Customer Reviews:
Good Overview, Short on Archeology.......2004-11-19
I will say that like most of Ballard's books this is nicely laid out; good sized and with excellent photographs & drawings.
Most of the book is taken up by short histories of the various battles that make up the 'Guadalcanal Campaign.' This didn't leave much room for the exploration of the wrecks themselves which gives you a rather rushed feeling despite the good background history.
Perhaps this would have been even better as an expanded two volume set.
An incredible journey through a graveyard of lost ships........2004-09-23
The work of Dr Robert D. Ballard knows no bounds and is truly inspirational to those of us who read of his exploits and seek to emulate his standards with much lesser shipwrecks.
Once again, just as soon as I took delivery of "The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal" I knew I had a 5 Star Book in my hands and, once again, I found nothing within it's 220 pages to make me take away any of those stars.
This book will stand the test of time as a literary work and outstanding account of one of the major naval battle zones of the Pacific in WW2. There are modern photographs including a number taken from the air, historic photographs (American, Australian, Japanese and local) of the places, the personalities, the ships, aircraft and soldiers, some incredible paintings of the night actions that took place, pictures of Ballard's crew as they go about their work and his advanced equipment being deployed and used. There is also a picture of a very young John F. Kennedy in his PT-109.
The first underwater pictures are enough to make the heart stop for just a moment as you realise this man Ballard has done it again - not once, but in this case several times. Commencing with the 9,850 ton Heavy Cruiser HMAS Canberra (the "A" stands for Australian) we no sooner see the first underwater photographs of this once magnificent ship - which went down fight in the opening minutes of the Battle of Savo Island, then we turn the page to find a 3-page open-out spread of Ken Marschall's painting of the entire wreck.
On the opposite side of that 3 page spread is another equally outstanding painting of USS Quincy followed by her own set of underwater photographs. As the story of Guadalcanal continues, so we find more details of US and Japanese successes and losses and the trials and tribulations endured by the forces of both sides as the author carefully draws us towards that part in the overall series of battles that will bring us to his next discovery and Ken Marschall's next incredible painting - the USS Monssen.
With more underwater photographs of yet more of the "Lost Ships of Guadalcanal," and yet more paintings by Ken Marschall, the author skilfully brings the reader both to the end of the series of battles and to the end of his own journey of discovery. Whilst not one of the greatest works of art within the book, one of my favourite paintings is found on p.200. This is an aerial picture of the entire area called "Iron Bottom Sound" - painted as though the water had been removed and showing the location of no fewer than 13 warships, one aircraft and two beached freighters. As part of the caption states ".... that makes this one of the greatest submarine battlefields." Yes it is, and in this book it was all brought back to life by Dr Robert D. Ballard.
An excellent book by any standards.
NM
Price of Freedom Lies Between These Pages.......2002-11-12
The title above is what my great-uncle inscribed on the inside cover of this book. He is the Tommy Morris whose story is told in the pages of this book. Like many more famous sailors and soldiers, Uncle Tommy (who died only two weeks ago after a long decline, for those readers who might be interested)used to tell me and my grandfather (Tommy's brother) that it was impossible for him to think of people as "civilized" having seen how we turn our new discoveries and technology so easily to the unhappy task of killing each other. He also said to me once that his role in the Quincy sinking was that of a "damsel in distress".. which description was follwed by that sort of masculing deep-seated chuckle which only come forth from heroic men who have seen hell on earth.
I am biased, but I wer I not, I would still think this an excellent book!
Gary Morris
Great book on the warships lost in Iron Bottom Sound.......2001-09-15
Between August 1942 and February 1943, a land-sea and air battle was waged for an island in the south pacific called Guadalcanal. The six-month long battle for the island would be one of the definitive battles of the war. It was also one of the costliest. Thousands of Allied and Japanese soldiers died. And a channel north of the island had so many ships go down there that it was renamed Iron Bottom Sound.
