Forgotten War

Blair takes a close and blistering look at high-level defense policy and ground-level leadership of the U.S. Army in Korea from the opening of the war in 1950 through the first yearthe ""pendulum period'' before the final battle lines were drawnthen summarizes the subsequent ``talking war'' period, which lasted for two years. That first year, the author amply demonstrates, was a ghastly ordeal for the Army, partly because of President Truman's untimely strip-down of the armed forces, and partly because of incompetent leadership in the field. No historian has been more critical of General Douglas MacArthur's leadership during this period than Blair is in these pages. He also faults corps and division commanders, especially General Edward Almond of X Corps. On the other hand, his admiration is unstinting for General Matthew Ridgway, who took over a demoralized field army and quickly turned it into a fighting force. Military buffs should not overlook this one. Blair collaborated with Omar Bradley on A General's Life. Photos. Military Book Club main selection; Literary Guild alternate. (February)