Reviews (111)

This will have you in awe.
Hampton Sides has written a very readable classic.Ghost Soldiers gives a blow by blow account of the rescue of the remaining Allied (mostly US) prisoners from the Japanese POW camp at Cabanatuan, Philippines.The smallest details are noted, many of which are harrowing.What the POWs went through during their three years of captivity after the fall of Bataan will shock you although readers who are familiar with WWII will know what I mean.The highs and lows of man's character are laid out for all to see in this book and you can't help but be moved.
Better Than The Movie
Hampton Sides' telling of the rescue of 500 POWS, survivors of the infamous Bataan Death March, by U.S. Army Rangers in the Philippines during the waning days of World War II is an outstanding job of reportage. Sides tells the story from the eyes of the rescued and their rescuers, building suspense that wasn't always present in the The Great Raid, the film adaptation of his story. As a working journalist for more than 30 years, I know I good story when I read one, and this one falls into that category.

another story that needs telling
When I was a kid, my father and uncles spoke with reverence of those who were on the Bataan Death March.These men who were heroes in my eyes regarded the Bataan guys as REAL heroes.They described the march as the most horrible treatment ever received by US military personel.Only recently have I really begun reading books about the Pacific war, and I stumbled over this one after seeing the trailer for the movie.I'm really glad I found it
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Subjects:  1. Cabanatuan    2. Campaigns    3. Concentration camps    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. Military    7. Military - Strategy    8. Military - United States    9. Military - World War II    10. Philippines    11. Regimental histories    12. United States    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. History / Military / World War II   

Reviews (74)

The Navy's Finest Hour
This was a wonderful book, shedding much light on the much maligned and neglected Tin Can Navy, these men past and present do much, more with so much less and all are a tribute to the resourcefulness of the Sailor, period. So much useful history that would pass untold if it were not for this book and others like it. The story was recalled in a very fond, but firm and affable presentation. I really enjoyed this book, and as a retired Tin Can Sailor, I can relate to much in this book. Honorable men commiting honorable deeds, for self, for shipmate and for country. I thank each of these men that served for thier history and sacrifice.

A Story of Bravery for the Ages
This is undoubtedly one of the finest books I have ever read on warfare in my 45 years of reading books about war.
Very good, well done
This is a very good and compelling naval battle tale that really exposes the heroism of the men of the American Navy during WWII. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Leyte Gulf (Philippines), Batt    4. Leyte Gulf (Philippines), Battle of, 1944    5. Leyte Gulf, Battle of, Philipp    6. Leyte Gulf, Battle of, Philippines, 1944    7. Military    8. Military - Naval    9. Military - United States    10. Military - World War II    11. Military History - World War II    12. Naval Operations    13. Naval operations, American    14. World War, 1939-1945    15. History / Military / World War II   

Editorial Review

It is the dawn of the 21st century, and the United States has appropriated the entire Earth. So journalist Robert Kaplan writes in his paean to the American fighting man and woman, Read more

Reviews (57)

The Roman Road Revisited
The first of what Kaplan states will be a series of books, "Imperial Grunts" tours seven military operations with a variety of Special Forces, and also spends some time with the Marines.Each theater is utterly different and fascinating: Yemen, Colombia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and Iraq.Rather than open with the easy headliner, Iraq, Robert Kaplan starts in "injun country" and stays there, gradually working his way across to the big story.As he progresses, Kaplan shows the effectiveness of small army, groups of highly trained individuals with the freedom and initiative to act who combine features of statesmen, ambassador, doctor, economist and mediator.Once big army becomes involved as in Afghanistan and Iraq, less is done with far more expenditure in terms of both lives and money.Whether we like to be told it or not, the US is an empire, and it seeks to maintain security by placing bases in strategic locations that can be lightly manned and maintained, but remain capable of receiving large numbers of aircraft and troops at any time, the principle of the Roman road, where Rome's army was not so much large as highly mobile.Kaplan's view of the military is frankly startling and optimistic next to the avalanche of negativity that is justifiably being written about Iraq; he bemoans lingusitic capabilities that are adequate only in South America, and frequently points out that the US military is still configured to fight the Cold War, and not the decentralized threats of the twenty-first century.Having written ten books, Kaplan also reveals that he attended the School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and served in the Israeli Army.

