---
product_id: 130543131
title: "On Desperate Ground: The Epic Story of Chosin Reservoir--the Greatest Battle of the Korean War"
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---

# On Desperate Ground: The Epic Story of Chosin Reservoir--the Greatest Battle of the Korean War

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On Desperate Ground: The Epic Story of Chosin Reservoir-the Greatest Battle of the Korean War [Sides, Hampton] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. On Desperate Ground: The Epic Story of Chosin Reservoir-the Greatest Battle of the Korean War

Review: Riveting account of the Chosin Reservoir campaign during the Korean War - A couple of years ago, I read Sides's "Hellhound on His Tale," an account of the intersecting paths of James Earl Ray and Martin Luther King. It's one of the best books I've ever read. So, I was expecting good things from this book and I wasn't disappointed. I knew only the bare outlines of the story of the First Marine Division's ambush by Chinese Communist forces in area around the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. Sides provides a gripping and detailed account of what was one of the more harrowing battles ever fought by U.S. forces. This is one of those books that propels you through it at a breakneck pace. So, I liked the book and learned a lot from it, but I have a few caveats. First, although I haven't read any of them, there have been multiple earlier accounts of this campaign, some written by participants. Whether anyone who has read one or more of those accounts will profit from reading Sides's book, I can't say. He doesn't make clear what new information he may be bringing to the story. He has interviewed some of the survivors, but I would guess that earlier authors did as well. I was on the fence between giving the book four stars or five. It probably merits four and a half. Although I think it's a great read, I also think that, like too many books these days, it needed one more draft. Like many authors writing the history of a single battle or segment of a campaign, Sides faced the question of how much of the story of the Korean War to tell. Overall he did a decent job, but there are some gaps. For instance, he sketches out what was happening on the western side of the Korean peninsula as UN forces swept all the way to the border with China at the Yalu River. We could really have used a map of that part of the campaign. (The only maps are in the books endpapers and the only detail given is for the area in and around the reservoir.) We're never told the fate of these forces. Presumably they were also attacked by Chinese troops and retreated south, but it would have been nice to at least have a couple of pages informing us of what happened. Similarly, early in the book he discusses McArthur and Truman during the period leading up to the Marines marching north and includes an account of their face-to-face meeting. But once the battle at the reservoir begins, they pretty much drop out of the story. In particular, I was wondering why no effort was made to land additional troops to break through to the Marines trapped around Chosin. Were there no other available troops in the theater? Was there insufficient time to bring them into the action? He should have provided some explanation, as well as an account of the options MacArthur and Truman considered. There are also some gaps in the details of the story. He discusses at length the fate of the Army Task Force Faith that is surrounded on the east side of the reservoir. But how they extricated themselves is not well explained. The trapped troops were told to abandon their vehicles and travel overland until they reached the frozen reservoir, and then proceed on to link up with the Marines at the southern end of the reservoir. Sides describes the Army troops as having devolving into an undisciplined mob as they scrambled to safety. That description made me wonder how 2,000 of the 3,000 men managed to escape. If the Chinese troops had them surrounded, couldn't they have killed or captured them before they made it overland to the reservoir? Particularly since, according to Sides, many of the soldiers had thrown away their rifles. Similarly, he leaves the impression that General Smith and the forces at Hagaru-ri were cut off from the Marines down the road at Koto-ri. Yet no real description is given of how Smith's forces end up making it to Koto-ri. I assume they fought their way out, but some description would have been nice. The book ends with a brief account of the remainder of the Korean War. Given we had been given descriptions of the thinking of MacArthur and Truman about invading North Korea, I think Sides should have provided some account of why they (or maybe just the Truman Administration) decided after the X Corps had successfully retreated to the coast, not to resume an offensive into North Korean territory the following spring. Overall, then, an excellent book, particularly if you have not read one of the other accounts of this campaign, but it has its flaws.
Review: Masterclass in historical writing - Between this book and “Give Me Tomorrow” both books on Korean War you will attain a Masters degree of knowledge. Hampton Sides is one of the best history writers out there. He makes it enjoyable to read history as he present the facts surrounding events like a novel or campfire story.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #28,629 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1 in Korean War Campaigns History #70 in American Military History #138 in Engineering (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (4,872) |
| Dimensions  | 5.17 x 0.91 x 7.99 inches |
| Edition  | Reprint |
| ISBN-10  | 1101971215 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1101971215 |
| Item Weight  | 13.6 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 432 pages |
| Publication date  | October 29, 2019 |
| Publisher  | Vintage |

