Hard to get into the "Marine Stuff" WW II in the Pacific.Stories of individual soldiers was good.Coral Atols-island formed by depressions in the ocean. Larger islands sunk leaving hard shelled little coral ones above the surface.Micronesia-one of the 3 major groups of islands in the central Pacific..Atolls run in several groups, Ellice island, the Gilberts, the Marshalls. vary from several yards to several miles in length. Width is seldom more that a few hundred yards. Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest. The other two are Melanesia and Polynesia.dengue- a serious problem for soldiers.Since prophylactic measures were limited to mosquito control and since this was difficult to accomplish during combat, the disease was a definite military hazard throughout World War II in practically all areas of the Pacific and Asiatic theaters.Tarawa-is an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is the location of the capital of the Republic of Kiribati, South Tarawa. The island is best known by outsiders as the site of the Battle of Tarawa during World War II.Consists of around 24 larger islets, of which at least eight are inhabited.The Battle of Tarawa, code named Operation Galvanic, was a battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II, largely fought from November 20 to November 23, 1943. It was the first American offensive in the critical central Pacific region. One of the bloodiest battles in WWIIIt was also the first time in the war that the United States faced serious Japanese opposition to an amphibious landing. Previous landings met little or no initial resistance. The 4,500 Japanese defenders were well-supplied and well-prepared, and they fought almost to the last man, exacting a heavy toll on the United States Marine Corps. The US had suffered similar casualties in other campaigns, for example over the six months in the campaign for Guadalcanal, but in this case the losses were suffered within the space of 76 hours. Nearly 6,000 Japanese and Americans died on the tiny island in the fighting.[2]
This book is for the Marine Corps what "Tales of the South Pacific" was for the Navy: a great tale of the organization's finest hour told through the experiences of those who lived it. The characters are quirky and authentic, representing a partial cross-section of America at large, and they are pleasingly sympathetic. The narrator Mac is an archetype, a tough, dedicated, professional warrior with surprising wisdom and insight and a deep, melancholy appreciation for the separation between himself and his boys, who bring too much of their civilian baggage to the fight, but yet have something to return to after they finish it. The narrative spans three major campaigns in the Pacific and catalogues the development of the Communications Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment through initial training, the sudden drastic changes of missions and equipment during wartime, and skillfully interweaves the personal stories of each character as it is relevant. It is an inspiring and sometimes tragic story of (arguably) America's proudest fighting force and the dedicated, courageous, and vulnerable men who filled it's ranks. Capturing well both the horror and violence of conflict and the unsurpassed comradeship, sacrifice, and bravery of those who fight, this book tallies the cost of freedom and influence and yet, in doing so, presents the reward thereof. This is, in my opinion, Leon Uris' best book, and a must-read for those who would attempt to understand the proud, spartan ethos of the Unoted States Marine Corps.
What do You think about Battle Cry (2005)?
I LOVE this book. I first discovered it over 25 years ago and I still keep going back to it to read it again. It is the only book that I have ever finished and then turned back to the first page to start all over again. I love the way you get to know the characters, how each one has his story and how each one lives or dies. It is incredibly sad when one of the characters you love dies but that is the way of war. The book also has an fabulous feel good factor but it always makes me cry. "Home is the sailor, home from the sea and the hunter home from the hill" the last lines taken from "Requiem" by Robert Louis Stevenson are particularly poignant. Its a war story, its unlike any book I have read before and as a young woman to now a middle aged woman I would definitely recommend it.
—Louise
So far, I just love this book. It is epic like Michner's books, but more about the characters (a bit of Payton Place for the military). Anyway, this book is from the 1950s (I don't know how I missed this author)and is about 4-5 guys in the marines in WWII. Most are drafted and serve under "Mac" one of the main narrators. The book is mostly about these men and their relationships at home and with each other as they work through boot camp and into war in the Pacific. Not much war action and I'm on page 520 or so out of 670 pages. I love his style of writing - it is like I'm right there with them. I hear his other books are excellent as well.
—Susan
This book snuck up on me. I thought that it was a rosy-hued, sugar-coated version of the war in the Pacific and for much of the book, it was. But the beauty of the book was that set up. When the real action and drama comes in the last 75 pages, I was totally invested in the characters. The author did not pull any punches in the end. Overall, because of the time that this book was written in, there were definitely still some questionable ethnic and gender issues. I didn't let it ruin it for me. It was also a great contrast between Mailer's The Naked and the Dead because of its optimism. I doubt that soldiers were as optimistic as Uris' or as terrible as Mailer's. You get a good picture of the thing reading both.
—Eric Mccutcheon
