Book Description
George Weller was a Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter who covered World War II across Europe, Africa, and Asia. At the war’s end in September 1945, under General MacArthur’s media blackout, correspondents were forbidden to enter both Nagasaki and Hiroshima. But instead of obediently staying with the press corps in northern Japan, Weller broke away. The intrepid newspaperman reached Nagasaki just weeks after the atomic bomb hit the city. Boldly presenting himself as a U.S. colonel to the Japanese military, Weller set out to explore the devastation.
As Nagasaki’s first outside observer, long before any American medical aid arrived, Weller witnessed the bomb’s effects and wrote “the anatomy of radiated man.” He interviewed doctors trying to cure those dying mysteriously from “Disease X.” He typed far into every night, sending his forbidden dispatches back to MacArthur’s censors, assuming their importance would make them unstoppable. He was wrong: the U.S. government censored every word, and the dispatches vanished from history.
Weller also became the first to enter the nearby Allied POW camps. From hundreds of prisoners he gathered accounts of watching the atomic explosions bring an end to years of torture and merciless labor in Japanese mines. Their dramatic testimonies sum up one of the least-known chapters of the war—but those stories, too, were silenced.
It is a powerful experience, more than 60 years later, to walk with Weller through the smoldering ruins of Nagasaki, or hear the sagas of prisoners who have just learned that their torment is over, and watch one of the era’s most battle-experienced reporters trying to accurately and unsentimentally convey to the American people scenes unlike anything he—or anyone else—knew.
Weller died in 2002, believing it all lost forever. Months later, his son found a fragile copy in a crate of moldy papers. This historic body of work has never been published.
Along with reports from the brutal POW camps, a stirring saga of the worst of the Japanese “hellships” which carried U.S. prisoners into murder and even cannibalism, and a trove of Weller’s unseen photos,
First into Nagasaki provides a moving, unparalleled look at the bomb that killed more than 70,000 people and ended WWII. Amid current disputes over the controlled embedding of journalists in war zones and a government’s right to keep secrets, it reminds us how such courageous rogue reporting is still essential to learning the truth.
Customer Reviews:
Uncover the truth of MacArthur's post-war Japan........2007-09-19
Mr Weller's journey was remarkable in that so little is known about the witnesses and survivors of the atom bombs. His courage and determination to thwart MacArthur's press restrictions should be praised and followed as a journalistic template in the 21st century, in Iraq or anywhere secrecy is used to gag to blind the public to the consequences of our actions.
The striking conditions of the POW camps where prisoners were human shields and disposable slave labor is appaling. In Nagasaki the idea that "thick soled shoes" will block gamma rays and his skepticism of Japanese doctors and authorities, even the victims of the mysterious "sickness", is therefore obvious. Heinous war bred
numbing crimes on both sides.
My father arrived in Nagaskai harbor in September '45. He still refuses to discuss what he witnessed(as did Cindy Franks father in "My Father's Secret War")except for his recollections of resistance to the occupation by
the Black Dragon Society and the huge toll lost in disarming the minefields of the Sea of Japan. This book has
contributed to my understanding of and appreciation/discomfort in the use of the atom bombs. I probably wouldn't exist as Dad was part of the Navy's first wave of the proposed invasion.
Finding out about post-war Japan is like scything through a glacier, thank you Weller family for the clear light.
Required reading.......2007-04-12
I was 13 at the time the Nagasaki bomb was detonated and have always wondered about it all. Even when I was in USAF Pilot Training classes 10 years later,the Classified training which covered these weapons was mostly "How it Works" but nothing memorable about what it does to humans or structures. Now 40 some years later I have a first hand account from someone who was there shortly after and talked to survivors.
A disturbing but beneficial bonus is the accounts of the Allied POW's tribulations while in Japanese hands. Those were awful times, at best.
And last but not least, the accounts of censorship during that time are eye-opening.
Highly recommended, especially to the historically deficit younger generations.
Not what I expected.......2007-04-01
Based on the title, I expected this to be an account of the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. There is certainly some of that. But it's really a book about the author/war correspondent. The book reiterates countless times how the author was the first American into Nagasaki after the bomb. That's impressive (although later in the book we read about someone who got to Hiroshima earlier)-- but the book doesn't contain much substance about Nagasaki. The rest of the book is a mish-mash of other aspects of the war, and it gets repetitive about how merciless the Japanese were to our prisoners. Toward the end the book tries to become political and focus on censorship, which wasn't very interesting.
