3 comments about American Defenses of Corregidor and Manila Bay 1898-1945 (Fortress).

1. ...this book is somewhat uneven; it is almost implicitly written as a travel guide for those who might wish to visit the remnants of these fortifications and in that regard, the authors' amply accomplish their purpose. In essence, this volume seems to suffer from Osprey's failure to establish a uniform structure for this new Fortress series, leaving it up to the authors to decide what to focus upon. Thus a reader looking for greater detail about the fortifications will find that this volume does not suffice...

   The authors cover the fall of the Manila Bay fortifications and their recapture in two sections totaling 19 pages. These sections are adequate, but provide relatively sparse detail on the garrisons and critical aspects of the siege...

   Graphically, this volume is quite appealing. There are five 2-D maps (the Manila Bay environs, the defenses of Manila Bay in 1941, a strategic map in December 1941, the Japanese assault on Corregidor, the American recapture of Corregidor) and two very nice 3-D maps (Corregidor island and Carabao Island). However, none of the maps depict the range fans of the American coastal batteries, which is rather important. The artwork is also excellent and includes cut-away diagrams of Battery Cheney, Fort Drum as well as depictions of Battery Smith in action, Battery Gillespie, and the destruction of Battery Geary. The authors provide a bibliography and two appendices (American coast artillery weapons and a list of batteries around Manila Bay). In sum, this volume is very good in areas that the authors have chosen to emphasize, but it is noticeably lacking in areas that they found less interesting.




2. I have spoken to a number of survivors of the fall of Corregidor (May 6, 1942,) and they are all asking me to send them more copies of this book to pass around to their fellow survivors. They contend that it is the only book which shows the island and its batteries as they were in 1942. This is perhaps the best tribute I can give the authors. The book has also proved immensely helpful to me as I continue to collect the oral histories of those who served on Corregidor. Well done!



3. For those involved in the study of the Taft and Endicott Periods of coast defense doctrine and technology, the Philippines is considered as the mother-lode of extant artifacts. The archipelago came under formal American control after the Spanish-American War. Almost immediately, the military looked to develop modern defenses for two bays on the main island of Luzon. Subic Bay, with a classic bottleneck entrance channel was able to be protected by a single fort at the mouth of the bay. Manila Bay - on the eastern edge of which sat the capital city of Manila - was a more difficult proposition. The bay's 12 mile wide mouth stretched the limits of late-19th century artillery technology, but the width of the bay was compensated for by the fact that the entrance contained a number of islands.
   
   Fortification construction began soon after the American occupation. Among the sites built were Fort Mills (Corregidor), Fort Frank, and the unique and formidable "concrete battleship" of Fort Drum. War came in December 1941, and the defenses suffered constant Japanese bombardment, leading to the surrender of American forces. In 1945 the forts were manned by Japanese soldiers determined to hold out to the bitter end: bloody and brutal fighting ensued. This title brings to life the fortifications of this key strategic location, and considers both their effectiveness and historical importance.
   
   This book, written by two former Chairpersons of the US-based Coast Defense Study Group (CDSG), provides an cursory overview of the strategic and tactical thinking that went into the design of the harbor defenses. It then provides a historical context for their use - an event that is unique for US Coast Defense systems. While the fall of the Philippines in 1942 was a failure of the joint US/Philippine military, the Coast Artillery Corps did not fail. In fact, a few installations had to be ordered to give up after the surrender of Corregidor.
   
   Perhaps the authors should have paused to give consideration to how they were going to address as massive a topic as this within the confines of 64-page format of Osprey's 'Fortress' series. If they had, they might haver suggested a different approach to the publishers such as a series of books, each concentrating on one of the island forts.
   
   I mention this because this volume is not just a high-level melange of information delivered with a brevity that reminds one of the six-countries-in-six-days approach to tourism. In that aspect, one comes away somewhat concussed (excuse the pun) over the sheer volume of data presented in a whirl of style and quality. On one page is a reproduction of a period map showing the locations of fortification, while on the enxt page is a somewhat graphic novel depiction of an explosion at one paricular battery.
   
   To me, this is surprising in view of the authors' credentials. The CDSG offers far more detailed information about these facilities on its website, as does the Corregidor Foundation.
   
   Perhaps the book is targeted at neophytes or a younger audience. But, for anyone seeking a detailed description of American defenses in The Philippines should look elsewhere.

5 comments about Sea Cobra: Admiral Halsey's Task Force and the Great Pacific Typhoon.

1. My father served on an aircraft carrier that survived the typhoon Cobra, and I found this book to be a thorough and compelling account of one of the most disastrous events of WW2.



