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On April 24, 1947, more than a year after the end of World War II, 26 Japanese soldiers who had been holding out in the caves of Peleliu, in the Palau Islands, walked down to the U.S. airfield to surrender--to the astonishment of the Americans who had thought the island had been "secure" since 1944. The Battle of Peleliu was notably bloody: with a casualty rate of almost 50 percent, some 20,000 Marines died in a three-month ordeal that was supposed to be a quick, four-day operation on the way to liberate the Gilbert Islands. The Peleliu airfield was an essential and easy target to secure, but up in the rocky hills of the small island the Japanese had made a fortress of miles of interconnected caves--virtually impregnable. After the battle that more than a few soldiers wrote home to describe, literally, as hell, the lush, green island oasis had been charred bare by massive bombing and cave-clearing flamethrowers. Though not as widely known as the Battle of Guadalcanal, Peleliu was almost as significant a turning point in the Pacific theater.
A&E and the History Channel's War Chronicles includes fascinating documents of many understudied parts of World War II, such as the Battle of Peleliu. Each of the seven cassettes in this series produced for television carries two one-hour episodes, but the episodes are hit-and-miss for quality. The Peleliu episode "Island Hopping" is excellent: superb contextualization and background, use of maps, well-organized narration. Other episodes, such as "The Desert War," are wanting: no use of maps, film images that don't seem to connect to the narration, cursory historical information, lots of explosions but less substance. In the end there is some fascinating, well-written documentation here--just don't be afraid to use your fast-forward button when necessary. --Erik J. Macki
Product Description
From the beaches of Normandy to the sands of Iwo Jima, relive the drama and the intensity of history's greatest conflict in WORLD WAR II: THE WAR CHRONICLES. This extraordinary collection is the most complete account of World War II ever created. Combining graphic combat footage and expert commentary, it's a commanding view of the battles and strategy, the men and machines, and the horror and heroism that marked this epic conflict. Here are the blazing naval engagements, the hand-to-hand combat and the stupendous air battles. From North Africa to Italy, across Europe to Berlin, and from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo, see and experience World War II in these seven unforgettable volumes as it's never been captured before!
