5 comments about Baby of Bataan: Memoir of a 14 Year Old Soldier in World War II.

1. "Baby of Bataan" is a captivating book about a young man who joined the army at age 14, became a POW at age 16, and spent almost 4 years in a number of Japanese prison camps. This book is a must read for anyone who has ever felt like giving up, or anyone who feels that growing up is just too hard sometimes. It has something for everyone, and that makes it easy to empathize with Joseph Quitman Johnson. You will be emotionally charged by this book as Joe and his fellow prisoners are subjected to the indignities, inhumane treatment, and cruelties heaped upon them by their captors. You will want to encourage him to keep the faith and not give up as he is pushed to the limits of human endurance time and again. He survived, and after years of soul searching finally decided to write this book. It is his story but it is also the story of others who gave so much to preserve the freedom we enjoy today. Read his book. You owe it to yourself.



2. I have read the book "Baby of Bataan" and would recommend it highly. Being a Viet Nam veteran I have a natural interest in this type of genre. The "Baby of Bataan" is an exceptional work. Mr Johnson first lets you get to know him, and his life, as a youngster before taking you on the "journey of a life time". He spares you graphic details of the horror of war and yet you get a full understanding of what he endured.

   The veterans of WWII saved to world. This work is a demonstration of the unselfish bravery these individuals had to be a part of world history. Buy this book to honor Mr. Johnson's sacrifice, read this book to understand the dynamics of war, pass this book on to younger family members to read, so we as a nation, we don't forget our true heros, and take a WWII veteran to lunch to say thank you!




3. Baby Of Bataan: Memoir Of A 14 Year Old Soldier In World War II the true story of a young man who, having grown up in the Depression with a broken family, lied to an Army recruiter to enlist at age 14. At age 16 he became a prisoner of war of the Japanese, forced to endure horrific conditions and nearly killed by his captors. Baby Of Bataan is a tale of survival, of being witness to death by overwork, slow starvation, maltreatment and worse, but also of the strong side of the spirit capable of weathering years of adversity while remaining fully human. Very highly recommended reading.



4. I've read probably 15-20 books on the subject of POWs held by the Japanese - many of them written by the men themselves - this is one of the best - it's well written, considering it's done by a "non-professional" (some are barely readable) - "Baby of Bataan" is hard to put down as you travel with young Joe Johnson as he acts just the way a 15 year old would - thinks he knows it all and doesn't want to follow directions - thinks he all grown up when he runs away and lies to join the army - it doesn't take long for him to regret his decision but he stands up and acts like a man, does his job with the army as the U.S. tries to defend the Philippines then sees his best friends die and learns to survive as a POW - this is a book that every 16 year old in America should read - to learn why they have the privilege of living in this country as a free citizen -



5. Once in a while, a book like this comes along. Do not miss this one. I tried to remember back when I was fourteen and what I was doing. wow! This is a story of a fourteen year old that put himself into the adult world of the military. It tells of his problems as a new recruit, his first taste of war, a chilling account of him as a POW, and even a story of the love of a young girl. This book has everything. I just wish I had the opportunity to shake Joseph Quitman Johnson's hand. Any teenager facing obstacles in his life should be given this book as a gift. I truly believe it could change their lives. Actually, it might have changed mine. My grandchildren will have a copy when they are old enough to understand.

4 comments about Sixty Days in Combat: An Infantryman's Memoir of World War II in Europe.

1. A must for WWII History buffs, but an easy read for all readers. The author recalls how he wanted, along with many other young U.S high school grads to register for military service in WWII and to "fly". With his easy writing style and incredible drawings, Dean Joy pulls you into his daily disappointments as he realized he would fight as an infantryman. You feel what he did as he writes letters home to his beloved parents. Its as though I actually felt, saw, and heard, what this young man did. The remarkable discription of the different sounds of artillery, the German towns and rivers that the Allies went through, the pride of being in Patton's 3rd Army. Along with the author, I hated the "Krauts" and sorrowed over German civilians losing homes and farms to the ravages of war. I literally "willed" this young man to make it home.



2. Not a bad book at all. Dean Joy joined the war late because of an interesting school deferment. He wanted to fly the famous P-51 Mustang but ended up the71st Infantry Division. The book is very interesting reading about a unit that doesn't get a lot of press because they entered the war so late. The book is an easy read, very well written, and provides a good overview of the end of the war. Of particular interest is his description of four captured P-51 Mustangs that were converted to German use.