It is possible that more men died in the waters off Guadalcanal then on the island itself. But for many years, most of the ships were out of reach to divers and eventually were all but forgotten. Then, in 1992, Oceanographer Robert Ballard, who had found the Titanic and the Bismarck, decided to explore the area using the latest in technology. It is quite an experience to see a past battlefield on land like Normandy, Pearl Harbor, Gettysburg or Guadalcanal itself. But the battlefields were obviously cleaned up afterward and don't look the way they did when the battle concluded. But time knows no boundaries in Iron Bottom Sound. The paintings by Ken Marshall and the photographs show many of the ships still upright on the ocean floor; Their guns and torpedo tubes still trained outward as if firing at a long gone enemy. But some of the ships are not so beautifully preserved. The Battleship Krishima, for example, lies upside down in two pieces on the ocean floor. And the Destroyer Barton is broken in half and lying on its side from two torpedoes. Nevertheless, most of the ships appear ready to rise up and continue fighting.
Lavishly illustrated and with a detailed text, The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal will make a welcome addition to the collection of any War, Naval or Shipwreck enthusiast (If you can find a copy that is).
A keystone in every maritime library.......2001-08-28
Dr. Bob Ballard discovered the Titanic in the mid 1980's using cutting-edge underwater technology. For this book, he turned that skill and knowledge to lead an expedition to examine the wrecks of one of the bloodiest naval battles of World War II, one so full of death and destruction that veterans of the battle gave the waters of Gualdalcanal the nickname of "Iron Bottom Sound" because of the number of ships and aircraft that lay underwater. Guadalcanal was the linchpin of American and Japanese military strategy for control of the south Pacific islands. The Americans controlled the airfield, but the Japanese controlled the island and the waters around it. The Japanese couldn't resupply its army because of attacks to its freighters by Allied aircraft and the Americans couldn't resupply its airfield because of attacks to its fleet of ships. In one single battle in the pitch-black darkness of night, the mighty Japanese fleet engaged a weaker American destroyer group where American guns were aimed by radar and Japanese guns were aimed by looking for the flashes from the American weapons. The American fleet was destroyed but it was a Pyhric victory because the Japanese supply ships failed to reach the starving Japanese troops on the island. Dr. Ballard does a remarkable job of capturing both the essence of the battle and the essence of underwater archeology to create a wonderful book filled with full-color pictures of the wrecks and period black-and-white pictures of the war. He also includes the fantastic paintings and maps in the style that has adorned his other books to show how the wrecks would look if there was absolute clarity underwater and with a "God's Eye". This book is one of the better ones I've found that deal with the ships of Guadalcanal and underwater archeology. I've noticed copies adorning the workbenches of many model-ship builders (including mine). Its a great gift idea and sure to please anyone interested in great battles, maritime history, WW2, underwater exploration, or tales of bravery (by those who fought and those who study the ocean).
Average customer rating:
- Excellent follow-up
- Fascinating and Absorbing
- Wreck-Diving Nirvana
- Highly readable and entertaining
- A fascinating look into the bomb testing and aftermath
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Ghost Fleet: The Sunken Ships of Bikini Atoll
James P. Delgado
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 1945 - Present
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ASIN: 0824818644 |
Book Description
In July 1946 a fleet of 242 ships, among them some of the most famous of World War II, assembled within the lagoon of Bikini Atoll, 4,500 miles from San Francisco. There, in a massive military effort dubbed Operation Crossroads, thousands of scientists and U.S. military personnel gathered to assess the atomic bomb's effect on warships in the world's first nuclear weapons tests.
Four decades later, in 1989, a highly trained team of underwater archaeologists returned to Bikini to evalu-ate the ships as historic and archaeological sites and as potential diving attractions. In Ghost Fleet, author James Delgado, a member of that team, offers a fascinating account of Operation Crossroads and the forgotten remains that have turned Bikini's lagoon into a vast underwater ghost town.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent follow-up.......2003-01-30
My Dad was there (USS Reclaimer) - swimming in the atoll the day after the blasts, cleaning refuged ships, etc. It's amazing he's still alive.
Nice photos; good summaries. This isn't a full-blown account of Operation CrossRoads but a nice summary of the ships. If you are interested in OC, this is a good book to have on your shelf.
Fascinating and Absorbing.......2001-12-27
This is a great mini-coffee table book (get the hardcover if you REALLY dig this stuff!) offering hours of information and photos of the famous atomic bomb tests on naval ships at Bikini Atoll. The 190 page book is broken into nine chapters and has excellent notes on sources. Background information covers the first half of the book while the second is focused on recent dives to many of the famous and lesser known ships that were sunk here. The writing is very informative and the photographs are absolutely haunting, particularly the ones of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga! Several color photos are included in the center. The author pushes no agenda in this book. He merely reports the facts available both "good and bad".
