Bloody Tarawa [Hardcover]

Eric M. Hammel (Author), John E. Lane (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 298 pages
• Publisher: Pacifica Press (CA) (August 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0935553339
• ISBN-13: 978-0935553338
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,343,477 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eric Hammel's writing career began in the 1960s, when he was a teenager. He has had forty military history books, one novel, and more than sixty-five non-fiction articles published. Eric has worked as West Coast contributing editor for Leatherneck Magazine and as a publishing acquisitions and content editor, but he has spent most of the years since 1983 as a full-time author, editor, and publisher.

Free sample chapters from all of Eric Hammel's in-print books can be viewed at his author site, http://www.EricHammelBooks.com
All of his books are available on Amazon.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent revision of a WW2 classic!, August 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bloody Tarawa (Hardcover)

Using newly uncovered archival photographs of the bloody battle for Betio Island, Eric Hammel and John Lane put the reader in the middle of the action. From the agonizing wade into the beach, up to the last neutralized pillbox, "Bloody Tarawa" is a fine update of a classic on this legendary campaign.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The true meaning of Courage., July 17, 2001

By 

Timothy L. Perry (Joppatowne, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bloody Tarawa (Hardcover)

Having had a member of my family in the battle it was a outstanding adventure in the Best of Our Nation's Youth and the United States Marine Corps. The graphic pictures matched the historical and well researched commentary. I found that I could not read for long periods of time because of all of what was going on took time to digest and reflect on. You felt that you were crossing the lagoon along with the young Marines and you could almost here the action. There was courage on both sides and the book was fair as to that point. It truly gave a face to the savage nature, relentless, and cruel reality of this Pacific island invasion.

I found myself wondering about the faith and courage that were these young men. To keep their sanity and wits about them was truly remarkable. I also found myself wondering if this could be done again in our time. If the courage and singleness of purpose would be here today? It left me with a large amount of respect for the accomplishment of these men. We owe them our freedom and our sincere thanks.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book surprises., May 8, 2001

By 

George G. Kiefer (Sevierville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bloody Tarawa (Hardcover)

Thumbing through Hammel and Lane's book one initially suspects that the pictures are the story. Contrary to this first impression, the book is an excellent telling of the battle for Betio Island in the Tarawa Atoll. Augmented by literally hundreds of top quality combat photos the tale flows in a most easily understood fashion. The narrative recreates the action as it occurred on each beachhead and follows it along until a logical point occurs before switching to another beachhead. Progressing along the three initial beachheads the reader follows the action of individual men, squads, and remnants of platoons and companies fighting for a toehold. The confusion that occurred on all the landing zones is told in a most understandable manner. The slaughter caused by the low tide and the reef surrounding the island is well presented.

The maps, placed in front of the book preceding the text, are excellent. The book's weakness lays in its lack of a significant discussion of planning, strategy and the then existing conditions in the Pacific. Tarawa played a key roll in the future invasions of the Marshalls, the Marianas and beyond. This was the first time an amphibious assault was made against a well-defended and contested beachhead. It also marked the turning point for amphibious assaults in that the LVTs (Landing Vehicle Tracked) were used for the first time as troop carriers instead of merely supply vehicles. As Admiral Hill stated, "...this operation was going to be a textbook for future operations." Although mentioned frequently in the text, the index contains no listing for the LVTs. Considering their all-important role, this is puzzling to this reviewer.