a surprise engagement.
By the end of November Chinese Com
Personal Review: The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam
David Halberstam provides tons of descriptive details, transcripts, sources
and viewpoints about this harsh conflict and nations and individuals
involved. Knowing little about this historical conflict, I'm unable to identify
information or details that are disputed, considered omitted,nor recognize
these differing or conflicting accounts. As usual, there are conflicting
historical viewpoints presented in historical books, such as "The Coldest
Winter."
There are already so many reviews focus on solely Korea, that below in
this review is more mention of China, the American Mainstream Media,
Post-WWII US foreign policy in East Asia, and General MacArthur. All of
are relevant to the Korean conflict and Halberstam spends a lot of
appropriate time and detail describing these topics.
I agree with the common opinion that this was and still is, the Forgotten
War. "The Coldest Winter" highlights the fact that this brutal conflict is
seldom referred to, today.
Several aspects about American involvement in the Korean war are
elucidated throughout this book, from beginning to end: not to focus
exclusively on the negative aspects but there was a lot of American
arrogance, ignorance, and numerous miscalculations by many influential
military and political leaders who were involved in Korea and China.

Certain aspects in "Coldest Winter" will remind some readers of US
involvement in South East Asia in the 60s, Latin America in the 1950s to
1980s, and in the Middle East since the 1930s up to now.
Halberstam takes the reader to Korea with vivid descriptions of the brutal,
terrain, lethal freezing temperatures, and rugged battle conditions. A great
contribution by "Coldest Winter" are the lengthy and detailed portions that
discuss the Chinese civil war, US involvement in it, and general US foreign
policy in East Asia during this time.
RELEVANT TO THE KOREAN CAMPAIGN:
TRUMAN VS. DEWEY CAMPAIGN OF 1948: Truman's 1948 campaign
and the State Department's approaches and actions in this conflict.
This book spent a well-deserved amount of time on the 1948 Presidential
campaign. During the 1948 Campaign the political "experts" and the
media gurus did what they still do today: misinterpret campaigns, make
incorrect predictions, and think they know more than they actually know.
AMERICAN ADVENTURISM IN CHINA - THE FIRST FOREIGN POLICY
DEBACLE AFTER WWII:
Halberstam aptly included lots of information and background on the
Chinese civil war and US support for Chaing Kai-Shek, and the influence
of the (American) China Lobby inside the USA. Described, is the Lobby's
arrogance and ignorance about Chinese history, culture, and thinking,
while it simultaneously and incorrectly denounced Truman for "Losing
China." This divisiveness reminds one of the partisan media spin so often
promoted from Washington, the mainstream media, and political talk-TV
and talk-radio today.
And like today, the military works in coordination with the mainstream
media to promote Military-Industrial Complex and State Department
propaganda. General MacArthur interviewed with "Life" magazine in 1948.
The headline on the cover of "Life" magazine was, "MacArthur says fall of
China Imperils US" (p. 215). Hungry, impoverished, largely illiterate
peasant china, imperiling the US? In 1948? Imperiling a world super-
power that has the atomic bomb, natural resources, and more technology?
Laughable. Yet very influential on manipulating the US public. Like then,
as now.
To reinforce this point, "The Coldest Winter" delved into another issue
rarely discussed regarding the Korean conflict and China: the US
government's misinformation provided to the American public in the US to
garner public support of Chaing Kai-Check. In reading the details of
Chaing, his tactics, army, and character, I found it similar to involvement in

Vietnam (1965-1973), Iran (1953) Guatemala (1954) Chile (1973) and Iraq
(Chalabi), and al-Hakim, (2003-2009).
US support of Chaing was a debacle. Billions of dollars of taxpayer money
disappeared. The US funded supply lines that were stolen by the
Communists, and Chaing and his officers stole from the US constantly.
Often in the annals of post-WWII American foreign policy and interference,
the US has bet on the wrong horse.
While Korea is the forgotten war, I call this era, the forgotten debacle of
post-World War II American foreign policy.
MAINSTREAM MEDIA: CREATING MYTHS THAT INFLUENCED
AMERICAN PUBLIC OPINION:
It's universally agreed upon today by objective historians that MacArthur
was a disturbed individual, an ineffectual desk General, and an overrated
egotistical self-promoter. One of the many myths disseminated to the
American public in the 1940s and 50s via the mainstream media (MSM)
was that MacArthur was a brilliant, competent man, that was highly
respected by those with whom he worked, and knew. Nothing could be
farther from the truth. He had then and still has, an atrocious record and
reputation.
In accordance with other historians, Halberstam repeatedly notes
MacArthur on the surface being an icon with enormous aura and influence.
Yet he was out of touch with his peers, subordinates, and people of the
United States. Living and working in Tokyo with his inner circle of
sycophants, focusing on rebuilding and molding Japan in his own image.
He knew and cared little about Korea.
General MacArthur made many military and intelligence miscalculations.
MacArthur openly claimed to "understand the Oriental" mind, even after
many
mistakes made with the Japanese previously.
Referring to n the Korean conflict, one American soldier there stated, "in
WWII everything was done right, and in Korea everything seemed to be
done
wrong." Soldiers sent to Korea lacked proper Winter clothing, lacked
ammunition, and had old, outdated guns and weapons. Supplies often
came late, and sometimes never at all. In Korea and throughout history,
the soldiers pay the price for the blunders from the top. The rugged
mountainous Korean terrain, and harsh Winters were major factors that
gave the initial advantage to the North Koreans. Cornered in Busan, the
Inchon landing is quite a historical feat, and perhaps the one and only
move by MacArthur that paid dividends.

"The Coldest Winter is lengthy and has lot of info and helpful strategic
maps. This is a good book, and unfortunately, was David Halberstam's
last.
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