Academy Award for Best Book in 2005
Most people reading this book are already familiar with Kaplan's work in the Atlantic Monthly.So, this book will be no surprise about the quality of his journalism and his dedication to his craft.What other 50-year-old is bunking down with Special Forces in Columbia fighting the FARC?
Fascinating look at the American military's deployment in countries throughout the world today
_Imperial Grunts_ by Robert D. Kaplan is a brilliant and fascinating look at the American military's deployment in countries throughout the world today. Given how wide that deployment is (particularly thanks to the war on terror), the increasingly decentralized nature of command, and the impact individual units and even soldiers can have worldwide thanks to the global media, Kaplan felt it important to tell the stories of soldiers "from the ground up, at the point of contact." He was fascinated by just how important the actions of the "lowliest corporals and privates" could be even at the strategic level. Also, he was interested in how the U.S. was able to regulate and monitor an often chaotic world without large-scale wars and with only a minimal number of troops on the ground. Part military and political analysis and part travelogue, Kaplan visited American forces in Yemen, Colombia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Afghanistan, eastern Africa, and Iraq, embedding with American Special Forces and U.S. Marines.
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Subjects:  1. History - Military / War    2. Military    3. Military - United States    4. Military Policy    5. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    6. Political Science    7. U.S. Foreign Relations    8. Political Science / International Security   

Editorial Review

The Bataan Death March was just the beginning of the woes American soldiers captured by the Japanese army in the Philippines had to endure. The survivors of the march faced not only their captors' regular brutality (having surrendered, they were considered to be less than honorable foes), but also a host of illnesses such as dysentery and malaria. For three years these "ghost soldiers" lived in misery, suffering terrible losses.Read more

Reviews (284)

More than just a flight to freedom...
Ghost Soldiers is an excellent account of the liberation of the allied POW's from the Cabanatuan death camp in the Philippines. The book consists of a very large part of primary material, the authors interviews with the former prisoners and in some cases their surviving relatives.
A gruesome POW journey and the great raid that liberated those that survived.
This is a great book that goes back and forward detailing two journeys that finally meet at the end.
Pretentious and Boring
Despite what the tag line promises, this is not an epic story of WW II's most dramatic mission.It is ridicuous to even suggest such a thing.At best this is a superficial recounting of a late war mission which turned out not to be not nearly as dangerous as it could have been.The bravery of the men who took part in the raid cannot be questioned.However, there are countless other tales of WW II that recount much more horrificly dangerous events than the one depicted here.The book simply fails to deliver.If you are looking for a gripping tale of the horror and heroism that defined WW II this is not the one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cabanatuan    2. Campaigns    3. Concentration camps    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. Military    7. Military - Strategy    8. Military - United States    9. Military - World War II    10. Military History - World War II    11. Philippines    12. Regimental histories    13. Special Forces    14. United States    15. World War, 1939-1945    16. History / Military / World War II   

Reviews (15)

My own thoughts/reflections on America...
This book tells the story of Allos (or Carlos) Bulosan - from his early days as a peasant child in the Phillipines to his days as an itinerant laborer and reformer for the Filipinos in America.This autobiography reflects the hard life of a persecuted nationality.With no rights to own agricultural land and the risks of being beaten for even conversing with a white women, Filipinos were despised along the West Coast and treated as criminals and monkeys.With no legal recourse or organizations, Filipino workers were often exploited by the contractors and the Chinese and Japanese who owned the gambling houses and whorehouses.This exploitation led many to drinking and violence, only to aggravate the hatred of their kind.Bulosan tells of the brutalities endured by Filipinos at the hands of the white community and of the terrors of disease and unemployment.How many times did Bulosan have to hear "You're fired!" after trying to stand up for himself and his people.
The subaltern has spoken.
Writing a review of Carlos Bulosan's AMERICA IS IN THE HEART is a deceptively difficult thing to do. What gives? It is an easy read, very straightforward, and well articulated.On the surface, the ARCHIVE (in the Foucault sense) point to a death by a broken heart. However, closer examination points to a death brought on by the collective affliction, deprivation, and maltreatment since his arrival in the early 30s - not to mention the bouts of excessive drinking and violence. The book, moreover, leans toward a united effort to combat global fascism; but this poignant autobiography is really a testimony to those years of struggle against racism and violence. A Tragic Attempt at Tragedy
Those looking for an uplifting read need to look elsewhere; Bulosan's "America..." reads like a laundry list of suffering and hopelessness. Bulosan writes powerfully, compellingly and beatifully, but he would have been better off sticking to his own story instead of trying to create a composite.Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Authors, Filipino    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Bulosan, Carlos    8. Filipino American migrant agricultural laborers    9. Filipino Americans    10. Literary    11. Migrant workers    12. Personal narratives    13. Philippines    14. American history: postwar, from c 1945 -    15. Biography: general    16. USA   

