Synopsis
From the award-winning author of Saipan comes the definitive account of one of World War II's most brutal yet overlooked battles—the American reconquest of Guam, where 20 days of combat would claim over 18,000 mostly Japanese lives and mark another important turning point in the Pacific War.
Drawing from extensive archival research and firsthand accounts, James H. Hallas masterfully reconstructs this pivotal 1944 campaign that transformed a Japanese island fortress into a vital American base for the final push toward Tokyo.
Experience the harrowing invasion through the eyes of the Marines, soldiers, and sailors who fought there:
- The devastating pre-invasion bombardment that pounded Japanese defenses for 13 straight days
- The bloody beach landings where frogmen teams led the way through murderous fire
- The desperate Japanese counterattacks that sometimes inflicted 50% casualties on American units
- The brutal combat through jungles, swamps, and cave networks in suffocating tropical heat
With the same gripping detail that earned his previous works critical acclaim, Hallas weaves together strategic overview with intimate human drama, from the commanders who planned the invasion to the frontline troops who executed it. This meticulously researched narrative stands as the authoritative history of a battle that helped secure ultimate victory in the Pacific.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
James H. Hallas is a graduate of the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and spent four decades in the newspaper business as reporter, editor, and publisher. He is the author of Fly Boy Heroes (Stackpole, 2022), Saipan (Stackpole, 2019), and Uncommon Valor on Iwo Jima (Stackpole, 2016). He lives in Portland, Connecticut.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
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GUAM THE BATTLE FOR AN AMERICAN ISLAND Format: Hardcover
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GUAM THE BATTLE FOR AN AMERICAN ISLAND Format: Hardcover
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Guam: The Battle for an American Island in World War II
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Guam: The Battle for an American Island in World War II
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ISBN 10: 0811776891
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Hardcover. Condition: new. Hardcover. In this sequel to his epic Saipan, James Hallas tells the dramatic story of the battle for Guam in World War II, the next stage of the United States pivotal campaign for the Mariana Islandsand the beginning of the end for the Japanese Empire.In December 1941, Japan captured Guam, the largest island of the Marianas archipelago and an American territory since 1898, and turned it into a naval and air base, a supply dump, and a massive prison for the native Chamorros. After a long, bloody drive back across the Pacific, the United States was ready to retake Guam in the summer of 1944, not only to liberate the island, but to secure its harbor and airstrip, both vitally important for mounting an aggressive attack against the Japanese home islands.Saipan came first in Operation Forager, the campaign to take the Marianas, and as that battle bogged down in vicious combat, the invasion of Guam was delayeduntil July 21, 1944, when, after one of the Pacific Wars longest and most devastating bombardments, U.S. Marines and Army soldiers trudged ashore, spearheaded by frogmen who pierced Japanese defenses. Guam was a hellish place for a war, and for two and a half weeks, American fighting men battled a tenacious enemy on sandy beaches, in jungles, mountains, ravines, caves, and swamps, in sweltering humidity and frequent downpours. The Japanese fought to the last man, at first mounting well-organized attacks and in the end relying on suicidal chargesin places inflicting up to 50 percent casualties on American units. Major operations ended on August 10, but mopping up continued until the end of the war, and the last Japanese holdout did not surrender until 1972.James Hallas reconstructs the full panorama of the Battle of Guam. In its comprehensiveness, attention to detail, scope of research, and intimate focus on the men who fought and won the battle, this will stand as the definitive history of the battle for years to come. James H. Hallas reconstructs the full panorama of the Battle of Guam. In its comprehensiveness, attention to detail, scope of research, and intimate focus on the men who fought and won the battle, this will stand as the definitive history of the battle for years to come. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780811776899
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Guam
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Hardback. Condition: New. In this sequel to his epic Saipan, James Hallas tells the dramatic story of the battle for Guam in World War II, the next stage of the United States' pivotal campaign for the Mariana Islands-and the beginning of the end for the Japanese Empire.In December 1941, Japan captured Guam, the largest island of the Marianas archipelago and an American territory since 1898, and turned it into a naval and air base, a supply dump, and a massive prison for the native Chamorros. After a long, bloody drive back across the Pacific, the United States was ready to retake Guam in the summer of 1944, not only to liberate the island, but to secure its harbor and airstrip, both vitally important for mounting an aggressive attack against the Japanese home islands.Saipan came first in Operation Forager, the campaign to take the Marianas, and as that battle bogged down in vicious combat, the invasion of Guam was delayed-until July 21, 1944, when, after one of the Pacific War's longest and most devastating bombardments, U.S. Marines and Army soldiers trudged ashore, spearheaded by frogmen who pierced Japanese defenses. Guam was a hellish place for a war, and for two and a half weeks, American fighting men battled a tenacious enemy on sandy beaches, in jungles, mountains, ravines, caves, and swamps, in sweltering humidity and frequent downpours. The Japanese fought to the last man, at first mounting well-organized attacks and in the end relying on suicidal charges-in places inflicting up to 50 percent casualties on American units. Major operations ended on August 10, but mopping up continued until the end of the war, and the last Japanese holdout did not surrender until 1972.James Hallas reconstructs the full panorama of the Battle of Guam. In its comprehensiveness, attention to detail, scope of research, and intimate focus on the men who fought and won the battle, this will stand as the definitive history of the battle for years to come. Seller Inventory # LU-9780811776899
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Hardback. Condition: New. In this sequel to his epic Saipan, James Hallas tells the dramatic story of the battle for Guam in World War II, the next stage of the United States' pivotal campaign for the Mariana Islands-and the beginning of the end for the Japanese Empire.In December 1941, Japan captured Guam, the largest island of the Marianas archipelago and an American territory since 1898, and turned it into a naval and air base, a supply dump, and a massive prison for the native Chamorros. After a long, bloody drive back across the Pacific, the United States was ready to retake Guam in the summer of 1944, not only to liberate the island, but to secure its harbor and airstrip, both vitally important for mounting an aggressive attack against the Japanese home islands.Saipan came first in Operation Forager, the campaign to take the Marianas, and as that battle bogged down in vicious combat, the invasion of Guam was delayed-until July 21, 1944, when, after one of the Pacific War's longest and most devastating bombardments, U.S. Marines and Army soldiers trudged ashore, spearheaded by frogmen who pierced Japanese defenses. Guam was a hellish place for a war, and for two and a half weeks, American fighting men battled a tenacious enemy on sandy beaches, in jungles, mountains, ravines, caves, and swamps, in sweltering humidity and frequent downpours. The Japanese fought to the last man, at first mounting well-organized attacks and in the end relying on suicidal charges-in places inflicting up to 50 percent casualties on American units. Major operations ended on August 10, but mopping up continued until the end of the war, and the last Japanese holdout did not surrender until 1972.James Hallas reconstructs the full panorama of the Battle of Guam. In its comprehensiveness, attention to detail, scope of research, and intimate focus on the men who fought and won the battle, this will stand as the definitive history of the battle for years to come. Seller Inventory # LU-9780811776899
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