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Breakout
464 pages
A harrowing, bone-chilling account of survival and tactical brilliance against impossible odds in the frozen mountains of Korea.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into the freezing, merciless winds of a desperate mountain ambush. The narrative moves with a propulsive, gripping intensity, capturing the sheer shock of being surrounded by an overwhelming force and the grueling, inch-by-inch struggle to survive. It is a harrowing yet stirring experience, steeped in the dread of a bone-chilling winter and the chaotic reality of military conflict. The prose weaves tactical regimental history with the visceral immediacy of personal narratives, creating a tense atmosphere where every mile fought is a testament to human endurance. This is a book for readers who devour intense, high-stakes military history and are drawn to stories of brotherhood, resilience, and survival against impossible odds.
- Mood
- bone-chilling
- tense
- harrowing
- triumphant
- Tone
- gripping
- stirring
- reverent
- intense
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- survival against overwhelming odds · military brotherhood · endurance in extreme conditions · the chaos of war
- The writing
- Gripping and immediate, blending historical military detail with the visceral intensity of personal narratives.
- The arc
- Moves from the sudden shock of an overwhelming ambush to a grueling, hard-fought struggle for survival and eventual breakout.
- Who it's for
- Readers of intense military history who appreciate stirring accounts of tactical survival and extreme human endurance.
Content notes
- warfare
- military violence
- extreme weather conditions
- combat casualties
About the book
On November 27, 1950, a Chinese army of some 60,000 men poured over Korea's border intent on wiping out a force of 12,000 U.S. Marines marching north to the Yalu river on General Douglas MacArthur's orders. Three Marine regiments were strung out along 80 miles of a narrow mountain road that snaked its way up sweeping slopes to the high plateau of the Chosin Reservoir. Winter had arrived, a merciless wind driving temperatures down to a bone-chilling 30 below.
Thus the stage was set for one of the most stirring tales in the history of American arms. Soon the Marines were completely surrounded by eight Chinese divisions who suddenly emerged from hiding to pounce on the unsuspecting Americans. How the Marines, despite serious losses, broke out of encirclement while inflicting grueling punishment on the enemy, is the gripping story Martin Russ tells in this extraordinary book.
Description from Open Library.
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