Korea at War - by Michael J Seth (Paperback)

About the Book

"An engaging history covering a century of conflict on the Korean Peninsula Korea at War recounts how two separate nations emerged on the Korean peninsula as the result of devastating conflicts involving provocative personalities and superpower intrigues. The topics covered in this fascinating book include: The brutal years of Japanese colonial rule which began with Japan's annexation of Korea and ended with its defeat in World War II--and which still dominate Japanese-Korean relations today The division of the country into a totalitarian North and a prosperous, democratic South North Korea's invasion of the South, motivated by Stalin, which led to the bloody Korean War--a conflict that is still not settled to this day The irascible General Douglas MacArthur, who was relieved of his command by President Truman when he disobeyed a direct order and attempted to expand the war into China The rise of the Kim regime in North Korea and the continuing threat of nuclear war today Historian Michael J. Seth explores these and other themes including the complete story of North Korea--a nation and a people who for three generations have lived under the world's most repressive regime. He also discusses how South Korea has made the incredible leap from one of the world's poorest nations to one its richest and most dynamic. Korea at War is the story of two nations with a shared past that could hardly be more different today. With over 50 color photographs and maps, this book is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand contemporary Asian politics and current affairs"--

Book Synopsis

An engaging history covering a century of conflict on the Korean Peninsula

Korea at War recounts how two separate nations emerged on the Korean peninsula as the result of devastating conflicts involving provocative personalities and superpower intrigues. The topics covered in this fascinating book include:

• The brutal years of Japanese colonial rule which began with Japan's annexation of Korea and ended with its defeat in World War II--and which still dominate Japanese-Korean relations today
• The division of the country into a totalitarian North and a prosperous, democratic South
• North Korea's invasion of the South, motivated by Stalin, which led to the bloody Korean War--a conflict that is still not settled to this day
• The irascible General Douglas MacArthur, who was relieved of his command by President Truman when he disobeyed a direct order and attempted to expand the war into China
• The rise of the Kim regime in North Korea and the continuing threat of nuclear war today

Historian Michael J. Seth explores these and other themes including the complete story of North Korea--a nation and a people who for three generations have lived under the world's most repressive regime. He also discusses how South Korea has made the incredible leap from one of the world's poorest nations to one its richest and most dynamic.

Korea at War is the story of two nations with a shared past that could hardly be more different today. With over 50 color photographs and maps, this book is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand contemporary Asian politics and current affairs.

Review Quotes

"The book is about much more than just the war itself, as Seth looks at Korea's pre- and post-war history, and how South Korea is unique in charting its own development while still, technically, in a state of war." -- The Asian Review of Books Podcast with Michael J Seth, author of Korea at War

"Korea has been a nation divided into vastly different social systems and "perpetually at war" with itself. Seth's new book Korea at War attempts to describe and explain this geopolitical transformation." --The Asian Review of Books

About the Author

Michael J. Seth is Professor of History at James Madison University. He has authored several books on Korean history including A History of Korea: From Antiquity to the Present, A Concise History of Modern Korea: From the Late Nineteenth Century to the Present, A Concise History of Korea: From the Neolithic to the Nineteenth Century, Education Fever: Politics, Society and the Pursuit of Schooling in South Korea and A Brief History of Korea.