A little short on Nagasaki.......2007-03-29
I liked this book very much, and devoured it in about four days. I was disappointed, though, that there was very little about the atomic bomb and its aftermath itself. I suppose that I was hoping for something along the lines of John Hersey's "Hiroshima". Much is written here about the Japanese brutalaity toward their captives. For those reviewers who find this brutality "unforgivable" one should note that the Japanese at that time were taught that they themselves had value only as tools for the Emperor, and that *their* lives were valuable only for its sacrifice in the service of the emperor.They were terribly burtal to themselves. Since they didn't value their own lives it is almost too much to expect them value a foreigner's life, especially the life of an enemy soldier who comitted the terrible shame of *surrendering* rather than killing himself.I recommend a wonderful book by Kappa Senoh "A Boy Called H". The author was a schoolboy during the time of Imperial Japan. I am also not sure that our practice of fire bombing japanese cities and starving the country with a program of unrestricted submarine warfare would not qualify as "brutal". Overall I found the book to be very interesting.
An extremely important addition to the historical record of World War II........2007-03-15
It was perhaps the most underreported story of World War II. Very little has ever appeared in print about the incredibly inhumane treatment of American soldiers and civilians in Japanese POW camps. Until now. In the days immediately following the surrender of the Japanese empire, Chicago Sun Times reporter George Weller, who Walter Cronkite charactorizes as "one of our best war correspondents" slipped quitely and without authorization into Nagasaki, Japan to see for himself the legacy of the atomic bomb that had been dropped just four weeks earlier. In terms of press coverage of this horrifying and historic event Mr. Weller was indeed "First Into Nagasaki".
Upon his arrival in Nagasaki George Weller immediately embarked on a tour of the devastated city. What he saw shocked him. There was devastation everywhere. He learned from various officials that at least 21,000 people had already died and that thousands more were injured. He saw first hand those people who were suffering from what he referred to as "Disease X". These doomed individuals were destined to die a slow and painful death due to atomic radiation. George Weller reported his findings in a series of dispatches to his newspaper. Unfortunately for him General Douglas MacArthur was not particularly disposed to having any negative news coming out of Japan. Unbeknownst to George Weller, his reports were being 100% censored by the United States military. After completing his tour of the city proper Weller moved on to a number of the POW camps in the city, among them Omuta and Izuka. He interviewed scores of American POWs along the way. These former POW's told Weller of the inhumane and sadistic treatment they had received at the hands of their Japanese captors. Once again, Weller sent another series of dispatches to the Chicago Sun-Times only to have them totally censored by our own military! For a host of political and security reasons, the American people would never hear the troubling stories George Weller was trying to tell. His reports it seemed had been lost forever. He had made carbon copies of all of them but these too seemed to have disappeared. After George Weller died in 2002 his son Anthony was sifting through some of his dad's papers in an old trunk when lo and behold he came upon those tattered and yellowing copies.
And so now, more than six decades after these historic events took place "First Into Nagasaki" finally presents George Weller's compelling dispatches for all to read and digest. This is powerful stuff folks. Over the decades much has been written about the atrocities in Nazi POW camps. Curiously, very little has ever been disclosed about the inhumane conditions that existed in Japanese POW camps. "First Into Nagasaki" does much to set the record straight. This is an extremely important book and one that should prove to be a real eye opener to those like myself who were born after the end of World War II. It might be useful to conclude this review by quoting George Weller on the subject of censorship: "The moment when it could have been understood politically is missed, surpressed. The possibility of comprehension will never again return...And the porcelain men of history will pose forever in these lying attitudes. The aim of well-timed censorship is to instill this simple idea: it probably never happened." Highly recommended!
Book Description
Filip Muller's firsthand account of three years in the gas chambers. One of the few prisoners who saw the Jewish people die and lived to tell about it, Muller has written one of the key documents of the Holocaust. A very detailed description of day-to-day life, if we can call it that, in Hell's inmost circle...jammed with infernal information too terrible to be taken all at once. --Terrence Des Pres, New Republic
Customer Reviews:
Tough but necessary read.........2007-09-21
It is hard to read this book because the subject matter is so grim. It is not written especially well but the unique view of the author makes this an important document. It is clear that the Nazi plan developed over time and it was truly a murder machine. This story from inside the machine is sad and ultimately worth reading and remembering.