Wreck-Diving Nirvana.......2001-02-16
James Delgado does a very good job of reviewing the sunken ships of Bikini Atoll and telling the story of the 1946 atomic bomb tests. I read this book after diving at Bikini Atoll and found it to be a good treatment of a topic that has received too little attention. As far as wreck diving goes, Bikini Atoll is the best in the world, and my only disappointment with this book is that it does not fill the need for a coffee-table-style photographic survey of the incredible shipwrecks at Bikini. That being said, Delgado's book is a nice compromise between such a coffee table book and the more comprehensive historical treatment in Jonathan Weisgall's superb book on Bikini Atoll.
Highly readable and entertaining.......1999-07-13
I found this book to be most interesting, with a very accessible writing style.
A fascinating look into the bomb testing and aftermath.......1999-07-10
This book presents an illuminating look at the nuclear testing and it's aftermath. The cavalier attitude towards radiation is pretty amazing. There are also many fine pictures of the wrecks underwater, including some shots of the world's only exisiting diveable aircraft carrier.
Customer Reviews:
Mult-dimension book and more books from the author.......2007-04-16
The author writes a mult-dimension book about an unusual war where an entire theater of operations was depend on capturing, and defending an airfield and then the next military objective was another airfield. I agreed that author failed to talk about the K-84 Hayate (Frank), but he forgot that the Japanese also produce the Shiden N1K2 (George) Navy fighter plane. The author also seems to forget that American pilots had to fly for 8 to 14 hours from England and Italy to escort the bombers and then fight the Luftwaffe pilots just like the Japanese pilots had to do from Rabual. The only differences was that we had more fighter planes and pilots than the Japanese, and our planes could absorb much damage from enemy fire and bring our pilots back home.
The author seems to forget that much of the American population was also unskilled labor when it came to maintaining planes that were designed by Americans who were college graduates. We had no nationwide apprenticeship program system like they have in Europe when it comes to producing a skill technical labor force. Nowadays, we have been getting rid of such a technical skilled labor force for the last 27 years. The Japanese at least gave their enlisted soldiers and sailors a chance to become pilots since 1928 and continue it until the end of World War II. On the other hand, the US Navy, Marines and Army did not try to expand their enlisted pilots during the war.
I did not realizes how easy it was to be hit by the variety of diseases and illness in the tropics. Amazing how the tropics can be so beautiful in the photographs of the tourist industries' bochures and at the same time be so deadly. Of course, those people who fought in Burma from 1941-1945 could emphasize those who were expose to the diseases in the South Pacific and dealing with the jungle.
The way they said that it rain so much in the South Pacific, you wonder how both the Allies and the Japanses ever manage to fight such a war in a place like that. If it rain so much, there would have been no war at all because all sea and air operations could not operate in an environment at all.
The author should also have talk to members of the U. S. Navy Fighter Squadron 5 and 17 since they fought in that area. Furthermore, he should also have talk to members of the U. S. Army fighter groups that operate from Guadalcanel.
I hope the author writes two books about the air war over the Philippines in 1944. The first book would be from October 1944 to December 1944 with regards to Leyte Island. The second book should be about air war over the Philippines from January 1945 to the end of Japanese air resistance.
Overall, an excellent book given the complexity blending in so many subject matters and how each one play a part in the overall campaign.
Engineeriing approach and more.......2007-03-30
The strengths of the book have been mentioned in other reviews, so I will focus on certain weaknesses not emphasized by others.