3. "Sixty Days In combat" by Dean P. Joy. Subtitled: "An Infantryman's Memoir Of World War II In Europe." Presidio Press book, Random House, 2004.
   Born in Colorado in 1924, Dean P. Joy was almost nineteen when he volunteered for the draft in June 1943. He had just finished his freshman year in engineering at the University of Colorado, and, as with so many young men of the time, he was hoping to become a P51 Mustang pilot in the Army Air Corps. The author's poor eyesight squelched that opportunity. So, fortunately (or unfortunately), the young Dean Joy was told to take the test for the Army Specialized Training Program, ASTP. The author expected to be given military training along with his classes in engineering. In October 1943, he and one other fellow arrived at the University of Idaho, in Moscow, Idaho, for the Army Specialized Training Program. Great casualties in the European Theatre of Operations (ETO) caused the cancellation of the ASTP, and Dean Joy, along with " ...some two hundred thousand young Americans in the ASTP" were off to the "...poor bloody infantry after all". (P. 26).
   
   As luck would have it, Dean Joy is transferred to the 71st Light Infantry Division, given infantry training and training on mortars, shipped across the Atlantic to the ETO (on board the ship, " USS General Tasker Bliss"), arrived in France (which has an "ancient smell"), and then off to front for sixty days of combat, from March 10 to May 8 1945. Based upon his wife's suggestion, Mr. Joy has scattered sketches of " ...selected scenes that stick in my memory, as if my eye had been a camera" . These sketches (they look like pen and ink) liven up the details that his words describe; the sketches make the book easier to read.
   
   In reality, this book is an autobiography of a young man growing up in tough times in a tough arena. Dean P. Joy changes from a youngster, just hitting nineteen, a teetotaler and a kid afraid of girls, to an Army veteran, with the Combat Infantryman's Badge, running a bar in occupied Europe, and married to a displaced person. Perhaps the most poignant line in the book is on page 23, when the young Dean Joy recounts:
   "...innocent fun..." in snowy Idaho , a carefree memory ...
   " of the ASTP ...of a very pretty girl who ...stuffed snow down my neck. Oh, how I wanted to get to know her and ask her out on a date! But I was far too shy"



4. This was a good book, and a very easy read. I enjoyed going on the journey with the author, and I am a better person for having read it. That being said, for whatever reason, I was expecting something a little different. I guess with all the war movies and Ken Burns documentaries, I was thinking it might be longer and more "exciting." I feel bad even typing that, since the title clearly says "sixty days in combat," and it is sixty days more than I ever served. I'm still glad I bought it and read it, but if you are looking for something a little more comprehensive, try a different book. Overall, a good read and an interesting take on one man's experience in WW2.

2 comments about Destroyer: An Anthology of First-Hand Accounts by Those Who Served on the B- and C-Class Destroyers in the Second World War.

1. by another name. Redundancy makes for tedium in this book. Far from being "a book which matches and complements that bestseller of the postwar years, The Cruel Sea," as the usually meticulous Len Deighton claims, the book rises to that level only when selections from that book are presented. The stories are interesting, mostly. They demonstrate, again, that England, not the United States, won the battle of the Atlantic, and they show how brave men suffered. But the book's strategy, following the career of one class of destroyers, limits its scope and pool of potential readers. Also ideosyncratic are its appendices--nautical terms, histories for ships mentioned, and obituaries of key figures. But these are welcome; I could do without verses, though, as none can be confused with poetry. It's well that the profits from the book sale will be used to restore "the sole remaining Second World War British destroyer."



2. What historian Ian Hawkins has done previously for the air war, he has now done for the war on the Atlantic--put together a first-rate collection of eye-witness accounts by the men who fought and risked their lives on the Atlantic in the Second World War. Mr. Hawkins is known for his riveting use of eyewitnesses to put together books that bring the Second World War to life. His greatest book, in my opinion, "Munster: Before and After", follows the Eighth Air Force on one raid to Munster, Germany. In that book, he tells the story not just from the point of view of the men in the heavy bombers, but also went to great lengths to interview Germans who lived through the attack on the ground. Mr. Hawkins brings the same kind of meticulous research and interviewing skill to his newest book. I found the new book fascinating in the insights it gives into the destroyer war. It is obvious this was a labor of love for Hawkins, whose father was lost on a destroyer during the war. First-person history has become a common and highly effective way to tell history. Ambrose did it, so did Cornelius Ryan and Gerald Astor. It gives the reader a personalized view of the great events. I believe the previous reviewer failed to grasp the concept of the importance of first-person narrative, and that is unfortunate. Mr. Hawkins does an excellent job of tying the stories together with text on the historical background. He covers the war chronologically, from its first desperate hours, to the horrifying early years when German U-Boats ruled the high seas, right through to the end. Anyone who reads this book for what it is, a painstakingly gleaned collection of eyewitness narratives on every aspect of the destroyer war, will not be disappointed. I recommend it highly.

4 comments about Tumult in the Clouds.

