The author writes very well about the complex tactical situation throughout the war without losing sight of the larger strategic and political situation that drove the tactical. His scholarship of the Army and Marine Corps documentation is first class, exhaustive, really. His focus on the Regular Army officer corps' role in the war re West Point vs. non-West Point officers, their records from the start of their careers up to and including Korea is very helpful in understanding the importance of qualified, capable leadership vs. those less capable and often in command due to "connections" rather than experience and capabilities. Korea was a necessary if unfortunate war, the last one we have fought that was actually worth fighting given the geopolitical realities of postwar U.S. vs. Russia. The real tragedy of Korea was that the Army had to fight it on a shoestring initially led by that moron, MacArthur.