2. A great story and a great story-teller! The most user friendly book I've read. There was no over blown technical term or military acronym that I couldn't understand. You didn't have to have 20 years service time in the Navy to know what was happining to the sailors and what the command leadership was doing right or wrong. You felt you right there with the sailors in their battle to survive! An amazing story of heroes and tragedy. The story of Commander Henry Lee Plage of the destroyer USS Tabber is awesome! He stands 3 times taller than John Wayne ever did! He was a 29 year old reservist with only one and a half years of sea time. He amazingly avoided direct orders and rescued over 50 sailors inside the fury of a killer typhoon (almost a thousand sailors died and many ships were sunk or nearly sunk). The other current book on this event "Halsey's Typhoon" doesn't even come close to the passion or power of "Sea Cobra".



3. Sea Cobra is an exceptionally well written book that is chock full of interesting facts about the typhoons that almost swamped Admiral Halsey's career. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning about the effect of Mother Nature on even the most powerful armada ever assembled in the Pacific.



4. In 2007 two different publishers released two different books on the 1944-1945 typhoons that sank three ships in the U.S. Third Fleet. Under the command of Admiral William Halsey, the U.S. Navy lost more men due to these natural disasters than it did at the battle of Midway. Bob Drury and Tom Clavin's "Halsey's Typhoon" was the first one to make it to book stores and garnered more attention and sales than Buckner F. Melton Jr.'s "Sea Cobra." Given the timing and focus of these two books, this review will compare and contrast the two. In short, there is no question that Melton wrote the better book.
   
   The illustrations of carriers, battleships, oilers, destroyers, and destroyer escorts compared to 30, 60, and 90 foot waves is the best feature of Drury and Clavin's account. It gives landlubbers a good idea of how rough seas are problems for some ships and not for others. The shortcomings of this book, however, are much more significant. First, the book ignores altogether the second typhoon Halsey sailed into. Melton discusses this one, but not at length. This brevity is understandable, the second typhoon did less damage and sank no ships. It does show, though, that the commander and staff of the Third Fleet learned little from their experiences with the first typhoon despite efforts to do so. The problem that Drury and Clavin have is that this second storm undermines their argument that Halsey was largely blameless for sailing into the typhoons.
   
   The mechanics of publishing also favor Melton. Drury and Clavin have only one map. Melton has nine. He also provides an extensive bibliography and footnotes, whereas Drury and Clavin have a brief bibliography and make no effort to provide any sort of documentation on their sources. Drury and Clavin also make a number of basic mistakes when it comes to nautical matters and use maritime terms incorrectly. Examples include "helming" a ship; calling a battle jack a "battle guideon" (an Army term); referring to a ship's mess deck as its "mess hall." They also put generals in the Japanese Navy Ministry and refer to the Army Ministry as the "War Department" (an American term). Stylistically, Melton is the better wordsmith. Drury and Clavin use too many editorializing adverbs ("legendary" or "untold") to exaggerate the significance of their story.
   
   Much more significant is the thesis of each book. Drury and Clavin make Lt. Cmdr. James Marks, captain of the USS HULL, out to be the main villain in this incident. The HULL was one of his ships lost in the first typhoon. This charge seems reasonable at first, but Marks' seamanship does not explain why the USS MONAGHAN and SPENCE sank, nor does it explain a number of close calls on other ships. It seems that the two authors allowed crewmen from the HULL that they interviewed for the book to use the opportunity to settle old scores with Marks. In fact, Drury and Clavin do not spend much time talking about ships other than the HULL while Melton does. Melton also gives much more attention to the post storm investigation. Since Marks was the subject of an official investigation, Drury and Clavin argue this was proof enough of his guilt. The fact that there was no court-martial or that the other captains died in the storm makes this observation rather weak. Melton gives a much more nuanced description of the investigation. Halsey rather than Marks was the main target of the investigation and the board placed primary blame for sailing into the storm on the Admiral. There were a number of mitigating circumstances, though, and Melton is good at describing them. This incident is no black and white morality play.
   
   In short, Melton offers a much better book than Drury and Clavin.



5. Fantastic. Extremely well written. I lost a family member to Typhoon Cobra USS Spence DD 512. Absolutely the best historical read of this tragic event!

5 comments about Clash of the Carriers: The True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot of World War II.

