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Books > History > Asian / Middle Eastern history > From 1900 > Postwar, from 1945 > General
The Struggle for Iraq is a vivid personal account of the Iraqi
people's fight for democracy and justice by an American political
scientist. Thomas M. Renahan arrived in southern Iraq just three
days before the capture of Saddam Hussein in 2003; later he worked
in Baghdad through the dark days of the country's sectarian
violence and then in Iraqi Kurdistan. One of the few Americans to
serve in all three major regions of Iraq, he spearheaded projects
to develop democratic institutions, promote democracy and
elections, and fight corruption. With inside accounts of two USAID
projects and of a Kurdish government ministry, this engrossing and
cautionary story highlights efforts to turn Baathist Iraq into a
democratic country. Renahan examines the challenges faced by the
Iraqi people and international development staff during this
turbulent time, revealing both their successes and frustrations.
Drawing on his on-the-ground civilian perspective, Renahan recounts
how expatriate staff handled the hardships and dangers as well as
the elaborate security required to protect them, how Iraqi staff
coped with the personal security risks of working for Coalition
organizations, and the street-level mayhem and violence, including
the assassinations of close Iraqi friends. Although Iraq remains in
crisis, it has largely defeated the ISIS terrorists who seized much
of the country in 2014. Renahan emphasizes, however, that
reconciliation is still the end game in Iraq. In the concluding
chapters he explains how the United States can support this process
and help resolve the complex problems between the Iraqi government
and the independence-minded Kurds, offering hope for the future.
This monograph studies the racial integration of Army ground combat
units in Eighth (US) Army during the Korean War. The purpose of the
monograph is to determine how this change in the utilization of
African-American combat soldiers impacted the effectiveness of a US
Army organization engaged in fighting a war. This monograph
utilizes several methods to accomplish this purpose: study of
pertinent records and Army doctrine, primary and secondary source
historical analysis, and an inter-disciplinary study of military
effectiveness. To answer the primary research question, this
monograph also explores in broad terms the origins of the Cold War
and US national policy after World War II, the use of Korean
soldiers in US Army units during the Korean War, and the Army's
segregation policies. This monograph comes to two major findings.
First, the integration of African-Americans in Army combat units
during the Korean War resulted in improvements in cohesion,
leadership and command, fighting spirit, personnel resources and
sustainment that increased the combat effectiveness of Eighth (US)
Army. Second, contrary to the prevailing Army view, leaders in the
Eighth (US) Army held a positive opinion of the ability of
African-American soldiers to fight in combat. Both of these
findings are evidence of Eighth (US) Army's adaptability.
Mention the Korean War and almost immediately it evokes the memory
of Marines at Pusan, Inchon, Chasin Reservoir, or the Punchbowl.
Americans everywhere remember the Marine Corps' combat readiness,
courage, and military skills that were largely responsible for the
success of these early operations in 1950-1951. Not as dramatic or
well-known are the important accomplishments of the Marines during
the latter part of the Korean War. In March 1952 the 1st Marine
Division redeployed from the East Central front to West Korea. This
new sector, nearly 35 miles in length, anchored the far western end
of I Corps and was one of the most critical of the entire Eighth
Army line. Here the Marines blocked the enemy's goal of penetrating
to Seoul; the South Korean capital. Northwest of the Marine Main
Line of Resistance, less than five miles distant, lay Panmunjom,
site of the sporadic truce negotiations. Defense of their strategic
area exposed the Marines to continuous and deadly Communist probes
and limited objective attacks. These bitter and costly contests for
key outposts bore such names as Bunker Hill, the Hook, the Nevadas
(Carson-Reno-Vegas), and Boulder City. For the ground Marines,
supported by 1st Marine Aircraft Wing squadrons, the fighting
continued until the last day of the war, 27 July 1953. The Korean
War marked the first real test of Free World solidarity in the face
of Communist force. In repulsing this attempted Communist
aggression, the United Nations, led by the United States, served
notice that it would not hesitate to aid those nations whose
freedom and independence were under attack. As events have
subsequently proven, holding the line against Communist
encroachment is a battle whose end is not yet in sight. Enemy
aggression may explode brazenly upon the world scene, with an overt
act of invasion, as it did in Korea in June 1950, or it may take
the form of a murderous guerrilla war as it has more recently, for
over a decade, in Vietnam. Whatever guise the enemy of the United
States chooses or wherever he draws his battleline, he will find
the Marines with their age old answer. Today, as in the Korean era,
Marine Corps readiness and professionalism are prepared to apply
the cutting edge against any threat to American security. This is
the concluding volume of a five-part series dealing with operations
of United States Marines in Korea between 2 August 1950 and 27 July
1953. Volume V provides a definitive account of operations of the
1st Marine Division and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing during
1952-1953, the final phase of the Korean War. At this time the
division operated under Eighth U.S. Army in Korea {EUSAK) control
in the far western sector of I Corps, while Marine aviators and
squadrons functioned as a component of the Fifth Air Force (FAF).
The period covered by this history begins in March 1952, when the
Marine division moved west to occupy positions defending the
approaches to Seoul, the South Korean capital, As it had for most
of the war the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, operating under FAF, flew
close support missions not only for the Marines but for as many as
19 other Allied frontline divisions. Included in the narrative is a
detailed account of Marine POWs, a discussion of the new defense
mission of Marine units in the immediate postwar period, and an
evaluation of Marine Corps contributions to the Korean War.
Marines, both ground and aviation, comprised an integral part of
the United Nations Command in Korea. Since this is primarily a
Marine Corps history, actions of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force
are presented only in sufficient detail to place Marine operations
in their proper perspective. The original text and artwork have
been used in this publication; occasionally there may be instances
of imperfections with these old texts (i.e., blurred or missing
pages, poor image quality)."
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the
Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic
reversal in favor of the United Nations. The operation involved
some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture
of the South Korea capital Seoul two weeks later. The code name for
the operation was Operation Chromite. The battle began on 15
September 1950 and ended on 19 September. Through a surprise
amphibious assault far from the Pusan Perimeter that UN and South
Korean forces were desperately defending, the largely undefended
city of Incheon was secured after being bombed by UN forces. The
battle ended a string of victories by the invading North Korean
People's Army (NKPA). The subsequent UN recapture of Seoul
partially severed NKPA's supply lines in South Korea. The majority
of United Nations ground forces involved were U.S. Marines,
commanded by General of the Army Douglas MacArthur of the United
States Army. MacArthur was the driving force behind the operation,
overcoming the strong misgivings of more cautious generals to a
risky assault over extremely unfavorable terrain.
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