1. Maj. James "Goody" Goodson was one of the top American aces of WWII and served with two legendary outfits: the RAF's Eagle Squadron and, of course, the 4th Fighter Group in the USAAF. This book is more than just the story of Goodson's service in WWII. Each chapter focuses on one or more member of the 4th. It's basically a fighter pilots' hall of fame. Gentile, Godfrey, Blakeslee, Hofer and more. These are stories of incredible heroism, and heartbreaking loss. Goodson writes in a straight-forward, easy-to-read style, that effectively portrays life in a fighter squadron. He talks about the aircraft they flew, including the Spitfire, P-47 and their beloved P-51 Mustangs. One of my favorite stories that dealt with the bond these men had for their fellow pilots, tells of the group returning from a draining strafing mission. Some had to be literally lifted out of their cockpits. But when they were told that the Air, Sea Rescue team hadn't located one of their comrades who had ditched in the North Sea, they got back in their planes and went to look for him. It's too bad they can't make a film about these guys. Unfortunately, there are no actors alive today that could carry it off. If you enjoy books about WWII's air war, you'll like this one.



2. This book is really another great book for all that love books about combat aviation! Major Goodson takes you on a journey from being on a torpedoed sinking ship, flying with the Eagle Squadron during the Battle of Britain, to flying with the 4th Fighter Group under the command of Colonel Don Blakeslee,then eventually ending after being shot down and becoming a POW.
   
   Not only does this book portray the extraordinary life of Major James Goodson it also gives accounts of the bravest men he served with who are no longer with us today. He goes in to the greatest detail of these men from thier sense of humor, thier lucky clothing items they wore,and sadly how brave and how young they died. Read this book! You will not be disappointed.



3. One of the best fighter pilot biographies ever written. Fast paced, touching, emotionally written but not corny.
   
   They are all there: Gentile, Godfrey, Blakeslee, Clark, Beeson. The fighting sequences are breathtaking without looking exaggerated.
   
   I recommend this one without doubts.



4. "I've read aviation books for well over 30 years and when I read Goodson, was amazed by it. Before joining the USAF, Goodson piloted Spitfires in the RAF. While Goodson's narrative is chronologically ordered, he breaks off at points and discusses individual pilots with whom he's flown. Humor, terror and tragedy and finally redemption rolls off his pen as he pays tributes to his fallen comrades. Goodson's score of 32 kills puts him among the highest of Allied fighter pilots but as the Strafing King, his try at a Me163 rocket fighter sitting on an airfield brings an end to his career as a fighter pilot and the begining of his career as a kreige (PoW slang for prisoner of war). Only his wits keeps him alive since Goodson was to be shot by the Gestapo as a terror-fleiger. A masterful story teller, Goodson's book belongs on your shelf."

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1 comments about Twelve Years With Hitler: A History of 1. Kompanie Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler 1933-1945 (Schiffer Military History).

1. This book written by the 1 Kompanie LAH veterans association,concerns the 1st company of the leibstandarte.
   It began life as the original cadre for the later Waffen SS in March 1933,where the first 117 volunteers formed as the SS Headquarters Guard Berlin.
   From this group of men emerged more than fifty senior SS officers, men such as Martin Gross and Teddy Wisch, all who went on to win High decorations for Bravery.
   Eleven men from the 1st company of 117 originals, went on to win the Knights Cross, it also contained nearly 40 members who were awarded the German Cross in gold for bravery.
   It was the showpiece of the SS during peacetime when it took part as an honour formation for the most important functions of the Third Reich.
   It is one of the few books in english that gives a rare insight into the daily taskings and life of an SS unit in peacetime.
   The book broken up into small sections allows us to examine such things as the Saar reincorporation into the reich, Berlin Olympic games, and other major Third Reich events.
   It deals at length, with input from surviving veterans, the swearing in and training of new SS recruits, and life in general in the company.
   It also deals in each seperate chapter its wartime activites in Poland,Holland, france, Balkans,Normandy and of course Russia. What makes these chapters interesting is the recollection of the veterans who give us their personal views on some part of the fighting or what happened to them during the battles.
   What is impressive is a large photo section at the rear of the book, many of the photos I have not seen before and deal with the 1st company in peacetime, on parade at the Reich Chancellery, the Berchtesgaden and barracks life.The rest of the photos depict the men in combat all printed on fine glossy paper for good reproduction.
   This is an easy read with around 250 pages of text listing leaders of the 1st Company and where at all possible lists those killed in action and those still missing.
   The book is a great unit history of one of the more well known german formations, and provides a glimpse into the life an SS soldier in an elite unit in peacetime and war.

5 comments about Great Captains Unveiled.

