Storm Landings: Epic Amphibious Battles in the Central Pacific"The Pacific War changed abruptly in November 1943 when Adm. Chester W. Nimitz unleashed his Central Pacific drive, spearheaded by U.S. Marines. The sudden American proclivity for bold amphibious assaults into the teeth of prepared defenses astonished Japanese commanders, who called them "storm landings" because they differed sharply from earlier campaigns." "This is the story of seven now-epic long-range assaults executed against murderous enemy fire at Tarawa, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa - and a potential eighth, Kyushu. The author describes each clash as demonstrating a growing U.S. ability to concentrate an overwhelming naval force against a distant strategic objective and literally kick down the front door." "The battles were violent, thoroughly decisive, and always bloody, with the landing force never relinquishing the offensive. The cost of storming these seven fortified islands was great: 74,805 combat casualties for the Marines and their Navy comrades. Losses among participating Army and offshore Navy units spiked the total to 100,000 dead and wounded." "Award-winning historian Joseph Alexander relates this extraordinary story with an easy narrative style bolstered by years of research in original battle accounts, new Japanese translations, and fresh interviews with survivors. Richly illustrated and abounding with human-interest anecdotes about colorful "web-footed amphibians," Storm Landings vividly portrays the sheer drama of these three-dimensional battles whose magnitude and ferocity may never again be seen in this world."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
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Storm Landings: Epic Amphibious Battles in the Central Pacific Joseph H. Alexander No preview available - 2012 |
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Admiral airfields American Amphibians amphibious assault amphibious forces approach Army artillery ashore attack Battalion battle beach became boats bombing Buckner campaign carriers casualties Central Pacific Chiefs close combat command D-Day defense Details developed Division early effective enemy escort carriers executed experience field fighting final fire Fleet Guadalcanal Guam guns hand heavy Higgins boats History hundred Imperial infantry intelligence interview invasion island Iwo Jima Japan Japanese Kyūshū landing force losses LVTs major Marianas Marine Corps Marine Division Marshalls MCHC MCOHC miles mission months naval naval gunfire Navy night Nimitz officer Okinawa oral memoir Peleliu positions prepared proved reef remained reported Saipan seize ships Smith staff storm landings tactical tanks Tarawa task force teams thousand Tinian took transports troops Truk Turner units USMC Operations veterans warfare waves weapons weeks World