The first main weakness is luck of technical understanding of several terms by the author. He seems to confuse the terms, power loading, and wing loading. He failed to recognize that the Japanese fighters' lower wing loading was actually a more significant benefit in terms of maneuverability at higher altitudes where the air density is lower (he supports the opposite, which is not technically reasonable). He also makes the statement many times that the maneuverability advantage of the Japanese fighters at the expense of heavy armor proved not to be the winning advantage. The statement needs to be corrected however, in my opinion. When a very skilful pilot is manning the more maneuverable fighter, the compromise for maneuverability can actually pay off. Early in the war, the Japanese had probably the best pilots in the world, which justifies their choice in the maneuverability/speed/armor compromise. This is well illustrated when Japanese ace pilots, even late in the war, often engaged large numbers of allied fighters sinle-handed, and not only usually survived by using the maneuverability of their "obsolete" fighters, but also gained victories over their multiple opponents. However, as the author properly states, late in the war, the lack of speed and armor was indeed a serious drawback when the majority of the Japanese pilots could not be properly trained, due to the lack of aviation fuel.
The second main weakness is that the book is heavily biased to the American side. It fails to emphasize the important role of serendipity that allowed the Americans to gain significant advantages (i.e., the victory in the Midway battle which was very much determined by luck, or the early discovery of a flyable A6M2 by the allies which allowed the early development of the proper tactics to deal with the Zero). Another example of bias is as follows: In the section where a P-40 pilot (justifiably biased) declared that his side had the speed advantage and therefore could dictate when and where to fight, the author (who should intervene in a more unbiased position) failed to mention that the Zero had almost twice the rate of climb of the P-40, and therefore a far stronger advantage to dictate the terms of the air battle. Finally, and possibly the most significant example of bias is the Author's failure to even mention the Japanese Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Frank) in the Japanese warplane section. The Hayate had completely outclassed the US fighters in almost every respect, and its impact in the air war was reduced only by the relatively small numbers and the lack of experienced pilots and mechanics. However, an experienced pilot in a Hayate was a very serious threat to any allied fighter, even if outnumbered.
Finally, the superior fighting spirit of the Japanese was only barely touched by this book. Even though it is not fair to compare aircrew individually due to the different cultures, the Japanese had a considerable advantage in this respect. At the end, quantity overwhelmed quality, as far as the fighting spirit was concerned. In my opinion, this is a serious deficiency of a historical book, that by definition should at least try to be unbiased. A more in depth understanding of the unusual Japanese culture would have helped the author develop a better picture of the cultural disconnect, and how the allied leadership took advantage of the cultural difference to motivate the aircrews, and minimize potential ethical doubts when the latter were employed in the extermination of tens of thousands of Japanese troops (and later hundreds of thousands of civilians). The author states that racism had little part in the war ethics, but that is a serious historical error. In my opinion, we have to say history as it was, in order to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Outstanding!.......2007-03-09
This was the first book of Mr. Bergerud's I've read, and I must say I was impressed. The way he broke down the course of the war into the several aspects he felt to be contributing factors in its outcome I found to be thoughtful and well supported. He supplied frequent first hand accounts that not only backed up the point being made, but were startling in their vividness.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in an in-depth study of the air war in the south Pacific. Don't let the size of the book scare you; he does a fine job of covering the subject and supporting his statements. I'd compare his style to the great Barbara Tuchman's: it may take you a while to get through it all, but when you're finished your understanding of the subject will be absolute.
War of attrition -- superb campaign history.......2006-11-25
Most of the reviews here are more concerned with how Professor Bergerud tells his story than what he says.
The what, however, is the reason to spend many hours with this volume.
This is the first history to pull together in one place all the aspects of the air campaign in the Southwest Pacific. Other writers, including some very good ones, have analyzed tactics or equipment. Fewer have paid much attention to logistics, which was even more difficult than usual in the terrible conditions of Melanesia. Fewer still have written much about the difficulties of maintaining health and morale of aircrew and ground personnel in such conditions.
Bergerud pulls all this together, along with thoughtful analysis of the differing approaches of the two foes to the campaign. Also, he explores the social differences between the antagonists, and those effects upon the battlefield.
Nothing is left out.
All this is deftly melded with many personal reminiscences of the warriors, making it an easy read for those whose interest in military matters is limited to the chatter of machine guns. I have never read a better popular battle history.
The Japanese side is underdescribed, inevitably. Not many Japanese pilots survived to reflect on their experiences.
A little thin on Objectivity.......2006-11-08
This is a discussion of why the allies were superior and as such is not so objective. Obviously written by an American however the author gives a nice nod to the Australian & New Zealand allies. It centres on the Guadalcanal and New Guinea campaigns and does not branch into the Central Pacific or Philippines, but is about the South Pacific campaings after all. Outstanding coverage of the weapons involved, more so for the Allied equipment. Easy to read, this book features interviews with veterans, which is valuable and entertaining. This book is an easy read although does drag out a bit too long and not as concise as Touched with Fire The Land War in the South Pacific.
