Medic: The Mission of an American Military Doctor in Occupied Japan and Wartorn Korea

by Crawford F. Sams, Zabelle Zakarian

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781315503714
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/16/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Lexile:	1390L (what's this?)
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Crawford F. Sams, Zabelle Zakarian, Zabelle Zakarian

Table of Contents

I: Japan; 1: The Perimeter; 2: Tokyo; 3: The Decision: SCAP; 4: First Reconnaissance of Japan; 5: Food Relief and Nutrition; 6: The Reorganization of Health and Welfare; 7: Statistics: A Health and Welfare Tool; 8: The Preventive Medicine Program, Part I: Controlling Wildfire Diseases; 9: The Preventive Medicine Program, Part II: Environmental Sanitation and Viral Diseases; 10: The Preventive Medicine Program, Part III: Treatment and Prevention; 11: The Veterinarians; 12: Medicine and Dentistry; 13: Pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical Industry; 14: Nursing; 15: Hospitals; 16: The Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission; 17: Narcotics Control; 18: Welfare; 19: Social Security; 20: The Communist Activities; 21: The Big Question; 22: Summation of the Occupation; 23: Life in Japan; II: Korea; 24: 1945–1948; 25: 1950–1951; 26: The Breakout; 27: North Korea; 28: The New War; 29: A Complication; 30: A Korean Episode; 31: The Relief of General MacArthur; 32: The Twenty-second of April Offensive; III: Coming Home; III: Return to the United States

Editorial Reviews

"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

From the Publisher