1. The polite version is that, by now, it should be obvious that Barrett Tillman knows some "stuff" about Naval Aviation and World War Two history. Clash of the Carriers proves that the hundreds of interviews the author has done with aviators of different services and countries gives him a virtual Doctorate on the mind and technique of the military pilot. In this age of magic Sidewinder missiles, the overhead passes and deflection gunnery described in this book are guaranteed to make the reader want to charge guns and go hose something. As in all Tillman's work, historical and technical details are absolutely correct. The charge that he "made up" the preference of professional dive bomber pilots trying to hit the pack of airplanes on the Japanese carrier flight decks is the completely bogus sneering of another reviewer. Such a tactical decision and execution is well within the capabilities of this reviewer, who was a dive bomber in a different war. If Barrett Tillman is a Naval Aviation Groupie, then anyone with an advanced degree, equivalent or otherwise, can also be so diminished by that term. Tillman's histories ring true with the immediacy of the "Been there, Done that!" interviews and research of the actual participants, albeit the survivors of the Turkey Shoot are mostly American. Jingoism is empty bragging; there are a lot more accounts by the winners of this particular conflict than the losers, the once awesomely capable Japanese aviators, who had lost the cream of their pilots in actions from the Battle of Midway onward. It was not called a Turkey Shoot for nothing. Finally, like it or not, identifying the Year Group of Naval Academy participants is important, since those officers formed the hard leadership corps of the Navy, and various year groups truly stand out in producing successful leaders. Even this reviewer, who got his commission from another source (and is proud of it), understands this. If a reader wants to know how it was to be a participant in a great military victory for this country, he can do no better that Barrett Tillman's Clash of the Carriers.



2. I'd have given this book 5 stars if it only had detailed maps. There is only a single map, in front of the prologue, spanning an area 2500 miles wide. Considering how the story hinges on where each fleet was, and where their search planes were, at key points, the lack of maps diagramming those things is just impossible to understand. That said, the narrative is excellent, bringing a unique depth to the story. I recommend finding maps elsewhere to refer to as you read, in order to make sense of it all.



3. The book was very well written and easy to follow. Additionally, other books that I have read substantiate the information provided in this book.



4. Maybe I went in with unrealistic expectations. Tillman's writing style is very dry and dare I say it, boring. That may be due to his subject matter. I can't fault the awesome compilation of facts and detailed information here. It's obvious he researched the subject thoroughly, but I wish his writing was more kinetic and lively in nature. For example, I like the presentation of 'Flags of our Fathers' and 'A Bridge Too Far' much better than this. And, as other reviewers have suggested, battle maps would have been a huge plus.



5. This book is a fantastic read. There are two points that make it very interesting. The first is that you can see the agony of decision at every level. The second is the fair portrayal of the courage and determination of the Japanese Navy. As names and equipment parade thru the book, it is loaded with details. You will enjoy this book from front to back. Remember, this book is not simply a recitation of facts. It's a picture of a time and place where carriers clashed.

3 comments about The Battle for Leyte Gulf: The Incredible Story of World War II's Largest Naval Battle.

1. This is an amazing tale of one of the largest naval battles ever. This book is a well-documented, detailed, and superbly written account of The Battle for Leyte Gulf. World War II buffs will love it.



2. As the previous reviewer stated this boook is filled with excellent documentaion and would be a great read for WWII buffs and people who may already be somewhat familiar with the battle. I found the writing style dry and difficult to follow at times. This material in the hands of a more interesting writer such as Ian Toll (Six Frigates) would have been spectacular. The maps included on some of the pages were almost impossible to read, too bad because quality maps would have made it infinitley easier to follow what was written on the pages. Not recommended for a casual reader unless you become more familiar with the battle from other sources first.



3. "Oh Hell, they got away!" - A signalman aboard the U.S.S. Fanshaw Bay after the Japanese battleships and cruisers that had been savaging two American escort carrier divisions during the Battle off Samar (Leyte Gulf) inexplicably broke off contact and retired
   
   In October 1944, troops commanded by General MacArthur invaded the Philippines. Knowing that the loss of these islands would cut their empire in half and render inaccessible to their naval forces the fuel stores of Southeast Asia, the Japanese decided on a last ditch, do-or-die sortie of the Imperial Fleet to destroy the American naval force directly involved with the Philippine invasion, i.e. the Seventh Fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Thomas Kincaid, while luring off the covering naval force, the Third Fleet commanded by Admiral William Halsey. Thus, the Japanese unleashed a three-pronged attack on the American landing sites in Leyte Gulf involving three naval commands: the "A" (Northern) Force under Admiral Ozawa, the #1 Diversion Attack (Central) Force under Admiral Kurita, and the #2 Diversion Attack (Southern) Force under Admiral Shima.
   
   THE BATTLE FOR LEYTE GULF is author C. Vann Woodward's superlative account of the U.S. Navy's repulse of an enemy approaching from the north, west and south. It was, because of poor decision making, faulty communications, and disunited command chains, both a near thing for the Yanks and the ultimate source of defeat for the Japanese. Certainly nearer than the final disproportionate tally of ships lost on both sides would indicate.
   
   The Battle for Leyte Gulf was actually four separately defined and described confrontations over three days: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle off Cape Engano, and the Battle off Samar. In both tonnage engaged and tonnage sunk, the Battle for Leyte Gulf was the largest naval clash in history. Larger even than World War I's Battle of Jutland.
   
   The preponderance of the American defensive action was destroyers and/or aircraft versus the Japanese carriers, battleships, and cruisers. However, the Battle of Surigao Strait saw the last time in naval warfare that opposing capital ships would fire their heavy guns at each other, and the last time that the venerable "crossing the T" would be accomplished (although, by the time the crossbar fired, there was little remaining of the vertical leg). An era was over.
   