Average customer rating:
- Gutted
- BEST WW2 BOOK EVER!!! ....so far.....
- This is the best book ever written by an American Combat Veteran
- My father on cover of later editions aiming weapon
- With The Old Breed
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With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa
E.B. Sledge
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0891419063
Release Date: 2007-05-01 |
Book Description
In The Wall Street Journal, Victor Davis Hanson named With the Old Breed one of the top five books on epic twentieth-century battles. Studs Terkel interviewed the author for his definitive oral history, The Good War. Now E. B. Sledge’s acclaimed first-person account of fighting at Peleliu and Okinawa returns to thrill, edify, and inspire a new generation.
An Alabama boy steeped in American history and enamored of such heroes as George Washington and Daniel Boone, Eugene B. Sledge became part of the war’s famous 1st Marine Division–3d Battalion, 5th Marines. Even after intense training, he was shocked to be thrown into the battle of Peleliu, where “the world was a nightmare of flashes, explosions, and snapping bullets.” By the time Sledge hit the hell of Okinawa, he was a combat vet, still filled with fear but no longer with panic.
Based on notes Sledge secretly kept in a copy of the New Testament, With the Old Breed captures with utter simplicity and searing honesty the experience of a soldier in the fierce Pacific Theater. Here is what saved, threatened, and changed his life. Here, too, is the story of how he learned to hate and kill–and came to love–his fellow man.
Customer Reviews:
Gutted.......2007-10-08
I watched much of The War this weekend on PBS. Ken Burns leans heavily on Eugene Sledge's account of war, and that tells me that Burns at least knows genius writing when he reads it.
Sledge may be the best writer from the 20th century that most people have never heard of. His language is harrowing and detailed and does not spare any details about the chaos and misery and ineffable singular experience that is war. I truly believe that he lived through Peleliu and Okinawa, so he could compile his writings and share them with the world. How else can you explain the same person living through two of the nastiest battles of the 20th century?
Buy this book. Share it with everyone you know.
BEST WW2 BOOK EVER!!! ....so far............2007-10-04
This book was a pleasure to read. Not that I find pleasure in the horrors of war, I do not, but this book is so well written. I gets into the real nitty-gritties of every day life at war fighting a fearsome enemy. This book was the first book to ever give me a real glimpse of the totality of war on the foot soldier. There are many great books on WW2 out there, this definetly has to be one of the best! GET THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!! you wont regret it.
This is the best book ever written by an American Combat Veteran.......2007-10-04
This book is about combat. Nothing more. It is horrifying. It is well written. It is too well written. If you read this book, you will understand combat. Not "war", but combat. That's Mr. Sledge's goal. He wants the rest of us to understand the horror of combat. This is the best book on combat by an American combat veteran. The only combat book that is better is "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer, a German soldier on the Russian front during WWII. Both of these books will make you cry like a baby. Read them back to back & I promise that you will have nightmares.
My father on cover of later editions aiming weapon.......2007-10-03
I read the old copy of this twice. Imagine my surprise when my son sent me a blown up photo of the cover and I am staring at my father aiming his weapon as I remember him when he was young! He fought at Okinawa and out of his entire battalion only he and five others came back (& wounded at that). When I was little after the War, and Daddy was drinking, he used to describe some of war's horrors to my mother and his friends when he thought I wasn't listening. He would talk about a man named Sledge who was nicknamed, "Sledgehammer." Although my father kept his sense of humor about some of war's crazy happenings, he never recovered fully and drank when it became too much. He lost all of his buddies in battle. When Daddy died in 1981, I thought, "Well, he is with them, now." Sledge's accounts exactly match my father's from the late 1940s.
With The Old Breed.......2007-08-17
Wow!!! Sledge eloquently exposes the misery and ultimate madness of war. We owe much to our brave soldiers. All politicians should read this book to gain a sense of the sacrifice that our soldiers,past and present, have endured.