Reviews (16)

Detailed history, and very very well written
I almost gave this 5 stars.
Excellent Read
This book allows one to get as full of picture as possible of the the Washingto thought process during the Spanish American War period and America's subjugation of the Philippine islands. This is not a boring history read and offers parrallels into the current washington political crowd and our war in Iraq.Thr projection of America's culture and values was tried in The Philippines with some success but we should realize that in the end Americans are from America and Filipinos are from the Philippines and Iraqis are from Iraq and will ALWAYS be different.The book is written very intelligently and won the nobel prize for Karnow.If you like History, if you like Politics, then you should like this book.

Sobering Case Study of Exporting America
From the valiant death of Ferdinand Magellan in the azure surf of Mactan in 1521 to the fall of Ferdinand Marcos at the hands of Cory Aquino and a disillusioned Reagan administration in 1986, Stanley Karnow, the venerable Asian correspondent for the Washington Post, traces the arc of the Philippines' long, tumultuous relationship with the West.Briskly-paced and engaging, "In Our Image" won the 1990 Pulitzer-prize for history and presents a balanced, yet sobering perspective on America's only traditional colonial experience.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1898-1946    2. Asia - Southeast Asia    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: American    6. Philippines    7. History / General   

Reviews (16)

Well researched, but almost too much detail
The author obviously spent a lot of time researching this book. Incredible detail. But where are the maps??? Not a single map of the battle or even the surrounding area in detail. I think some authors avoid maps because they fear someone will come back and point out a wrong detail. But if the reader is left with little understanding of the battle, what's the point of the book?Some general plot lines of the Japanese strikes with times would have been helpful.
Absorbing narrative of the Fast Carrier Task Force's finest hour
Judging by the energy of his prose, depth of his research, and infectious enthuasim for naval aviation, I might guess that Barrett Tillman goes to bed at night thinking about Helldivers plummeting on Japanese cruisers and wakes thinking about Avengers down on the deck, making anvil attacks on swerving Imperial aircraft carriers. In CLASH OF THE CARRIERS, which narrates the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, the largest naval air battle of all time, his energy, depth and expertise are all much needed. The sweeping scope of this great collision of fleets would cause a lesser writer to lose his grasp on the story.
Historical play by play
While the author provides us with some interesting new information about this action, it is presented like a sports announcer's play by play. If you like sound bites, you will love this book. Some might appreciate the frequent use of naval slang; but the constant reference to the graduation class of every naval officer mentioned, no matter how briefly, is annoying and distracting. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aerial operations, American    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. Military    5. Military - Aviation    6. Military - Naval    7. Military - World War II    8. Naval Operations    9. Naval operations, American    10. Philippine Sea, Battle of the, 1944 (June 19-21)    11. World War II - East Asia    12. World War, 1939-1945    13. History / Military / World War II   

Reviews (20)

Unbelievable and Infuriating
The story of the Bataan survivors is at the same time unbelievable and infuriating.It blows my mind the cruelty these heros were subjected to on an hourly basis and at the same time I'm ashamed to say that part of me feels like Japan got off easy with two nukes dropped on them.That anybody lived at all is in itself no small feat.
Great personal account of the horrors of a POW in WWII
I really enjoyed this book.It was a very quick read and one that I could not put down. The book has the Bataan Death March in the title but there is so much more in this book.After the march he goes into his time in the POW camps in the Filapeens, his escape, his recapture, his boat trip to Japan and his work in the Japanese coal mines.He then talks in detail about his trip home after the war and what life was like after he got home.Just writing this review brings back memories of how much I enjoyed this book.
Lester Tenney is an amazing man
I have known Les Tenney for many, many years.I was previledged to read this book before it was published.Les is a man of courage, insight, grace, forgiveness and amazingly positive about life given what he endured.My best recommendation for this book is that I cried during the reading.I had many kin folk that fought in the Pacific theatre during WWII and I have not the slightest doubt that every word of Les' book is true.To read the book is to know the man and that is a very fine thing indeed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography / Military    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. History    4. History: World    5. Military    6. Military - World War II    7. Military History - World War II    8. Prisoners Of War    9. Asian / Middle Eastern history: Second World War    10. Biography    11. Biography: historical    12. Campaigns    13. Europe    14. European history: Second World War    15. Personal narratives, American    16. Philippines    17. Prisoners and prisons, Japanes    18. Second World War, 1939-1945    19. Tenney, Lester I.   