1. This book is amazing. I really like this book. Because it explains not only strategical and tactical thoughts but also gives lessons about them. For example, Sabutay always leaded his armies in a security circle. He always believed the importance of the security. If you really investigate the maps in the books and listens to Sir Hart, you can understand that easily. Above all, you can apply these thoughts to your military, business or personal life. Without a doubt, Hart doesn't generalise that. Because he was a fascinating military theorist not a self-help or a business-self book writer. However, If you deeply thinks the book(when you are reading that), you can gain many skills and get in to the minds of genius'.



2. Liddell Hart ranks as a minor military prophet in his own right. Although he was considered one of Britain's leading tank experts during and after the Great War, the British military rejected his thought on the importance of mobility, but the German General Staff followed his work closely. The result was the Blitzkrieg, which destroyed the armies of Poland, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Britain in less than a year.

   Here, however, in a collection of biographical essays written for popular journal readers, Liddell Hart shows himself as not being above gushing hack writing more typical of a teenager's fan magazine than a military history. As another reviewer has pointed out, "Great Captains Unveiled" jumps about in its biographies. It offers facts which might be interesting in the context of a major biographical work, but which are all but pointless in the brief biographies presented -- acceptable perhaps for a general readership, but unacceptable for those expecting information which explains WHY these particular individuals were chosen to be considered "Great Captains."

   The worst biography is probably that of Wolfe, victor at Quebec. What difference does it make if he was delayed on this date or that date because he or someone else was sick? The Battle of Quebec and his tactics were completely unaffected by his health (unlike, for example, General Rommel's psychosomatic illnesses, which seriously affected the course of the North African campaign and led to his disillusionment with Hitler and his own forced suicide, a series of events which unfolded after the publishing of this book, which Rommel might well have read, although he himself throve too late to be included). The gushing tone is most obvious in the actual description of the "Battle" of Quebec, which seems to have boiled down to a sneak attack, one effective volley at close range which caused the French to panic, and a foolish French salley which cost both Wolfe and defender Montcalme their lives. A perceptive reader might well get the impression that death was Wolfe's greatest ally: had he lived he might well have shown himself to be as mediocre as most of his contemporaries -- one lucky volley does not a "Great Captain" make.

   The acccount of the Mongol conquest of the Khwarezm Shah's empire, however, is very good indeed. Although the casus belli is often repeated in histories of the Mongol conquests, few histories relate the unfolding of the events which led to the Mongol victory, nor so succinctly explain EXACTLY why this victory was more significant than any other Mongol victory in Central Asia. The other Mongol victories get short shrift, but this book's account of the Central Asian campaign is outstanding.

   The life of Wallenstein is covered in far greater detail in Friedrich Shiller's history of the Thirty Years War (available free online through Project Gutenberg and other web sites) than it is in "Great Captains Unveiled," while the life of De Saxe is over-rated and inflated to highlight the importance of his "Reveries." I can't even remember who else was covered in this book, so trivialized are the biographies.

   This is one book by Liddell Hart which bears missing. The interested reader should merely note the names of those whose biographies he includes and look up their lives elsewhere, although, as stated, the account of the defeat of the Khwarezm Shah is outstanding.




3. Hart's "Great Captains Unveiled" is a great read: it is relatively short, not overly long on detail and interesting. The book does not fall into the trap of appeasing armchair generals, meaning that it skips fame in favor of true strategy and leadership. One might expect such a book to focus on Caesar, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Marlborough, Washington or Patton. However, Hart instead examines less appreciated leaders, including Genghis Kahn, Marshal de Saxe, Gustavus Adolphus, Wallenstein, and Wolfe. I personally most enjoyed the chapter on Genghis Khan. Hart ignores the crude characterizations of and misinformation on Khan. For example, there was no "Mongol horde" that simply outnumbered its enemies, nor did the Christian west valiantly repel Khan's armies. Rather, Khan was typically outnumbered and he won due to innovative tactics and excellent operational control. Moreover, his armies retreated from Europe due to internal political issues. Khan was an innovator and a winner, something Hart focuses on. The other biographies are also compelling. Overall, this is a quick enjoyable read for those truly interested in great military leaders.



4. Wafare philosophy enthusiasts will love Liddell Hart's works. This classic work containing the seeds of blitzkrieg and maneuver warfare theory will resonate especially with those who admire those schools of thought. The first chapter on Jenghiz Khan and Sabutai is alone worth the price of the book. A brilliant piece of military history and theory that still resonates with thinkers today.



5. An excellent and critically reflective discussion of several 'Great Captains' frequently ignored. Hart's depth of knowledge is combined with an appreciation of core issues. The material is clearly presented, easy to read and highly relevant.

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No comments about WILFRED OWEN: On the Trail of the Poets of the Great War (Battleground Europe. on the Trail of the Poets of the Great War).

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