## Images

![On Desperate Ground: The Epic Story of Chosin Reservoir--the Greatest Battle of the Korean War - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/818HIrQpq3L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Riveting account of the Chosin Reservoir campaign during the Korean War
*by H***N on October 20, 2018*

A couple of years ago, I read Sides's "Hellhound on His Tale," an account of the intersecting paths of James Earl Ray and Martin Luther King. It's one of the best books I've ever read. So, I was expecting good things from this book and I wasn't disappointed. I knew only the bare outlines of the story of the First Marine Division's ambush by Chinese Communist forces in area around the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. Sides provides a gripping and detailed account of what was one of the more harrowing battles ever fought by U.S. forces. This is one of those books that propels you through it at a breakneck pace. So, I liked the book and learned a lot from it, but I have a few caveats. First, although I haven't read any of them, there have been multiple earlier accounts of this campaign, some written by participants. Whether anyone who has read one or more of those accounts will profit from reading Sides's book, I can't say. He doesn't make clear what new information he may be bringing to the story. He has interviewed some of the survivors, but I would guess that earlier authors did as well. I was on the fence between giving the book four stars or five. It probably merits four and a half. Although I think it's a great read, I also think that, like too many books these days, it needed one more draft. Like many authors writing the history of a single battle or segment of a campaign, Sides faced the question of how much of the story of the Korean War to tell. Overall he did a decent job, but there are some gaps. For instance, he sketches out what was happening on the western side of the Korean peninsula as UN forces swept all the way to the border with China at the Yalu River. We could really have used a map of that part of the campaign. (The only maps are in the books endpapers and the only detail given is for the area in and around the reservoir.) We're never told the fate of these forces. Presumably they were also attacked by Chinese troops and retreated south, but it would have been nice to at least have a couple of pages informing us of what happened. Similarly, early in the book he discusses McArthur and Truman during the period leading up to the Marines marching north and includes an account of their face-to-face meeting. But once the battle at the reservoir begins, they pretty much drop out of the story. In particular, I was wondering why no effort was made to land additional troops to break through to the Marines trapped around Chosin. Were there no other available troops in the theater? Was there insufficient time to bring them into the action? He should have provided some explanation, as well as an account of the options MacArthur and Truman considered. There are also some gaps in the details of the story. He discusses at length the fate of the Army Task Force Faith that is surrounded on the east side of the reservoir. But how they extricated themselves is not well explained. The trapped troops were told to abandon their vehicles and travel overland until they reached the frozen reservoir, and then proceed on to link up with the Marines at the southern end of the reservoir. Sides describes the Army troops as having devolving into an undisciplined mob as they scrambled to safety. That description made me wonder how 2,000 of the 3,000 men managed to escape. If the Chinese troops had them surrounded, couldn't they have killed or captured them before they made it overland to the reservoir? Particularly since, according to Sides, many of the soldiers had thrown away their rifles. Similarly, he leaves the impression that General Smith and the forces at Hagaru-ri were cut off from the Marines down the road at Koto-ri. Yet no real description is given of how Smith's forces end up making it to Koto-ri. I assume they fought their way out, but some description would have been nice. The book ends with a brief account of the remainder of the Korean War. Given we had been given descriptions of the thinking of MacArthur and Truman about invading North Korea, I think Sides should have provided some account of why they (or maybe just the Truman Administration) decided after the X Corps had successfully retreated to the coast, not to resume an offensive into North Korean territory the following spring. Overall, then, an excellent book, particularly if you have not read one of the other accounts of this campaign, but it has its flaws.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Masterclass in historical writing
*by L***Y on January 9, 2026*

Between this book and “Give Me Tomorrow” both books on Korean War you will attain a Masters degree of knowledge. Hampton Sides is one of the best history writers out there. He makes it enjoyable to read history as he present the facts surrounding events like a novel or campfire story.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best U.S. military history account ever.
*by A***R on September 1, 2025*

What an epic tale of warfare, survival, grief and despair. You will not put this book down and you will cry at the end, it is that good. The plots and subplots, expertly woven together in Hampton Sides’ inimitable style of clarity and color—the man’s vocabulary is simply epic—paint an indelible picture of the governments and ideologies that defined this terrible moment of the Cold War. The bravery in this battle that the author recounts in vivid, scorching detail is heart-rending, and the action unstoppable. I’ve read many, many of the great works on the Civil War, WWII, and Vietnam, and this hidden gem about the Frozen Chosin is the best.

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*Last updated: 2026-01-27*