Reviews (3)

straight-foward
written by a non-literary type, the book is in a straight-foward manner with no diversions, not even for the dead. It is the history of the WW11 battleship "Maryland". One of the ancient ships raised from the mud of Pearl. For a flavor of WW11 sea battles it serves a purpose. It is as advertised, "An eyewitness account".

Worth more then just one read
I've read this book from front to back numerous times and each time I pick more and more visual out of its pages.Howard spent a great deal of time gathering and putting all of this together.Thank you Howard for your effort!

title a misnomer
This is a great look inside the workings of a "big gun" battleship during World War II. While only one chapter is dedicated to the Battle of Surigao Strait, Howard Sauer speaks from his experience as an officer in the gunnery department. He includes a map of the action, with postitions of combatants noted, in addition to firing tracks. His detailed look at life aboard the USS Maryland is helped with pictures, diagrams, and maps. The book is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to know about life aboard a battleship during war. Another feature of this book is the directory of all United States battleships. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1918-    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. Leyte Gulf, Battle of, Philipp    5. Leyte Gulf, Battle of, Philippines, 1944    6. Military    7. Military - General    8. Military - World War II    9. Naval History - World War II    10. Naval operations, American    11. Personal narratives, American    12. Sauer, Howard,    13. World War, 1939-1945   

Reviews (5)

An Alternative Perception of the Spanish-American and Philippine American War
In a somewhat flamboyant pose with his tails and pinstripe pants, Uncle Sam breaks out of his regular pose .Kristin L. Hoganson uses the illustration to depict a rather loose portrait of American symbolism in her examination of how gender and cultural studies ties in with the historical narrative of the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars, FIGHTING FOR AMERICAN MANHOOD:HOW GENDER POLITICS PROVOKED THE SPANISH-AMERICAN AND PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WARS. Hoganson's study is unique, and is yet an additional perspective about US history's most overlooked conflicts and possible blunders.Her interdisciplinary approach defines the roots of the conflict, which relates to the political, social, and cultural atmosphere that occurred during the late nineteenth century - women's suffrage, social Darwinism, and imperialism.
Murderous Pissing Contest
Studying how gender norms and ideals contribute to, and at times create, historical events is not a revolutionary idea; but applying gender norms and ideals to how late nineteenth and early twentieth century Americans understood war and empire comes very close to being just that.Professor Hoganson's short study of how bellicose ideals of male virility which glorify physical prowess and anxieties about an altering gender landscape in the years just before and after the Spanish and Philippine-American wars adds a new level of complexity to the study of those wars, and the path which American foreign policy took during the twentieth century.Using the time tested method of simply taking seriously what policy makers and popular media outlets said and wrote, she builds a rock solid case for reinterpreting American foreign policy in particular, and war in general, through humans' more visceral conceptions of themselves.
Taken a Bit Too Far
Kristin L. Hoganson's Fighting for American Manhood does an interesting job of walking the thin line between gender definitions, interpretations of discourse and traditional explanations of behavior in two fields that have been difficult for many newer historians to break into, international relations and military history. Although primarily a work explaining American motives in the first, Hoganson does bring some new insights on the latter to light. The work is a somewhat successful attempt to synthesize the various answers historians have previously put forward to the question, "Why did the United States go to war in 1898?" Hoganson suggests that by understanding the very real phenomenon of cultural perceptions of "manliness," and how these perceptions affected the nation as a whole and those in power in particular, we may reach a more well defined answer.Read more

Subjects:  1. Gender Studies    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. Men's Studies - Masculinity    6. Psychohistory    7. U.S. History - Late 19th Century (1877-1900)    8. United States - General    9. United States - Reconstruction Period (1865-1877)    10. American history    11. International relations    12. Social Science / Gender Studies    13. USA    14. Warfare & Defence    15. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (4)