Most graphic and gripping.......2007-09-02
Since my tour of duty in Augsburg and Schwaebish Hall W. Germany (mid-60's) I have read fifty books trying to undersand the holocaust. I found the German people warm and generous, thus was unable to put the two continums in the same world.
This book does not help you understand the reasoning behind that most powerful historical event, but it does give you an extremely graphic picture of HOW it was done on a day to day basis.
Filip Mueller, saw things that Hoess (Commandant of Auschwitz) did not see first hand and he tells it all.
Great read.
should be read by everyone.......2007-06-12
Highly recommended. Gripping, suspenceful. Manages to unnerve, shock, without hysterics--and this is the best type of approach for something this gruesome.
How did the author live through it? How would you have dealt with it? How would I?
Get it. Read it.
And for those who think by simply saying NEVER AGAIN that it won't, couldn't happen again, are only fooling themselves. Humans never learn a damn thing from history. Why? Because we're basically retarded.
It could happen again, and in fact, it has happened--to a lesser degree. I say any time a Hitler or Saddam wannabe rears his ugly head--you better believe there are a few of them out there even right now--confront
the control-hungry pissant to keep him from attaining enough power to reach his objective.
Sad but True .......2007-02-18
As I am an avid reader, and am highly intrested in WW2, I bought this book, not to be disapointed. It literally took me only two days to finish because of my intregment. It is a very good read, giving you the true story of what innocent people went through as a result of racism. The book is very graphic, interesting, but terribly sad at the same time. Overall, is a must-read. I highly recomend this book.
Bone Chilling.......2007-01-29
Read this and live the horror of the Holocaust. You will cry but come away the wiser.
Amazon.com
Take an eyewitness view of the complexities, atrocities, and heroics of war with World War II, from DK's Eyewitness series. In keeping with all the books in this remarkable reference collection, pages are jam-packed with crisp, vivid photographs, illustrations, documents, and maps, as well as fascinating narrative and captions. Under chapter headings such as "A world divided," "Bombing raids," "Women at work," "Road to Stalingrad," "Propaganda and morale," "The Holocaust," "D-Day invasion," and "The atomic bomb," the events of the war are described and illustrated in compelling detail. Readers learn about life under German occupation, remarkable secret inventions (poison pens, matchbox cameras, pipes with a secret compartment), how soldiers managed to overcome the enemy, what the inside of a British midget submarine looked like, and much more. World War II changed the course of history forever--this stunning book illuminates the people, places, and events that played a part in this unforgettable drama. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
New Look! Relaunched with new jackets and 8 pages of new text!
World War II was one of the most destructive episodes in human history. Never before, or since, has the world witnessed such widespread bloodshed. Beginning with the events that led to its outbreak, World War II goes on to introduce the main leaders and highlight the decisive moments. From Pear Harbor, Midway, and the Atlantic to fighting in Russia and in the desert, outstanding and original photography provides a unique glimpse of the tragedies that led to the loss of more than 50 million lives. Written by Simon Adams, author of many popular history titles including Children's History of the 20th Century and Eyewitness Titanic, World War II offers compelling insight into the most destructive war of the 20th century.
Customer Reviews:
good book.......2007-08-10
Very informative book that I'm giving to my grandson for his 10th birthday. It is chock full of pictures and the sequence of events is well done. My grandson is a WWII buff so he'll be delighted with this book.
Great Intro to WWII for Kids!.......2004-04-27
Another good book in the Eyewitness Series. This book does a good job of condensing the vast amount of information available on WWII and, as usual, the pictures tell the story in an interesting way for children. We collect Eyewitness Books and my kids were so glad to see this book and the others on WWI, the Civil War and the American Revolution.
Amazon.com
When World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle left for the Pacific Theater in 1945, he told friends and colleagues that he felt sure he would die there. Pyle was right; on April 18th, a Japanese machine gunner killed one of America's most beloved personalities, sending the entire nation into shock and mourning. In the years since Pyle's death, his particular brand of journalism has been criticized: he's been accused of ignoring the stupidity of generals, of downplaying the horror of battle, and of presenting the war in a better light than it actually deserved to be portrayed. James Tobin, author of the impressive biography Ernie Pyle's War, does not deny that his subject often smoothed the jagged facts of war, but he provides both the context--an era and a war in which correspondents were expected to be "team players" who helped their side to win hearts and minds at home--and the personal conflict raised for Pyle by the often irreconcilable demands of telling the truth and building morale.
