Why am I passionate about this?
Since childhood, I have been fascinated by accounts of the Second World War, particularly the war in the Pacific Theater. Perhaps because I had an uncle and a step-father (Bronze Star awarded for bravery) who fought in that theater. I joined the U.S. Navy in 1958 and traveled in the USS Bennington, CVS 20, too many of the islands captured by the Japanese in blood-soaked battles–Pearl Harbor, Guam, Okinawa, Midway, and the Philippines. Further, I was stationed at Atsugi Naval Air Station in Japan for twenty months, which allowed me to look into World War II history from the other side.
Herb's book list on Pacific island combat World War II
Why did Herb love this book?
I really liked the unique way that author George Feifer approached this final land battle of World War II. I was very interested in how he began the book by using individual American and Japanese recruits as the focal point, even detailing the training they went through.
Not only has he written a complete story of the battle, but he also has included a detailed account of the sinking of the mighty Japanese battleship–Yamato. I doubt if there is a better account of the sinking of Japan’s last hope for a naval victory in print.
Plus, Feifer includes in his work the tragedy of the native non-combatant Okinawans–over one hundred thousand of them perished in the battle. The author gives a wide overview of the entire contest, which is the best I’ve seen.
1 author picked The Battle of Okinawa as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
More people perished during the battle of Okinawa than in the ensuing bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. The Battle of Okinawa offers a stunning account of the last major campaign of World War II and the largest land-sea-air engagement in history. Superbly researched and extraordinarily detailed, this masterpiece of military history is told at the level of the participants themselves, soldiers and civilians alike. In examining the disastrous collision of three disparate cultures-American, Japanese, and Okinawan-this book provides an unforgettable picture of men at war and also the context for understanding one of the most ominous events of this…