Pacific island battlegrounds of world war ii then and now. Unity of command in the pacific during world war ii. His previous book the admirals was a sweeping visage of ww ii told through the narrative of four men who achieved the 5star rank of admiral of the fleet. World war ii in the pacific social studies for kids. In the first months after the attack on pearl harbor, japan had great military success. Good books on the pacific war history fans librarything. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast pacific ocean theater, the south west pacific theater, the southeast asian theater, the second sinojapanese war, and the sovietjapanese war. An encyclopedia military history of the united states.
Dec 31, 2014 see the changing front lines of world war ii in the pacific theater every single day from pearl harbor to the surrender of japan. This will be the first section in the next 4th chapter of my south pacific history series. Bold leaders, such as general douglas macarthur and president franklin roosevelt, would lead the united states to victory. During world war ii as a combat historian he gathered material for island victory by interviewing infantrymen of the 7th infantry division who had just cleared two small islands in the kwajalein atoll. The interviews are available to researchers at the alexander turnbull librarys oral history centre. Joint chiefs of staff issued a directive to the commanders in the pacific to begin offensive operations in. During world war ii japan, itself a significant imperial power.
Omar bradley is the only other high ranking army officer in wwii who wrote a better history book about that war. M e i l i n g e r resulted in divided effort, the waste, diffusion, and duplication of force, and the consequent extension of the war, with added casualties and cost. Untold stories from the marine heroes of world war ii. Discusses japans participation in world war ii, including militaristic advances and the bombing of pearl harbor, its alliances, the use of the atomic bomb against. Japan took control of micronesia from 1914 and under a veil of secrecy developed the region to its liking. Unity of command in the pacific during world war ii by p h i l l i p s. Lets see how much you know about the pacific theatre. It is further summed up by poyer, falgout, and carucci, in their book titled the the typhoon of war. For americans, world war ii began and ended in the pacific. Within hours they pushed their way inland despite heavy transport losses at. This forced the united states to enter a twofront war. Heres your opportunity to let others know your favorite books on the war that led us from pearl harbor to tokyo bay. Extending far beyond battles and hardware, the coverage ranges from high policymaking, grand strategy, and the significant persons and.
Awardwinning author alan rems brilliantly tells of the campaigns in the south pacific, a region long overlooked, offering both the big picture and the foxhole view military officer a fitting tribute to the men who fought and died in an often overlooked theater of world war ii. The great pacific war was a 1925 novel by british author hector charles bywater which discussed a hypothetical future war between japan and the united states. Hugh ambrose, son of the great wwii historian stephen ambrose, has published a book. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the us army in world war ii 1. Pacific island battlegrounds of world war ii pacific wrecks. Early on the morning of december 8, 1941, the second world war in the pacific was begun with an amphibious attack by imperial japanese army troops on the northeast coast of british malaya. Following on with its war with china which began in 1931, japan initiated a war with the usa in the pacific and as part of this war, they established major bases in micronesia, one of them being truk lagoon. However, like any historical film on war, the pacific leaves a lot out and, in the end, is a watered down substitute that pales in comparison to a good history book. Recommended books on the history of wwii world war ii. The pacific strategy, 19411944 the national wwii museum.
The pacific war, sometimes called the asiapacific war, was the theater of world war ii that was fought in the pacific and asia. Blunting the japanese onslaught throughout the winter and spring of 1942 the war news reaching the united states from the pacific was grim. The pacific war and consequent advances by the japanese had greatly influenced the independence movements of asian countries and ended colonialism by the west through following wars such as first indochina war. The novel accurately predicted a number of details about the pacific campaign of world war ii. World war ii is sometimes thought of as primarily a fight against nazi germany, with the war in the pacific as an afterthought. A sweeping narrative historythe first in over twenty yearsof americas first major offensive of world war ii, the brutal, noquartergiven campaign to take japaneseoccupied guadalcanalfrom early august until midnovember of 1942, us marines, sailors, and pilots struggled for dominance against. Hugh ambrose, son of the great wwii historian stephen ambrose, has published a book to go along with the miniseries entitled the pacific. A fresh and very lively look at the war in the pacific. Joint chiefs of staff issued a directive to the commanders in the pacific to begin offensive operations in the southwest pacific. Summary of the pacific war, one of the major theatres of world war ii. Army in world war ii series the armys official history of world war ii commonly referred to.
A personal recollection of the pacific war written in 1949 by the commander of the fifth army airforce. Mar 17, 2010 however, like any historical film on war, the pacific leaves a lot out and, in the end, is a watered down substitute that pales in comparison to a good history book. Enterprise and the first year of the war by eugene burns, hellcats. Stanley sandler, one of americas most respected and bestknown military historians, has brought together over 300 entries by some 200 specialists in the field to create the first encyclopedia specifically devoted to the pacific theatre of world war ii. The war in the south pacific saw some of the most gruelling fighting of world war two. Us assessments of japanese ground warfare tactics and the armys campaigns in the pacific theatres, 19431945.
