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<\/a>This book<\/a> continues my recent trend of military history paperbacks, almost. The trend began with The Battle Off Of Midway Island<\/em><\/a> and continued with Sink the Bismarck!<\/em><\/a>. I guess the trend is also from nonfiction to fiction, as this is not a book about the actual exploits of US GIs. Instead, it is a collection of six short stories set in World War II and the Korean War.<\/p>\nThe Collaborator<\/strong> tells the story of an ex-GI living in China when the Japanese invade. He is forced to collaborate with them, culminating in them using him as an infiltrator during an American invasion of a small island. However, their hold on him is broken, and he can finally get revenge.<\/p>\n The Soldier Who Had No Gun<\/strong> shows the story of a chaplain who accompanies a tired, dispirited platoon on a dangerous mission to flank a German stronghold and how he rejuvenates the group.<\/p>\n In The Trap<\/strong>, a British guerrilla war expert is in a plane shot down over a jungle. Pursued by the Japanese, he and his two American airmen have to sneak to safety, and the Brit learns a little something about guerrilla warfare from a native American.<\/p>\n Set in Korea, Night Attack<\/strong> covers a ROK assault on a thinly stretched American position immediately after a platoon sargeant is promoted to lieutenant, and his new platoon sargeant is another man passed over for the job. <\/p>\n In The Raid<\/strong>, a team of specialists is sent to a Japanese prison camp to rescue a submarine commander with knowledge of an upcoming assault. They are to extract him if they can, and to kill him if he cannot.<\/p>\n Operation Christrose<\/strong> tells about a fresh lieutenant coming to a quiet part of the front and leading his platoon on a scouting trip across the river–and into the camp of a German army massing for a surprise break out.<\/p>\n These stories appeared in men’s magazines and The Saturday Evening Post<\/em> between 1944 and 1963, so between Right Now and 20 years later. They’re pretty vivid accounts and better reading than the normal pulp paperbacks I read.<\/p>\n The one Korea story, and the Korean veterans I saw speak at a recent memorial dedication, have brought to mind how forgotten that war is. Whereas World War II continues to throw off films and culture and whereas the Vietnam War overserves as a metaphor, you don’t get a lot of fiction or film out of the Korean War. And what a brutal place it was to fight.<\/p>\n So I enjoyed this short collection and really see myself going on a 20th century war tear here for a bit.<\/p>\n Books mentioned in this review:<\/b>
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