The Final Crucible: U.S. Marines in Korea, Volume 2: 1953
by Lee Ballenger
Category: History

Chronicles the activities of the U. S. Marine Corps during the little-known last six months of combat in Korea; Provides the perspective of the fighting men who came face to face with the enemy every day; In 1953, during the last six months of the Korean War and ongoing peace negotiations, combat was anything but quiet for the Marines. While standing by to ensure the safety of peace negotiators, they conducted daily patrols, raids, and ambushes. They also fought the terrible five-day Battle of the Nevada Cities. On July 27, 1953, the last day of the shooting war, the Marines prevented a major enemy breakthrough at a last stand on the Main Line of Resistance. An unsuccessful defense might have prolonged the war indefinitely. As with volume one, this book contains previously unpublished original material. The combination of oral accounts with data extracted from Marine Corps archives makes for a vivid account of activity during the so-called stalemate.