Chosin

"...this is in many ways a book that reads as much as a gripping novel as a first-rate work of military history. Anyone with an interest in tactical small-unit combat will find much to appreciate in these pages." ~Globe at War

"...contributes significantly to Korean War scholarship, while also taking a look into the limits of human capacity, leadership, and motivation in the face of unfathomable hardship." ~Naval Historical Foundation

"...highly recommended for all who want to understand Marines and soldiers in the foxholes. It is a testimony to American military greatness." ~The Journal of America's Military Past

"... the most complete book written to date on this iconic battle...offers invaluable perspective on war at the gut level." ~Midwest Book Review

“Hammel’s book is full of accounts of the stuff that legends are made from. It is a cliffhanger of a story, and he tells it masterfully. Readers should be warned: just as in the campaign itself, where there was no rear echelon and everyone was a combatant, so too, if you go into Yudam-ni with the Marines, you had better be prepared to be with them all the way on to Hungnam and freedom.” ~Sea Power Magazine

“This is a view over the foxhole’s rim. It concentrates on the superlative effort, suffering and courage of the young enlisted Marines, sailors and soldiers who glared at the quilted uniformed enemy and refused to be stared down ... a factual, revealing and penetrating look at war at its worst and men at their best.” ~The San Diego Union

“The author’s weaving of men, crises, and numbing cold leaves the reader in awe of this feat of arms in which soldiers and Marines fought an epic struggle to survive .... Hammel’s book is highly recommended.” ~Infantry Magazine

“Involves the reader emotionally in a kaleidoscope of different, individual perceptions—from officers in their headquarters to riflemen shivering in the foxholes ... to the small-unit actions that, in their totality, shaped the ultimate course of the battle.” ~Military History Magazine

"In a fast-flowing narrative, Hammel manages to recount dozens of personal stories of heroism, fortune, and tragedy, stitched together with small-unit action, and anchored by polarizing tactical leaders making life-or-death decisions under the worst of circumstances." ~Campaigning: The Journal of the Joint Forces Staff College