In addition to detailing Pyle's mostly unhappy personal life, Tobin also includes samples of his columns, proving once and for all that Pyle was more than just a hick who fell into reporting; the man had real, substantial talent, evidenced by his ability to put words together and his sensitivity to the subjects he wrote about. More than just a biography, Ernie Pyle's War is also a study of war, and the peculiar, twilight world of suffering and half-told truths to which men like Ernie Pyle were drawn.
Book Description
WINNER OF A NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD
Ernie Pyle, better than any other World War II journalist, conveyed the triumphs and tribulations of the common soldier trying to survive a brutal conflict. From North Africa and Normandy, Anzio and Okinawa -- where he died -- Pyle brought the war home to America. James Tobin's "superbly documented and compassionate account" (Publishers Weekly) is a classic biography of an American icon.
Download Description
When a machine-gun bullet ended the life of war correspondent Ernie Pyle in the final days of World War II, Americans mourned him in the same breath as they mourned Franklin Roosevelt. To millions, the loss of this American folk hero seemed nearly and great as the loss of the wartime president. If the hidden horrors and valor of combat persist at all in the public mind, it is because of those writers who watched it and recorded it in the faith that war is too important to be confined to the private memories of the warriors. Above all these writers, Ernie Pyle towered as a giant. Through his words ad his compassion, Americans everywhere gleaned their understanding of what they came to call "The Good War". Pyle walked a troubled path to fame. Though insecure and anxious, he created a carefree and kindly public image in his popular prewar column - all the while struggling with inner demons and a tortured marriage. War, in fact, offered Pyle an escape hatch from his own personal hell. It also offered him a subject precisely suited to his talent - a shrewd understanding of human nature, an unmatched eye for detail, a profound capacity to identify with the suffering soldiers whom he adopted as his own, and a plain yet poetic style reminiscent of Mark Twain and Will Rogers. These he brought to bear on the Battle of Britain and all the great American campaigns of the war - North Africa, Sicily, Italy, D-Day and Normandy, the liberation of Paris, and finally Okinawa, where he felt compelled to go because of his enormous public stature despite premonitions of death.
Customer Reviews:
amazing story, wonderful details.......2007-08-26
This is a fascinating book, and this from a reader more into fiction than historical biography - but the best fiction writer would be hard pressed to come up with a character like Ernie Pyle.
A page turning look into World War II from someone who could have been your neighbor but was far more than what you would have expected.
I have no idea why a modern rendition of this story has not hit the big screen - it seems a natural, captivating story that would educate as well as entertain.
a life-changing read.......2007-06-19
this must be THE book to read on war - what it's really like in all of its aspects - his description of the beach, after D-Day was gripping and haunting and it has stayed with me many years later -
and how he relates the everyday and ordinary in war -
and how, in any group or organization, it's often a small percentage of the people who are carrying the load - that's just one example of the many insights and truths in this book that relate to all of life, not just life in a war zone -
and it is a great book for anyone to read - a stunning life achievement for ernie pyle -
America's Link to the Front Lines of World War II.......2004-01-09
James Toban has written a stunning book in "Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II". Toban has succeeded in giving readers the rare opportunity to see the human frailties concealed within one of America's greatest and most valuable World War II correspondents.
James Toban present a picture of the complex Ernie Pyle; a man that entered the World War II carrying only a broken Remington typewriter and a deep desire to describe the life and hardships of the horrific world of the infantrymen to the American public. The reader will learn of the contradictory Ernie Pyle. The Ernie Pyle who despised war, but who could not stay away from the physical and emotional anguish of battle. The Ernie Pyle who loved his wife, but who continually left her behind to travel to the front lines. Ernie Pyle, the seemingly frail and terrified journalist who demonstrated his bravery by traveling to the front lines to be with and write about "his boys". Ernie Pyle, a genius for writing about the common soldier, but who needed constant reminding that he was the best at what he did. His articles became legendary and the hope and news link for Americans with loved ones in the front lines.
James Toban's "Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II " is a must read for World War II readers and all readers who wish to know about the human spirit and about a plain old fashion brave American.
Ernie Pyle's War: Thorough and Entertaining Read.......2003-11-18
"Ernie Pyle's War" by James Tobin was a thorough read. Tobin described Pyle down to the very last detail, uncovering almost every aspect of his life. After reading this book, the reader had a clear view into Pyle's mind and was able to recognize the feelings he possessed about his professional and private life. The way Tobin intertwined Pyle's messages home with biographical details along with interviews of acquaintances, made this story an easy read. "Ernie Pyle's War" earned five "stars."