   For the American reader, the most compelling of the four engagements is perhaps the Battle of Samar, during which two divisions of the Seventh Fleet's "jeep'' carriers, unprotected by the battleships and cruisers of the Third Fleet that had scampered north to engage Ozawa's decoy Northern Force, were gallantly and stalwartly defended by their hopelessly outgunned destroyer screen against the attack of the massed battleships and cruisers of Kurita's Central Force. More honor is due the men in those small ships than can possibly be conveyed by mere words.
   
   Woodward's prose and storytelling abilities are thoroughly engaging and the redeeming reasons that I'm awarding five stars instead of (perhaps) a more realistic four as the few battle maps range from being above average to outright wretched, the latter characterized by an appearance as if they were copied (badly) from larger originals and then shrunk in size. A photo section is non-existent. Look up the Wikipedia entry for the battle on the Internet and reader interest in those two aspects of the historical record will be well satisfied.

5 comments about The Philippine War, 1899-1902 (Modern War Studies).

1. Brian McAllister Linn examines the Philippine-American War with meticulous detail. From documents from the National Archives and Philippine secondary literature, Linn has organized a comprehensive and well-researched analysis of the military aspect of the war. He attempts to concentrate on the strategic realm rather than the ideological that have already been discussed and examined in previous scholarship. Linn does not debunk myths or reanalyzes perceptions and interpretations that have existed since the 1960s that involved the atrocities that occurred during the conflict because that is not his intention for this examination of the war.
   
   The book soley concentrates on the military effort or the "American War" and a birds eye view of the Filipino insurgents that have been recorded and documented in the archives. In addition, Linn specifically asserts that the book is a military overview of an event that was accidental and incremental in the acquisition and annexation of Manila during the latter half of the Spanish-American War (5). He discusses the main military actors and participants during the conflict, Maj. Gen. Wesley Merritt, Elwell S. Otis, Brig. Gen. Arthur MacArthur, and Philippine President, Emilio Aguinaldo. He argues that the war was essential in securing trade interests in Asia, but does not support or clarifies speculative claims that involved McKinley and imperialism. As a result of Linn's military study, McKinley is almost absent from this narrative except in the preliminary chapters of the book.
   
   THE PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR, 1899-1902 is divided into two sections. The first half of the book covers the operations in Luzon in 1899 and the second half explores guerilla warfare and pacification campaigns that occurred in 1900-1902. Linn specifically covers different regions of the Archipelago where the conflict occurred in Luzon and the Visayas Islands, which included the overlooked region of Negros. Linn's descriptive narrative and background information in the form of maps are helpful for readers who are not too familiar with the Philippine Islands and their distinct regions, which consists of over 7,000 islands and covers 500,000 square miles (15).
   
   Linn's study respects the military and civilian voices of the past. He credits the military leadership and volunteers in the success of securing the Islands. Linn's play by play historical narrative provides a neutral approach in telling the story of one of American history's most difficult and complex events. For every event in history, each has its own story and circumstance, and cannot be compared to other conflicts that may have happened in the past or in recent times. However, it is yet another chapter in history that needs to be better understood.



2. Coming on the heels of the recently concluded Spanish War, one could argue that the Philippine war was nearly an extension of that earlier conflict. Indeed, the peace treaties were not even concluded before American forces in the recently occupied Philippines found themselves fighting a confounding insurgency. The obvious differences between the two closely spaced but distinctly different wars are explained in the identity of the enemy, the causes for conflict, and the conduct of war. Brian McAllister Linn's study, The Philippine War stands to give us a clear picture of that footnote of a war that may be otherwise unknown to the alert public.
   
   America's first foray into imperialism ran into trouble from the start. A growing insurgency during the long Spanish rule in the Philippine scarcely slowed down when facing a new occupying power. Also from the start it was clear (more so in hindsight) that this war would not be a true continuation of the last. The insurgency was tough. Later military generations would re-learn the troubles faced in fighting an enemy that looks just like a civilian population and can blend in effortlessly. Likewise, later military leaders would grapple with the thorny issue of how to pacify a semi-popular native guerilla force while displaying the benefits of American rule to a skeptical civilian people. Needless to say it was a difficult task. Linn tackles it well, and shows how the military operations unfolded, often quite poorly and inefficiently, by the various figures. Did America win this war or did the Philippine insurgents lose it? That's a key question for historians, though the basic end effect was the same at the time. American generals first fought an enemy that tried to fight battles in something like the conventional way, and was clobbered by American firepower in each major fight. What began as a somewhat centralized opposition force eventually broke down into a broadly distributed guerilla fight. The lack of coordination proved both a help and a hindrance to both sides.
   