Book Description
Suffocating heat, tropical rain and hostile jungle terrain were but a few of the treacherous obstacles that confronted the Allies when they fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Southeast Asian rainforest.
Aided by the knowledge of the terrain, the Japanese were consistently successful in their advances during the winter of 1941-42. However, once the Allies realized that unconventional means and specific jungle skills would be needed in order to survive and win, they developed effective units able to fight the Japanese in this hostile environment.
Lessons were learned by the few British soldiers trapped in the central Malaysian jungle by the time of the fall of Singapore and Malaya. In Burma, Orde Wingate led the Chindits, an allied force that trained in jungle discipline, field craft, survival skills, and special tactics such as combat tracking, close-quarter fighting, and small team operations. These men were responsible for pioneering the key jungle warfare tactics that are still practised effectively to this day.
Providing an expert analysis of tactical warfare, this book explains the early successes of the Japanese and highlights how the Allies overcame many physical and psychological impairments, to master the art of jungle warfare and finally conquer the strange and claustrophobic jungle environment.
Customer Reviews:
Rather hollow........2007-04-10
I was expecting something more comprhensive concenring to tactics in this book and found that the content is a rather superficial collection of quotations on several manuals and other publications. Maybe the size of the book does not allow for a deep analysis and explanation but some more detailed information should be possible. The other books of Osprey's Tactics series are much more to the point. Illustrations are interesting as is usually the case in Osprey's series.
Bring history to life........2007-04-10
Dr. Stephen Bull's WORLD WAR II JUNGLE WARFARE TACTICS describes and illustrates the course of the Allies as they struggled against Japanese strongholds in the pacific. Wartime training documents and front-line memoirs of action spice a survey of these battles and bring history to life.
Amazon.com
The South Pacific campaign of World War II set new standards for savagery in modern warfare. The ground fighting reached a peak of intensity when the U.S. Marines landed at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands while the Australians repulsed the Japanese advance across New Guinea. Battling jungle rot and malaria, the Australian Army teamed with the U.S. against the Japanese, whose battle ethos demanded they fight until victory or extermination. In Touched by Fire, Eric Bergerud, a professor of military and American history at Lincoln University in San Francisco, restores the campaign to its rightful place of importance as a diabolical struggle for survival in World War II's most heartless terrain.
Customer Reviews:
A superb book with one very irritating flaw.......2007-02-17
If it were not for the one flaw mentioned in the title (and about which more below)this book would have received five stars.
Campaign histories are often impersonal narratives that fail to capture either the strategic importance of events or the personal experiences of the combatants. Those books which do capture the experiences of the combatants are often naive when it comes to strategy. Touched with Fire describes the war in the South Pacific on all levels, personal, tactical, logistic and strategic. It is well written, insightful and easy to read.
Bergerud makes the point that before the campaign in the South Pacific the Japanese were still on the offensive, even despite Midway. By the end of the campaign there was no doubt in any sane military man's mind that Japan would lose the war. Bergerud clearly explains why the Japanese decision to continue the war after their losses in the South Pacific was militarily insane, but also examines why unconditional victory over Japan was desirable and maybe even necessary (and how the same attitudes that made this so contributed to Japan's initial success and eventual failure).
For an American author Bergerud treats the combatants very open handedly, praising the Japanese and Australians for their strengths and not shying away from problems with the US military.
The fact that the author is an American leads me to the flaw in the book, something which might seem minor, but which was a constant source of irritation and grated so badly that it cost Bergerud two stars. The book is about events which happened entirely in the southern hemisphere. Therefore when I encountered references to events happening in summer of 1942 I asked myself, summer 1941/42 or summer 42/43? Luckily I knew enough about the dates involved to realise that it was neither. To my surprise and horror I realised that the author was referring to the northern hemisphere seasons when discussing events that happened in the southern hemisphere! The battles for Guadalcanal and the initial battles for New Guinea did not take place in summer, they were in winter (although traditional European seasons have little meaning in the tropics). I assume that the author knows that the seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere. Therefore I can only conclude that he made a conscious decision to ignore this fact and to deliberately introduce errors into his work in order to make it more palateable to Americans. This betrays both a contempt for the intellect of his American readers and a contempt for his audience outside America. Neither is acceptable.