Tobin's style of writing was one reason this book was so effective. He used partial quotes from Pyle to title his chapters, which brought an immediate sense of intimacy to the story. Tobin began the book with a chronological introduction to Pyle. This style of writing, although typical for biographies, was well suited for this story and not at all cliché. Readers were able to become acquainted with Pyle as a young man and then mature along with him as he grew into an established adult. By describing Pyle as a young man, readers were able to understand more clearly why he was the way he was as an adult.
Tobin used vivid descriptions to paint a picture of Pyle in the minds of the readers. This was an important aspect because Pyle's physical demeanor was one of the main problems and/or benefits in his life. As a child and young adult, his size hindered his relationships. But, as a war correspondent, the people saw Pyle as more of a hometown boy rather than a studious journalist. This added to his success as a war correspondent.
After transitioning into Pyle's career as a war correspondent, the story line became more tedious. Pyle was in and out of combat and the surface facts of his life were boring. Tobin, understanding the paleness of biographical data, used Pyle's messages home to spice up the story. Like most people, Pyle's life was not what it seemed to be. Besides leading a "glorified" life as a war correspondent, he had major problems at home. Tobin showed the audience this by weaving together Pyle's biographical information with the messages he sent home. This gave the reader a sense of what Pyle was actually feeling. Using these messages instead of his columns allowed reader's to see the "real" Pyle.
Tobin uncovered personal feelings about his professional and personal life, which gave the reader a feeling of empathy toward Pyle. Showing that he did not feel like an outstanding reporter, let readers see Pyle was human. Tobin successfully showed the man behind the pen by opening up Pyle's mind to the audience. He did this by using Pyle's own letters and messages home that contained intimate details of his life. Without the added touch of Pyle's actual writing, the story would have failed to be as successful.
Ernie Pyle's War: A Thorough Read.......2003-11-18
"Ernie Pyle's War" by James Tobin was a thorough read. Tobin described Pyle down to the very last detail, uncovering almost every aspect of his life. After reading this book, the reader had a clear view into Pyle's mind and was able to recognize the feelings he possessed about his professional and private life. The way Tobin intertwined Pyle's messages home with biographical details along with interviews of acquaintances, made this story an easy read. "Ernie Pyle's War" earned five "stars."
Tobin's style of writing was one reason this book was so effective. He used partial quotes from Pyle to title his chapters, which brought an immediate sense of intimacy to the story. Tobin began the book with a chronological introduction to Pyle. This style of writing, although typical for biographies, was well suited for this story and not at all cliché. Readers were able to become acquainted with Pyle as a young man and then mature along with him as he grew into an established adult. By describing Pyle as a young man, readers were able to understand more clearly why he was the way he was as an adult.
Tobin used vivid descriptions to paint a picture of Pyle in the minds of the readers. This was an important aspect because Pyle's physical demeanor was one of the main problems and/or benefits in his life. As a child and young adult, his size hindered his relationships. But, as a war correspondent, the people saw Pyle as more of a hometown boy rather than a studious journalist. This added to his success as a war correspondent.
After transitioning into Pyle's career as a war correspondent, the story line became more tedious. Pyle was in and out of combat and the surface facts of his life were boring. Tobin, understanding the paleness of biographical data, used Pyle's messages home to spice up the story. Like most people, Pyle's life was not what it seemed to be. Besides leading a "glorified" life as a war correspondent, he had major problems at home. Tobin showed the audience this by weaving together Pyle's biographical information with the messages he sent home. This gave the reader a sense of what Pyle was actually feeling. Using these messages instead of his columns allowed reader's to see the "real" Pyle.
Tobin uncovered personal feelings about his professional and personal life, which gave the reader a feeling of empathy toward Pyle. Showing that he did not feel like an outstanding reporter, let readers see Pyle was human. Tobin successfully showed the man behind the pen by opening up Pyle's mind to the audience. He did this by using Pyle's own letters and messages home that contained intimate details of his life. Without the added touch of Pyle's actual writing, the story would have failed to be as successful.