   Then, of course, there is the issue of wartime conduct. To put it plainly, there was limited respect for the rules of warfare on each side. After stumbling in the Spanish War based on American distaste for Spanish anti-insurgent tactics in Cuba, the American effort ended up looking very much the same, with forced civilian relocations used to choke off the enemy's supplies and support. The most obvious difference was that the American Philippine effort produced no mass starvations as in the Spanish Cuban effort, and the American tactics worked. The insurgency dried up. The leaders surrendered. If not in execution, the war's conclusion unfolded with a modicum of civility.
   
   Linn's style is direct and forceful. The very interested reader will find plenty of military tactical detail that the less devout reader may find cumbersome. I can only note that throughout these pages, the high-density details can be read through quickly and with less thorough comprehension without losing the train of thought in the writing. A failure to follow a point will not degrade the overall progression of reading in this book. The end result will still be a much sharper picture of the dramatic history of America's first imperial war.



3. A well balanced study in an oft missrepersented war showing both sides of the war. Note: The Phillipines are who they are today as a direct positive result of this war. This book has many modern applications in what it will take to win an inssurgent war today. You often feel like you are reading todays news complete with an opponent who seeks to effect an American election by American military cuasalties. We didn't fall for it in 1900. This book takes you by island by island, challenges, defeats and victorys. A positive read. Informative. It is not a page turnner which is why only four stars. But if you have a space on your shelf for this time in American military history about a successfull stratergy, this is your book. God Bless America and God Bless you.



4. With as much detail as Linn provides concerning units and their strengths, battle dates, all of which can be taken from most history books, he is 'light' on some of his citations. There is a note of personal vindictiveness in describing some of the historical figures relating to their personal character, yet he does not really back up his 'barbs' or accusations with fact. That said, his 'novelist' approach to what should be strictly a historical document and an objective perspective undermines much of the book's credibility.
   
   Stuart Creighton Miller's 'Benevolent Assimilation' remains the gold standard, Linn's book is simply entertainment.



5. The phillipine war fought between America and a series of guerillas between 1899 and 1902 is one of those forgotten wars that is fascinating and should be studied as a classic anti-insurgency campaign. It was also a war against Islamic insurgents, the Moros, in the south and one in which General 'Black Jack' Pershing led the Americans to victory.
   
   A fascinating book this is a true military history of the background and events and shows how the American army defeated the irregular units arrayed against it and how it also used incentives to draw the people to the side of the Americans so that in the end the insurgency had very few backers.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman

5 comments about The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour.

1. "Resolution, sacrifice and success", to quote words attributed to the men who fought what history may record as the greatest naval surface ship battle of the twentieth century. There truly are no words capable of expressing adequately the heroics of these sailors aboard their diminutive but mighty warships, the Tin Cans of the Pacific fleet, and of the aviators of the carriers all of whom comprised Taffy 1,2 and 3. However, Mr. Hornfischer has done a splendid job of recording these historic events so they won't easily be forgotten.



2. The best audio book I have listened to because it combines a very good story, very good reading, and very good production. James Hornfischer's account of the encounter between a few escort aircraft carriers and their destroyer escorts with major elements of the Japanese Navy amid the larger backdrop of the Battle of Leyte Gulf is very fast paced, interesting, and entertaining. A layman like myself with an interest in naval encounters of the Second World War or the courage and resourcefulness shown in desperate situations will enjoy it. The abridged audio book can be appreciated without constant reference to a map which is very nice since most of us purchase audio books for times during which reading is impractical. It is probably the best read audio book I have heard: Mr. Gardner has a good speaking voice - not too fast, not too slow, good diction, good emphasis to where, quotations begin and end; all around very good. He was very pleasant to listen to. It was the best produced audio book I have listened to, especially how the volume levels were so consistent between tracks on the CD. You would think that would always be the case with the same person reading - but it never is, except here. As I listen to the books on the treadmill it was so nice to not have to keep reaching for the volume control! Good story, good reading, good producing. What could be better?



3. I'm not sure it's possible to find a book written about World War II history that is more captivating and inspiring than this novel. I couldn't put it down. And the men whose lives inspired it deserve an eternal debt of honor for their actions on the fateful day. Well-written, entertaining, and informative, it is definitely a must read--even for those who aren't history buffs.



4. I am a former Navy man aboard the USS New Jersey. My brother was one of these Tin Can Sailors. Great book, recommended by one of my doctors. Really brings back memories.



5. The Last Stand is an engaging account of the little known battle of Samar in the Pacific Theatre of WWII. Even more important it is a reminder of what kind of men we have in our military: real people, with families and friends who willingly give their all for the country they love. It is clean of any fowl language which often pepper books dealing with the Navy so I recommend it to any young person interested in a Navy career or any young man who wants to see what courage and heroism looks like.

5 comments about Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue.