It is a shame that such a good book is flawed in this way. This may seem a minor point, but anything which betrays such monumental contempt for the reader has a major negative effect on the enjoyment of a book. It would not take much to correct the references to the seasons or simply replace them with dates if it's perceived that the concept of a round earth is too complex for the target audience (yes I'm being facetious). It would be good if this could be done in any future editions of this otherwise excellent book.
A war of annihilation............2006-11-08
I purchased this book whilst living in the SE Asian tropics and it certainly provided a stark insight into the land battles of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands from mid-1942 until early 1944. Horrific. Australians interested in WW2 in this theatre should certainly pick up this book.
Anyone interested in the historical aspects of these WW2 battles will find the descriptions and weighing up of the armies, the weapons they employed and the horrors of the battlefield they suffered & fought in, to be utterly fascinating.
More so the interviews with surviving combatants are highly entertaining and this book serves as a worthy monument to their exploits in this green hell.
In particular this provides for an insight the brutality of the campaigns covered. The conditions endured by citizen and professional soldiers, and the combat most foul, they engaged in is graphically described. Yet all this takes place in a naturally beautiful environment....
The descriptions by veterans of hand-to-hand combat and degradation provides a stark view of some of the motivations and endurance of individuals under some of the most extreme combat conditions in WW2.
Thoroughly worth reading.
Allied Contributions.......2006-08-01
The contributions of the Australians and New Zealanders in the Pacific War are often understated. This book does much to mitigate that deficit.
Touched by Fire.......2006-07-15
I bought this book, and the companion book, Fire in the Sky by the same author. I bought them becasue my father spent from May 1942 until near the end of the war in the South Pacific. These books are NOT cronological history books, but rather an IN DEPTH discussion of why the US won and why the Japanese lost. Most of the book is taken up with quotes from the veterans who fought the war. Fire in the Sky had a few pages of quote from one of my Dad's friends from the 17th Weather Squadron.
Definitive history, including little-known land actions in the South Pacific.......2006-06-29
Bergerud is magisterial in his approach, utilizing interviews with the participants and diaries as a principal tool for getting readers deep into the action. Highly recommended.
Book Description
The 1941 Japanese Pacific onslaught saw the defeat of Allied forces on all fronts, with the Philippines, Netherlands East Indies, and Commonwealth possessions falling under their control. During 1942-43, the Japanese consolidated their gains and redeployed forces in an attempt to break the Southern Lifeline between America and Australia. These plans were affected by the defeat at Midway, which forced the Japanese onto the defensive. This book examines Japanese forces employed in the follow-on conquests of 1942-43, and describes how unit organization, weaponry, and equipment were found lacking in the harsh environment of the Solomon Islands and on New Guinea.
Book Description
As the author of The World's Most Dangerous Places, Robert Young Pelton has come to know some of the most unusual and dangerous individuals in the world. In THE HUNTER, THE HAMMER, AND HEAVEN, he introduces an extraordinary cast of characters from three of the most war-ravaged countries on earth - the West African country of Sierra Leone, the breakaway republic of Chechnya, and a mysterious island in the South Pacific called Bougainville.
In war-torn Sierra Leone, as he wanders through the world's most expensive peacekeeping mission, he meets an ex-mercenary who hunts pirates, a ragtag militia whose members believe they have supernatural powers, and white men with "diamond fever."
In Chechnya, Pelton enters the jihad with three traveling companions - an American muhjadin who wants to die, a young woman seeing her first war as a journalist, and a grumpy cameraman. Pelton brings this motley crew down the secret muj trail from Georgia and into terrorist-filled bunkers, suicide squad-manned front lines, and SCUD missile attacks.
Finally, Pelton chronicles his two-year odyssey to meet one of the most elusive rebel leaders in the world - Francis Ona - who has survived numerous assassination attempts and who threatens to kill any white man who sets foot on his tiny island, Bougainville.
Filled with tension and intrigue, THE HUNTER, THE HAMMER, AND HEAVEN offers a dramatic vision of war and humanity.
Customer Reviews:
history, social studies, gov't., & other educators - this is an interesting read.......2007-02-15
pelton is at times redundant, but the book moves along w/ just the right momentum to keep your attention. before his book, i had never even heard of Bougainville. this is a good read to store more detailed info. on the 3 places explored by pelton. at the very least, you'll feel smarter than you did before you picked up this book.