Updated sep 26, 2015 start daily headlines 75 years ago. Conditions were unpleasant fetid heat, torrential downpours and hostile flora and fauna while the japanese enemy were ruthless and would often fight to the last man. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Jun 08, 2011 overview of wwii in the pacific slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Just seems more of a book written by the average person and makes it easier to. See the changing front lines of world war ii in the pacific theater every single day from pearl harbor to the surrender of japan. Never before have the separate stories of fighting in china, malaya, burma, the east indies, the phillipines, new guinea, the solomon islands, and the aleutians been so brilliantly woven together to provide a clear. New zealanders remember the pacific war, auckland, harpercollins nz, 2006. Recounts events in the north pacific between august 1943 and september 1945, revealing the activities of the allies including the soviet union and the japanese. Books on the pacific war from pearl harbor to hiroshima. And from the attack on pearl harbor to japans signing of the instrument of unconditional surrender aboard the american battleship missouri in tokyo bay on september 2, 1945, the pacific war was essentially an americanjapanese war. Overview of wwii in the pacific slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising.
Twentyfirst century books, sep 30, 2004 juvenile nonfiction 96 pages. World war ii in the pacific was one of the most complex theaters in world history. For reasons big and small, understandable and unjustified, the war in the pacific during world war ii has largely been overshadowed by the allies war against hitler. Conrad stein explores the historic carrierbased naval battles, the island hopping campaigns, the home front, and the beginning of the atomic age. Soldiers stories war in the pacific nzhistory, new. The definitive onevolume account of world war ii in the pacific theaterthe first book to weave together the separate stories of the fighting in china, malaya. World war ii laid the groundwork for much of the international system that exists today, especially in the pacific rim. Pacific island battlegrounds highlights decisive world war ii military operations in the islands of polynesia, melanesia, and micronesia and describes the changes that have occurred in these islands during the 50 years since the end of the war.
These are some topics of interest and that seem little known or of possible help in understanding the period. The ministry for culture and heritage interviewed 14 veterans of the pacific war and collated their stories as a book. The pacific concentrates on how events unfolded in the far east in the titanic struggle between japan and the forces of the united states and its allies. Chronicles the pacific theater of the second world war, highlighting major battles, life on the homefront, and the wars end. The americans liberally interpreted this principle, permitting an offensive war against japan as well. World war ii in the pacific national geographic society. But no work better describes combat in the pacific war at the squad and platoon level than island victory 1983 by s. The battle of midway the battle that turned the tide of the war in americas favor. Preserving much rare and disintegrating information, this comprehensive chronology and fact book provides daytoday records covering a third of the pacific war for the first time. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. The best fiction and nonfiction on the war between the allied forces and japan in the pacific theatre. The war forced a rethinking of cultural values, and it expanded islanders knowledge of global ran military, political, and economic realities. In the historical abstract database, i searched for the terms world war ii and kamikaze. Crisis in the pacific the battles for the philippine islands by the men who fought them, gerald astor.
The japanese amassed a vast new empire with a defensive perimeter that ranged from western alaska to the solomon islands. Ww2 menu to world war ii in the pacific, the early years. Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and videos from thousands of public libraries worldwide. Also includes a timeline and other historical information. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
Aug 19, 2015 world war ii is sometimes thought of as primarily a fight against nazi germany, with the war in the pacific as an afterthought. The pacific menatarms book 342 kindle edition by mark henry, mike chappell. Sep 30, 2004 chronicles the pacific theater of the second world war, highlighting major battles, life on the homefront, and the wars end. An excellent account of the second world war in the philippines, from the prewar american colony to the disasters of 194142, the long struggle of the resistance to macarthurs eventual return and the costly battles that followed. A few of my favorite books about world war ii in the pacific. At its peak, the empire stretched throughout eastern china, southeast asia, the islands of oceania, and even the aleutian islands in north america. Timeline of world war ii the last true worldwide war was fought between 1939 and 1945. This brief but comprehensive survey of the war in the pacific incorporates both united states and japanese perspectives, providing a global approach to the asian theater of the conflict.
John costellos the pacific war has now established itself as the standard onevolume account of world war ii in the pacific. World war ii in the pacific, borneman firmly establishes credentials in the contemporary pantheon of historical writers. An excellent account of the second world war in the philippines, from the pre war american colony to the disasters of 194142, the long struggle of the resistance to macarthurs eventual return and the costly battles that followed. The pacific theatre of world war ii was largely defined by the territories of the empire of japan. On july 2, 1942, having decided to take positive steps to secure the lines of communication between the united states and australia, the u. World war i in the pacific the xenohistorian weblog. Fortunately, there is no shortage of worthwhile books about the. This brief but comprehensive survey of the war in the pacific incorporates both united states and japanese perspectives, providing a global approach to. Robert oppenheimer hiroshima nagasaki nuremberg trials in order to defeat japan and end the war in the paci. World war ii in the pacific the holocaust encyclopedia.
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