Hell of a Way to Die Taraww 20-23 November 1943: Tarawa Atoll, 20-23 November, 1943

By Derrick Wright

Book Overview

Tarawa Atoll in the Central Pacific was the November, 1943 testing ground for America's ability to take heavily defended Japanese-held islands. The trial lasted three and a half days and would cost more than 3,000 USMC casualties at the hands of a Japanese garrison of some 4,700 men -- of whom just 17 would allow themselves to be taken alive. This compelling account of one of the most savage battles of World War II draws upon the vivid memories of Marine veterans of those 76 terrible hours of close-quarter fighting. It is supported by striking photographs, by the poignant drawings of a war artist who landed with the Marines, and by detailed maps and appendices. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1859150284
• ISBN13: 9781859150283
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Combined Publishing
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.13 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Amazing!

I am always astounded by sheer brazen courage of men under fire. This book takes you there from start to finish you are in the heat of the battle. You can almost sense the horror the Marines felt wadding ashore, weapons held high, while enemy machine guns ripped them to pieces! That they endured such horrendous cost and ultimately triumphed over a deeply entrenched enemy is nothing short of miraculous. If you seek the...

Well detailed gripping account of pure hell

This work takes you from an outline of the Pacific war so far, through the crucial planning stages, detailing the lack of imformation about the objective that was to prove fatal to so many good men and culminates in a blow by blow account of the action itself. Many eye witness testimonies bring the action to life and you find yourself along side them, sheltering behind the bullet raked log sea wall, out of water, with no...