1. In 2007 two different publishers released two different books on the 1944-1945 typhoons that sank three ships in the U.S. Third Fleet. Under the command of Admiral William Halsey, the U.S. Navy lost more men due to these natural disasters than it did at the battle of Midway. Bob Drury and Tom Clavin's "Halsey's Typhoon" was the first one to make it to book stores and garnered more attention and sales than Buckner F. Melton Jr.'s "Sea Cobra." Given the timing and focus of these two books, this review will compare and contrast the two. In short, there is no question that Melton wrote the better book.
   
   The illustrations of carriers, battleships, oilers, destroyers, and destroyer escorts compared to 30, 60, and 90 foot waves is the best feature of Drury and Clavin's account. It gives landlubbers a good idea of how rough seas are problems for some ships and not for others. The shortcomings of this book, however, are much more significant. First, the book ignores altogether the second typhoon Halsey sailed into. Melton discusses this one, but not at length. This brevity is understandable, the second typhoon did less damage and sank no ships. It does show, though, that the commander and staff of the Third Fleet learned little from their experiences with the first typhoon despite efforts to do so. The problem that Drury and Clavin have is that this second storm undermines their argument that Halsey was largely blameless for sailing into the typhoons.
   
   The mechanics of publishing also favor Melton. Drury and Clavin have only one map. Melton has nine. He also provides an extensive bibliography and footnotes, whereas Drury and Clavin have a brief bibliography and make no effort to provide any sort of documentation on their sources. Drury and Clavin also make a number of basic mistakes when it comes to nautical matters and use maritime terms incorrectly. Examples include "helming" a ship; calling a battle jack a "battle guideon" (an Army term); referring to a ship's mess deck as its "mess hall." They also put generals in the Japanese Navy Ministry and refer to the Army Ministry as the "War Department" (an American term). Stylistically, Melton is the better wordsmith. Drury and Clavin use too many editorializing adverbs ("legendary" or "untold") to exaggerate the significance of their story.
   
   Much more significant is the thesis of each book. Drury and Clavin make Lt. Cmdr. James Marks, captain of the USS HULL, out to be the main villain in this incident. The HULL was one of his ships lost in the first typhoon. This charge seems reasonable at first, but Marks' seamanship does not explain why the USS MONAGHAN and SPENCE sank, nor does it explain a number of close calls on other ships. It seems that the two authors allowed crewmen from the HULL that they interviewed for the book to use the opportunity to settle old scores with Marks. In fact, Drury and Clavin do not spend much time talking about ships other than the HULL while Melton does. Melton also gives much more attention to the post storm investigation. Since Marks was the subject of an official investigation, Drury and Clavin argue this was proof enough of his guilt. The fact that there was no court-martial or that the other captains died in the storm makes this observation rather weak. Melton gives a much more nuanced description of the investigation. Halsey rather than Marks was the main target of the investigation and the board placed primary blame for sailing into the storm on the Admiral. There were a number of mitigating circumstances, though, and Melton is good at describing them. This incident is no black and white morality play.
   
   In short, Melton offers a much better book than Drury and Clavin.



2. I have a casual interest in naval history, and regret that I did not know of other books on this typhoon incident before I read Drury and Clavin's version.
   
   I agree fully with most of the negative reveiws posted, and will not reiterate their specific complaints.
   
   In general, the authors demonstrate considerable ignorance and lack of research into general naval matters, terminology, and technology. In reading the narrative, one is jolted over and over by obvious errors, misuse of technical terms, inconsistencies, unlikely supposition of peoples' feelings and statements, and basic poor writing.
   
   Charles Ostrofe



3. Whether you are a history buff, a seaman, or just someone who desires a wonderfully exciting first hand account of one of the U.S. Navy's worst encounters with nature's fury, this is the one to read! As an ex Destroyer sailor myself,this book renewed my love for the sea and the Navy. Even the political nature of the Navy's Board of Inquiry was interesting. This was a 2 day read for me because I simply could not put it down. Some reviewers state the mistakes in 'Navy jargon' by the authors. Trust me, this will take nothing from this superb book! 5 stars is not a good enough rating. Don't miss this one!!



4. I was an officer on a destroyer escort, the USS Hilbert, De 742, which was part of Halsey's task force, which is the subject of this book. I was also Deck Officer, during the worst night of the typhoon, and have the most vivid memories, of a harrowing experience. This book is an excellent story of Admiral Halsey's entire operation, and all aspects of this Typhoon, Cobra! It gave me background information, which was new to me. It is very well told, in a narrative manner. which is never dull. I recommend it to every DE sailor and to anyone who is a fan of the US Navy's WW2 fight against Japan.