As if Studs Terkel met Asian America
Studs Terkel meets Asian America.The author, affiliated with Queens College at the time the book was compiled, records oral histories from first through fourth generation Asian Americans from China, Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, and Pacific Islands. (Chinese immigrants began to officially arrive in 1848; they were not allowed to apply for citizenship until 1943.Japanese and Koreans were not allowed citizenship until 1952; Filipinos and Asian Indians beat them by six years) These histories are grouped into three major section: Living In America; Americanization; and Refections on Interracial Marriage.In "Living In America", selections include Will Hao on being a true Hawaiian, and Andrea Kim on being born and raised in Hawaii, but not being Hawaiian.Sam Sue, a Chinese American lawyer, talks about growing up bitterly in Clarksdale Mississippi during a time of segregation.The Americanization section includes stories of escape and exodus, the bumpy road of acculturation, 3 stories just on run-ins with traffic cops (driving while Asian), and over 9 stories on Americanization, racism, tension, being Asian versus being American, and even on being a minority within a minority.Cao O discusses life as an ethnic Chinese in Vietnam and being Chinese-Vietnamese in America and dealing with social service agencies in Chinatown that is staffed by Hong-Kong born Chinese.In "No Tea, Thank You", Setsuko K. discusses the subtleties between the generations, such as politeness and their hidden meanings (when "no" means "yes", and "yes" means "no").In a sub-section of nine stories about family, Cao O discusses the idea of `obligation', while Hideo K talks about the "Company as Friend".Tony Ham discusses Mah-Jonng as a family social focus.In a sub-section on religion, there is an interesting piece on Koreans and church membership.In one of eight stories on "Interracial Marriage", Jody Sandler writes talks about "So He's Not a Jewish Doctor", in which a 23 year old Woodmere Long Island Five Town girl marries an Asian America and faces pressures from family and friends, and contrasts Tony's values with those she grew up with in Five Towns.

Profound study of Asian-Americana
This book by Joann Lee is an excellent book on Asian-Americans. It tells the life stories of Asian-Americans without so much stereotypical baggage found elsewhere. Asain Americans: An OrAl History
An excellent overview of what it is to be Asian American in America today.Joann Lee writes beautifully and puts you in touch with the individual struggles and victories of her subjects.A must read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asian Americans    2. Biography    3. History - General History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: American    6. Minority Studies - Ethnic American    7. Oral history    8. Social conditions    9. United States - General    10. ASIA    11. Civil rights & citizenship    12. Cultural studies    13. Immigration & emigration    14. USA   

Reviews (6)

A tough read stylistically
I spend a lot of time reading history, the majority (at least as of now) regarding the WWII era. Therefore, I was surprised when I found this book to be rather tough going. The book is a first class work of non-fiction, no doubt about that, but I must say that the writer's style is difficult. Certainly, the writing isnot what I would call fluid or elegant, or enjoyable, or even just plain easy reading. Buy if you're interested in the Pacific War, but be warned that it will take a while to get through the book.

Book in need of a critical editor
Wilmont has written a fascinating account of American and Japanese decision making before, during, and after the battle of Leyte Gulf, but his style is off putting to say the least. At times this book reads like a poor translation from another language. Consider the following quote from pp. 71-72 which is typical of his style: Historical analysis at its best
If you are looking for a blood and guts history of this enormous naval battle, then read one of the earlier studies of the subject. This is a sophisticated analysis of not only what happened but why it happened. The author does a great job of delineating the command decisions on both sides, separating fact from legend, and putting controversial events into perspective. He pulls no punches in his comments on individual leaders but his conclusions are solid, well-researched, trenchant...and often entertaining. This book is not suitable for the reader seeking a general introduction to the event. However, if you already have a basic knowledge of this battle, this may be the last book you will need to read on the subject. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Leyte Gulf, Battle of, Philipp    4. Leyte Gulf, Battle of, Philippines, 1944    5. Military    6. Military - Naval    7. Battles & campaigns    8. World history: Second World War   

Reviews (12)

Some insights but not at all complete not for the novice
The title is somewhat deceptive as the text goes more into the secrecy around the building of the ship as it was a private yard who build Musashi. Details are given how they shielded the ship from foreign eyes as there were foreign owned houses with a view of the area.
NOT WHAT I EXPECTED -- BUT A PLEASANT SURPRISE NEVERTHELESS