Product Description
On May 30, 1944, tens of thousands of Allied soldiers and sailors began to surge through coastal towns along the southern shores of England as they prepared for the most ambitious amphibious military operation in history. By the go-date of June 5, the convoy was loaded and ready, and advance elements of the invasion force set sail for the shores of Normandy. Inclement weather quickly forced their return, however, and as the anxious commanders looked on, conditions worsened. Fearing that a delay in the launch of greater than twenty-four hours would postpone the invasion for weeks-when the tides on the northern shores of France would next be conducive to such a huge landing of men and materiel-Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force General Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to go ahead with the attack the next morning, when there would be a brief break in the weather. The Allies set forth on June 6, 1944, forever after known as D-Day.
Customer Reviews:
Captures the tumultuous shifts of history from those who miraculously survived.......2005-09-11
Eyewitness D-Day: Firsthand Accounts from the Landing at Normandy to the Liberation of Paris is a coffee-table book filled cover to cover with testimonies of those who participated in the most ambitious amphibious military operation in history, and the subsequent crusade to break the Nazi hold on Europe. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white and a few color photographs, and packaged with an audio CD of selected eyewitness interviews, Eyewitness D-Day captures the tumultuous shifts of history from those who miraculously survived. In-depth explanatory sidebars for details within the photographs and other nuances that may be unfamiliar to lay readers, Eyewitness D-Day is enthusiastically recommended for military historians and casual readers alike.
Average customer rating:
- Personal memories of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
- Gripping...Riveting from Start to Finish
- Veritas
|
Remembering Pearl Harbor: Eyewitness Accounts by U.S. Military Men and Women
Robert S. La Forte , and
Ronald E. Marcello
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0345373804
Release Date: 2001-05-01 |
Customer Reviews:
Personal memories of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.......2007-05-23
I enjoy listening to old folks remember and witness to what they have seen. Their experience-laden viewpoints often provide insight into significant issues. So often today we are left with the vacuous opinions of self-appointed experts with limited exposure to reality, and are poorer as a result.
This book provides a method of listening to a large number of the survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor. But more, it provides the salient portions of their memories in well-written context.
As I read the book, I found myself exploring Pearl Harbor, much as if I were able to control time and position and witness this historical event from many simultaneous vantage points. However, in each position, I saw through the unique eyes of these witnesses. Their memories are revealing and frank. Mr. La Forte provides just enough background on each eyewitness for me to picture each character as a friend.
I have enjoyed talking and listening to many of this now-vanishing generation. We have in our hands the technology to preserve what they say, but I wonder if future generations will be able to profit from this bounty. As the years stream by, who will be able to appreciate the accents, the state of mind, the resourcefulness, the discipline, and the determination of this generation?
Great regional accents have almost disappeared in the last 50 years, and with them much regional culture and experience. All has been caught up in the In-sink-erator(tm) of life. I can see how difficult it is to learn from History: much of it vanishes. It slips though the fingers of even the most dedicated historians, just as dry sand at the seashore.
Robert La Forte's books help capture some of the essence of our heritage and provide us a bit of clarity on our current situations. Other of Mr. La Forte's books include, "With Only the Will to Live: Accounts of Americans in Japanese Prison Camps 1941-1945", and "Building the Death Railway: The Ordeal of American POWs in Burma, 1942-1945", both also available on Amazon.
Gripping...Riveting from Start to Finish.......2006-05-09
Remembering Pearl Harbor is, I believe, one of the best oral histories I have ever read. The book is composed of personal memories of the military men and women who were there when the attack began. It is their story, in their words.
The book relates their stories from several different areas at or near Pearl Harbor: battleship row, Schofield Barracks, Wheeler and Hickham Fields, Ford Island and other locales. Each narration begins with a one to two page introduction of the person relating the story, followed by their narrative of that eventful day. The stories conclude with a followup of their WWII service followed by what they did after the war. The authors indicated that some of the veterans later died from cancer or other illness in the 70s and 80s; it is absolutely heartbreaking to read these finales - to have survived one of the greatest attacks and then die from cancer.
I was quite touched by all of the stories. One should add this book to their WWII library as it is one of the greatest stories ever told!