5. This is a magnificent read because it was written by people who make their livings writing. The turns of phrase, the interweaving of different time periods, people and ships in, out, and back into the story, even the use of terms that are more easily understood than those written in ancient mariner lexicons make this book refreshingly easy to read and understand. Maybe it helped to have several dozen Navy people editing and helping with the composition. You can almost hear the howling winds and see the translucent greens of the water. Nasty business to be sure, here so eloquently told, on a par with Joseph Conrad. Thank you everyone for a job very well done. Thomas McKnight, old Marine, Washington DC.

5 comments about We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese.

1. The only reason I picked this book up was because it was a required read for a nursing class - I'm so glad that it was. I had a great-uncle that passed away on the Bataan Death March - so this book really hit close to home. I am now an Army Nurse and share this book with those who come in under me. It's a great read and I highly recommend it!



2. If you're interested in nursing or military history, this book is a real delight! The pictures add to the narratives and the reader can get a feel for what these women endured. These nurses were ultra-dedicated to each other, their patients, and their country. I recommend this book highly.



3. This is a well written true story about some great Americans, the Army and Navy nurses trapped in the Philippines at the start of World War II. They suffered through very difficult times treating wounded soldiers in Bataan and Corregidor. After the surrender of the American military in the Philippines, they then endured three years in captivity by the Japanese. The author, Elizabeth Norman, has done an excellent job documenting the events of the time and the personal experiences of these women. It's an excellent Book!



4. This is a good history of the nurses imprisoned at the start of World War II. I purchased this book and "All THis Hell" at the same time They are both good books but tell almost the same story.



5. this is one of the best books I have ever read. I bought it twice once for me and once for a friend. Have reccomended it to MANY people.

5 comments about Imperial Grunts: On the Ground with the American Military, from Mongolia to the Philippines to Iraq and Beyond.

1. Great read and a good job on Mr. Kaplan's part. Reading this book increased my respect for the brave american troops deployed world wide. Loved it and it is a recommended read!



2. I enjoyed reading this book and reading Hog Pilots the author's other work because they provide a rare and in depth view of how the real grunts who are fighting the war on terror are actually working. It shows how they are working with developing nations to reform their militaries to better ensure a working democracy. The author has an obvious bias in favor of the subjects he is portraying but then again he makes no claim to being unbiased.
   
   Still, I found this a very engaging work as it portrays some of America's finest doing their best to project strong American ideals like freedom and protecting the rights of the oppressed to nations whose concepts of these ideas maybe rough. I would recommend anyone interested in a profile in how the war on terror is being fought.



3. I thought this book was a great behind the scenes look at the US military at work in various countries around the world. You often hear that the US militay is on the ground in one hundred plus countries, well here is what they are doing.
   
   My only real criticism is that Kaplan paints a simplistic picture of the soldiers: Special Forces guys are all rednecks who like to hunt and fish, Marines are all mean youngsters from troubled backgrounds chanelling their energy, and most eveybody is a born again Christian.
   
   I don't know if we should be nation building all over the world. Maybe it is necessary, maybe it is more important to take care of domestic matters and mind our own business. Certainly works for Switzerland.
   
   But anyway, I wonder, since Kaplan presents the soldiers as god-like figures who are on a mission to do good, apparently none of them have any bad qualities, where the hell was he during the Vietnam war? He glorifies the soldiers and their missions so much. He would seem to be the right age to have fought in Vietnam, but he only mentions being in the Israeli army. I found this strange for a US citizen.
   
   Is this the case of another journalist looking to have someone else do the dirty work, either for a story or to do the heavy lifting for Israel?



4. Hectic read, absorbing, masterfully told. This is one writer i am going to follow from now on. Whatever you think you are not going to go bored reading his stories. I was happily surprised to notice his lack of arrogance -as one would expect to find from a reporter among this class of American heroes. The stars are the real soldiers, the military. Kaplan is there alright, but in the background.
   
   I loved the chapters on Colombia and the Philippines. But everything was very vivid and exciting. You get to have a global sightseeing tour of American forces over the planet. You feel the humidity, you see the landscapes they see, taste the same food and live the same experiences, battlefield included.
   
   The last chapter on Irak, Fallujah specifically was the best ending possible for this book. One can't help to identify oneself with the writer when, after the battle was ceasefired by political decision... "in Dubai. In the lobby, on the way to my room, I noticed a newstand. The front pages were all about Fallujah. I felt like a person at the center of a scandal that everybody was reading about, in which even the most accurate, balanced accounts were unconnected to what I had actually experienced and the marines I had experienced it all with. I felt deeply alienated. After I ate and showered and scrubbed my backpack, I didn't want to talk to anyone. All I wanted to do was write."
   
   The author has a clear idea -and so depicts it- of American society:
   
   "The soldiers and marines I encountered during months of travel with the military -whose parents and grandparents had fought in Vietnam- thought of that war as every bit as sanctified as the nation's others. As for those who saw Vietnam differently, they were generally from the more prosperous classes of Amreican society, classes which even back then were in the process of forging a global, cosmopolitan elite."
   