Good book but..........2006-12-27
where are the pictures? He goes to all these places, meets all these different personalities, admits that he has a camera and where are they? Now I don't need pictures in a book for me to read it but his stories I think would be enhanced with photos of his journeys.
The book is good and is part adventure/travel/survival/third world political science. In his travels, Mr. Pelton does not seem to take any easy route to go anywhere. He gets smuggled into Chechnya and tracks down a rebel leader on his own choice. The rebels who are known for kidnapping foriegners and journalists are meanwhile being tracked and bombed by the Russian military. He goes to Bougainville when everyone including the people that live there tell him not too. Why? I think because as he feels that there is a story to tell and it usually is not the "popular" one fed to most news agencies. Case in point is his Chechnya visit, where again he chooses to go to the "terrorists", not to give them a voice, but to get the unpopular side of the story (especially when considering the lack of freedom of the press in Russia). It is an objective look at the history of the Chechnya/Russian relationship and the situation where atrocities are seem to be committed by both sides. He even "interviews" a captured Russian soldier whose handlers casually tell Mr. Pelton he will most likely be executed the next day. The part on Sierra Leone is equally impressive, probably because there has been more press about the atrocities and violence there.
So as long as Mr. Pelton feels the need to travel to different "worlds gone mad", writing the about the lesser known histories and/or conflicts, he will most likely have me as a reader of his books.
Robert Young Pelton.......2006-01-20
I've read everything he has out. Loved it! It's current (as books go), funny, serious and a great read!
A must of the armchair traveller...........2004-03-27
Not exactly LP, but it tells stories of two places that been
extremely dangerous and one that still is.in SL conflict(the hunter) was fuelled by greed, diamonds made many Lebanese come to SL and
the become rich on trading, MEA (middle east airlines) flew
in several of their big passenger planes to rescue it's citizens, SL
isn't a tourist resort nowadays like The Gambia today, but
still not extremely dangerous.
Bougainville (the Heaven) was Oz mining company property until the fighting
drove them of the island, PNG gov tried to recruit SA mercs to
"conquer" the island and start mining again, but it failed badly.
Chechenya (the Hammer) was also about greed, in this case oil-pipelines from
Azerbadjian. The late Chechen leader Dubajev was a former Soviet
airforce general that was married to an Estonian lady, he stopped
a carnage in the Baltic states planned by hard-liners. The Russians was later upset by the Estonians because the gave away
3 plane loads of roubles to the Chechens (arranged by Georgia) that the Russians refused to take as payment for oil deliveries, the money came when Estonia changed currency from the Soviet rouble to the Estonian Kroon.
3 stories about where everything gone haywire, but in two cases
the violence have halted, at least temporary...
Average customer rating:
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The Armed Forces of the USA in the Asia-Pacific Region (Armed Forces of Asia)
Stanley B. Weeks , and
Charles A. Meconis
Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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General
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Weapons & Warfare
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| Biological & Chemical
| Control
| Conventional
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Military Science
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Arms Control
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ASIN: 1860644880 |
Book Description
For over half a century, since Pearl Harbor brought the US into the Pacific War, America has been a dominant military power in Asia, challenged only by the then Soviet Union and China. This is the first unclassified account of America's military stake and current defensive and offensive capacity in Asia. It analyzes the role of US armed forces in Asia, including deterrent nuclear forces, in the context of defense policy and strategy. The possible future of US forces in the region is considered, and the book also considers the views of Asian nations on America’s continuing presence.
Books:
- The M-1 Helmet: A History of the U.S. M-1 Helmet in World War II
- The Madonnas of Leningrad: A Novel (P.S.)
- The Oath: A Surgeon Under Fire
- The Opium Wars: The Addiction of One Empire and the Corruption of Another
- The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe
- The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power
- The Rescue
- The Rommel Papers (Da Capo Paperback)
- The Russian Army of the Crimean War 1854-56 (Men-at-Arms)
- The Things They Carried
Books Index
Books Home
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Return to Midway
Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle
Graveyards of the Pacific: From Pearl Harbor to Bikini Island
The Discovery of the Bismarck: Germany's Greatest Battleship Surrenders Her Secrets
Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