Veritas.......2001-05-26
Veritas - the truth. That is what this book presents from the best evidence possible - eyewitnesses. While this volume does not address the precursor events that led to this milestone event in world history, the accounts from the eyewitnesses are riveting. If your imagination can put you in their place, a cold sweat is sure to follow. The accounts are congruent with the personal stories my dad has related. He was aboard the USS Dale DD-353 on that fateful day, and thankfully was not even injured. Drs. Marcello and LaForte must be congratulated for compiling and chronicling such important recollections while they are still available. Their work on the Oral History collection at the University of North Texas will be a gold mine for those interested in avoiding the mistakes of the past. Keep America alert! - Remember Pearl Harbor
Book Description
Manny Lawton was a twenty-three-year-old Army captain on April 8, 1942, when orders came to surrender to the Japanese forces invading the Philippine Islands. The next day, he and his fellow American and Filipino prisoners set out on the infamous Bataan Death March--a forced six-day, sixty-mile trek under a broiling tropical sun during which approximately eleven thousand men died or were bayoneted, clubbed, or shot to death by the Japanese. Yet terrible as the Death March was, for Manny Lawton and his comrades it was only the beginning. When the war ended in August 1945, it is estimated that some 57 percent of the American troops who had surrendered on Bataan had perished.
But this is not a chronicle of despair. It is, instead, the story of how men can suffer even the most desperate conditions and, in their will to retain their humanity, triumph over appalling adversity. An epic of quiet heroism, Some Survived is a harrowing, poignant, and inspiring tale that lifts the heart.
Customer Reviews:
Courage and the American spirit at its' best.......2006-11-26
I am reviewing the 1984 hardback edition of this book which was entitled "Some Survived. An Epic Account of Japanese Captivity During WWII."
Although this is not the first book on The Death March I have read, it is probably the best. It is well written and easy to read. The thing I liked best was the fact that not only did it give, in great detail, an eye witness account of the atrocities committed by the Japanese on American POW's in the Phillipines, it went on to describe life in the camps after the march, then on to a very detailed description of their treatment on the 'Hell Ships' that took the prisoners to prison camps in Japan.
This is not a book of despair only. It is also of faith, guts, determination, and final victory by Manny Lawton and a few others that survived this horrible period of time. It also prompts us to remember those that didn't. God Bless them.
Incredible Story of Strength of the Human Spirit.......2005-10-28
This is one of those books that just makes you churn inside. The abuses and suffering are never ending during the length of the book. The detail provided could only have come from someone that was there. Mr. Lawton explains in vivid detail the degree of torment these guys endured. YOU NEED TO READ THIS!
An important historical documentation .......2004-08-09
On April 8, 1942, Manny Lawton was a 23 year old army captain stationed on Bataan when orders came down to surrender to the Japanese who had invaded and captured the Philippine Islands in the opening months of World War II in the Pacific Theatre. Lawton and his fellow U.S. troops and their Filipino allies were compelled to endure a six-day, sixty-mile trek forever after known as the Bataan Death March, during which approximately eleven thousand men died of exhaustion or were murdered by the Japanese by bayoneting, clubbing, or simply shooting their prisoners outright. By the time the war ended in August 1945, about 57 percent of the American troops who surrendered to the Japanese on Bataan had died in confinement at the hands of the enemy. Some Survived: An Eyewitness Account Of The Bataan Death March And The Men Who Lived Through It is an important historical documentation and seminal contribution to World War II Pacific Theatre reference collections.
Japanese Atrocities at Their Worst.......2002-05-29
This is an amazing report of an American soldier held captive by the Japaese in the Phippines and the island of Japan itself for three and one-half years after his capture in World War II.
How he could remember the details of brutal beatings, starvation and resulting illnesses is almost beyond belief. His experiences with fellow prisoners runs the gamut from the highest heroism to utter selfishness. Every day he looked forward to freedom, only to be repeatedly disappointed until that memorable day when he met the invading U.S. forces and he knew that he was free ,atlast! The dscription of his home coming is heart wrenching as it was for all of us on our return. This book's contents are enough to make almost anyone swear to never buy another Japanese produced article.
met h
excellent, tears you to the heart.......1998-01-22
This account is the best I've read of many books on the POWs of the Japanese. It puts the reader in the gruesome reality of the Bataan Death March and all that followed in Camp O'Donnell and the hellships. The lesson learned is one of survival through almost unsurmountable horrors. Anyone who reads this account will have nothing to complain about. Judy Garofano (garofano@mail.idt.net), Queens, NY
Book Description
On August 9,1945, on the tiny island of Tinian in the South Pacific, a twenty-five-year-old American Army Air Corps Major named Charles W. Sweeney climbed aboard a B-29 Superfortress in command of his first combat mission, one devised specifically to bring a long and terrible war to a necessary conclusion. In the belly of his bomber, the Bock's Car, was a newly developed, fully armed weapon that had never been tested in a combat situation--a weapon capable of a level of destruction never before dreamed of in the history of the human race...a bomb whose terrifying aftershock would ultimately determine the direction of the twentieth century and change the world forever.