   Want to know what the real world out there is like? Read this.



5. A wonderfully thorough and accurate account of far-reaching American imperialism, maintained by obscure small wars and nation-building and a near-religious quest for "hearts and minds," the globe over. Kaplan successfully reveals the full-circle the U.S. has drawn from conflicts of centuries ago to the present-day struggles (some well-known, others of a nature more stealth) from Columbia to Afghanistan and Iraq. Unburdened by left-wing bias, untainted by hawkish neo-conservative idealism, it is a work staggering in scope and satisfying in its delivery. Overall, it casts America in its proper role as peacekeeper of the world and highlights (as it alludes to) the ways our military leaders must change and adapt so the U.S. can continue filling that role. In doing so, Kaplan also portrays the utter humanity of the troops on the ground doing the hard work, even as he trumpets their heroism and acknowledges the intangibles that grace their collective drive to serve. As a military man, it is gratifying that Kaplan observes firsthand and clearly articulates so much about American military might; its collective mindset; and its service members that is otherwise overlooked; misunderstood; or altogether unexpressed, or at least normally loses more than a small measure of accuracy. The "yup-that's-how-it-is; can't- believe-I-never-thought-of-it-that-way" factor is all over this book.

5 comments about Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission.

1. This is the book that the movie the Great Raid is based on. It bring the people involved to vivid life, making history anything but dull.



2. This is a gripping story of a daring raid behind enemy lines to liberate 500 tortured, starved and diseased POWs about to be executed by the Japanese near the end of WWII. A first person history at its best, based on interviews with the surviving POWs and Army Rangers.
   
   The main strength of the book is the artful narrative, moving deftly back and forth between the raid itself and the history of the POWs during the three year occupation beginning with the Bataan Death March. He gives unusually vivid characterizations of the civilian resistance and the POWS, Rangers and Japanese soldiers, crammed with revealing anecdotes and interesting detail.
   
   An amazing story, amazingly well told and highly recommended.



3. This is a must read. Well written, captivating and shocking. It details how our people, and the Filipinos suffered at the hands of the barbarian Japs; including decapitations, castrating, and the like. After reading this book, you will have no regrets for the dropping of the atom bomb(s)to end the war. In addition to telling the story of the infamous Death March, the book details the freeing of our POWS in a stunning raid on a Jap prison. Further, noteworthy aspects of this book are the accounts of various "side stories" of Bataan, including a female spy who did much to aid the American POW's, and griping accounts of the physical ailments and diseases the POW's suffered due to malnutrition, and lack of medical care. You won't put this book down !



4. In Hamilton Sides well-written and quite readable "Ghost Soldiers," the
   Yale-educated author is no stranger to respected non-fiction,
   having authored previously a definitive account of Kit Carson and his
   own "march" in the American West.
   
   "Ghost Soldiers" is highly acclaimed. Minnesota native and historian JoAnn Johnson notes: "Being a World War II `buff,' this true story is an excellent addition to my `sense of history,'The detailed account
   of the rescue mission of the prisoners at Cabanatuan, the Philippines, is a very gripping story even though one knows the outcome. The only other book I have read that addresses the `prisoners left behind"'is 'Bataan
   Uncensored' by Col. E.B. Miller, a survivor of that awful camp."
   
   Sides uses no footnotes in this very readable, often riveting account; that said, his acknowledgments are extensive and the reader has no reason to doubt his research, which seems thorough and convincing. The
   narrative is rich with detail and one almost feels like `one of them.'
   
   If one is familiar with the entire story of the Fall of Bataan
   and the subsequent Death March, the plight of the prisoners becomes
   more meaningful. "Ghost Soldiers" is the story of how the rescue was accomplished and Sides succeeds with his narrative in a highly dramatic fashion.
   
   Clearly Sides has spent a lot of time with extensive reading and interviewing soldiers who'd been in the Death March and it leaves an indelible impression on the reader of how these men suffered and survived, of many issues that become key to men in situations like this. In a way, there is a parallel theme with his Kit Carson book (Blood and Terror) published earlier. Both leave the reader exhausted as he examines the depths of inhumanity that transpires, even in comparison to events today.
   
   His next research (and book) is on the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination. Sides is from Memphis and says he feels a particular
   "calling" to do this book. It should be worth the wait.



5. Hampton Sides has written a work of history that reads like a novel. A first-rate account of an absolutely astonishing achievement - the rescue of Allied prisoners from the Japanese prison camp at Cabanatuan. It also highlights the crucial role played by two battalions of Filipino guerrilla fighters, who were key to the success of the mission. While Sides does not go overboard on the atrocities committed by the Japanese, it's certainly easy to see why more than 25% of Allied prisoners held by the Japanese did not survive the war. I couldn't put this book down from the moment I picked it up until I finished it. If written as fiction, it would be sent back as not believable.