Drawing the Line: The Korean War, 1950-1953

Whelan ( Robert Capa ) argues that the Korean War was a turning point in current history with momentous repercussions worldwide: the conflict consolidated the international anti-Communist coalition and led to a quadrupling of the U.S. military budget, thus setting off the arms race. Whelan counters the popular view that the war was a failed American effort by demonstrating that the U.S. accomplished what it set out to do, i.e., prevent a Communist conquest of South Korea. The author presents a well-researched, gracefully written history of the conflict with emphasis on the political rather than the military aspect, and offers fresh insight into President Truman's decision to intervene. In an epilogue, he analyzes developments relating to the Korean peninsula since the 1953 truce. He concludes that the two Koreas ``must eventually sign a peace treaty, establish full diplomatic and economic relations, and join the U.N.'' Photos. (Apr.)