The last military officer to command an atomic mission, Maj. Gen. Charles W. Sweeney has the unique distinction of having been an integral part of both the Hiroshima and the Nagasaki bombing runs. His book is an extraordinary chronicle of the months of careful planning and training; the set backs, secrecy and the snafus; the nerve-shattering final seconds and the astonishing aftermath of what is arguably the most significant single event in modern history: the employment of an atomic weapon during wartime.
Customer Reviews:
Pilot's perspective on the bomb and it's deployment........2007-09-13
Sweeney writes a compelling story about his role in the use of the atomic bomb. From an initial interest in flying, thru his early years as a pilot, to the secret preparations to train pilots and mission support to deliver an atomic bomb, and finally the actual missions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding how and why we "dropped the bomb".
Love it or hate it.......2005-11-07
My my my. The hot and cold reviews that this book attracts are a reflection of why Sweeney claims to have written the book, I think. For those who "support" the manner by which the U.S. ended the war that Japan started, Sweeney wanted to provide the record from one of the key players as the pilot of "Bock's Car," the plane that dropped the bomb on Nagasaki. For those who oppose this bombing, he wanted to provide his perspective and argument. My review of the book is from the perspective of someone who wanted to just understand the facts of the bombing missions, and who is interested in reading the firsthand account of such a moment in modern history. I doubt that anyone's position on the bombings will be changed one bit by this book; it does, however, provide that eyewitness perspective of the missions, and it gives the reader some understanding of what it took for these controversial measures to have even been executed. I found the book fascinating from that angle. If you are interested in the big pro or con moral questions, I am not sure that this book is going to feed your desires.
Charles Sweeney...War Criminal!.......2005-09-03
Neither of the atomic bombs the US dropped on Japan (not to forget the earlier fire bombing of Tokyo) were necessary to conclude the war. Japan was a thoroughly defeated country and had been seeking peace terms for over half a year. The terms ultimately granted by the US were those which Japan had been seeking all along!
Irrespective of this, by the self proclaimed standards of the United States, Major (later Major General) Charles Sweeney was clearly a war criminal of the worst kind. It is one thing to attack enemy troops and fortifications; quite another to burn the eyeballs out of the heads of 100,000 *civilian* non-combatants -- most of whom were women, children and the elderly; and 10-12,000 of whom were Sweeney's fellow Catholics. Germans and Japanese swung for much less. Sweeney got promoted!
Another Pro-Nuclear Bomb Book by An American........2005-08-12
Paul Tibbet should have been tried as a war criminal. I don't see anything to celebrate about on this 60th anniversary of the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Perhaps the Japanese are rethinking about these events today and can write their own versions of what they think of these two genicides.
Whether it saved lives or not is speculation, just that speculation. We all know how speculation is viewed in a court of law.
A War Criminal's Memoir of Mass Murder.......2004-08-10
A sad reminder that history is written by the victors. I wonder how Americans would feel if Al Qaeda would write a similar book glorifying the 9-11 attacks. Disgusting.
Average customer rating:
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Gurkhas at War: Eyewitness Accounts from World War II to Iraq
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
India
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
| Ancient
Iraq
| Middle East
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1591143179
Release Date: 2007-06-29 |
Product Description
The result of unprecedented in-depth interviews with Gurkha soldiers past and present, Gurkhas at War depicts key military campaigns of the twentieth century. These eyewitness accounts cover the lengthy battles against the Japanese in Burma, the action against Communist rebels in Malaya and Hong Kong, plus more recent deployment of Gurkhas in the Falklands, the Gulf, the Balkans, and East Timor. The result is a powerful and intimate introduction to Gurkha culture and recruiting traditions and an insider s view on the numerous issues facing the Gurkhas today in Nepal and in context with the British Army.
Book Description
Some of the most popular selections from the formidable Eyewitness backlist are now available with a clip-art CD included-with no increase in price!
Books:
- Flags of Our Fathers
- Fresh Disasters (Stone Barrington Novels)
- Friends In High Places: The Bechtel Story : The Most Secret Corporation and How It Engineered the World
- From Word to Image: Storyboarding and the Filmmaking Process
- Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life (Revised Edition with New Bible Study)
- Healing with Ki-Kou: The Secrets of Ancient Chinese Breathing Techniques, Second Edition
- Heavy Duty Truck Systems
- Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
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