1st Edition
Medic The Mission of an American Military Doctor in Occupied Japan and Wartorn Korea
In the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Crawford F. Sams led the most unprecedented and unsurpassed reforms in public health history, as chief of the Public Health and Welfare Section of the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in East Asia. "Medic" is Sams's firsthand account of public health reforms in Japan during the occupation and their significance for the formation of a stable and democratic state in Asia after World War II. "Medic" also tells of the strenuous efforts to control disease among refugees and civilians during the Korean War, which had enormously high civilian casualties. Sams recounts the humanitarian, military, and ideological reasons for controlling disease during military operations in Korea, where he served, first, as a health and welfare adviser to the U.S. Military Command that occupied Korea south of the 38th parallel and, later, as the chief of Health and Welfare of the United Nations Command. In presenting a larger picture of the effects of disease on the course of military operations and in the aftermath of catastrophic bombings and depravation, Crawford Sams has left a written document that reveals the convictions and ideals that guided his generation of military leaders.
Biography
Crawford F. Sams, Zabelle Zakarian, Zabelle Zakarian
"Sams' memoirs are quite readable and should be of interest to military history readers, public health students, and especially to those interested in a first-hand account of Occupation policies. His recollections have obviously been meticulously edited by Zabelle Zakarian." -- The Midwest Book Review
"This book is very highly recommended for its insights into the medical aspects of rebuilding a war damaged country...Sams's career provides useful insights on the interwar preparation of Army officers for the unanticipated aspects of war and peace. The editor is to be congratulated for her wisdom in selecting this manuscript for publication, and for an outstanding editing job." -- Johns Hopkins University Press
"The book offers valuable insight into the culture and politics of healthcare and welfare distribution...It is highly recommended reading." -- Navy Medicine Journal