Utmost Savagery

Media:	Paperback
Author:	Joseph Col Alexander
Publisher:	Presidio Press
Release date:	27 November, 1996
Our price:	$6.99

Utmost Savagery

Average rating: Stars

Excellent and informational book

Well written and provides a lot detail on the training and planning that went into the invasion of Tarawa. The description of the fighting and deadly landing is very engaging and descriptive. The number of casualties suffered by the main landing forces was extremely high, and when historians write that only a certain percentage of casualties suffered based on the total of number personnel that landed, it does an injustice to the extreme hardships that the Marines and Navy personnel faced on the first two days of fighting.

The book also describes the lessons learned from the deadly landing. What is most interesting however, is the family backlash towards the President over the high loss of life. Even after the attack on Pearl Harbor there were those anti-war Americans who believed that the US should not be at war with Japan. Some of those anti-war protestors tried to use the high death toll from the landing as a reason not to continue fighting.

When one compares the past history with current events, it is very noteworthy that regardless of the circumstances, some people will always believe that the military is not necessary and that fighting against those who attack and wish to destroy us is never an option to these extreme peace activists. Fortunately, we have men and women who understand the risk and sacrifices involved in defending our country while serving overseas in a war. This book does their memory justice and definitely worth reading.

Utmost Savagery - Joseph Col Alexander

Somewhat erudite but gripping nevertheless...

While the war in continental Europe takes the lion's share in military bibliography the one that raged in the Pacific was certainly as ruthless and gripping.

That happens a rather unknown fact especially to Europeans, and this book does a tremendous job bringing to the surface the horrors that took place in one of the bloodiest and most strategic battles in the Pacific theater, that of the island of Tarawa.

Heavily fortified by the Japanese and invaded by a massive marine force the island was bound to become a huge burial ground as over 6000 soldiers from both sides died within a mere 3 days.

Of these, an incredible 99.7% of the Japanese force were casualties (only about 20 survived and were taken prisoners) while the losses on the American side were stunningly big as well. That of course does not include the numerous injured soldiers that left parts of their bodies on Tarawa.

Aside the heavy Japanese fortification, the island presented another formidable problem to the invading force, that of the coral reef that surrounded it. Armored amphibious vehicles were used to surpass that obstacle but the results were less than great as these became target practice for the Japanese machine-gunners ashore. It only got more grim every time a hatch-door opened and marines rushed out to open water having to go an excruciatingly long 200-400 yards till they reached land while under fire from the defenders.

In the end, and as several accounts describe, the waters around the island were filled with 100s of floating face-down corpses from the fallen.

The Americans tried to initially bomb the "rikusentai" (Japanese marine commandos) out of their positions prior to the assault but to little avail, and the battle of Tarawa that ensued became a hand to hand combat as well as a bullet festival from surreally close ranges. As the Japanese defenders were not going to give in until death, the massacre was but a certainty.

The author (a retired marine himself), is at sometimes too scholarly, aiming to the specialised military reader as well as the non-military, but overall he does an overwhelmingly good job in bringing forth the bleak details and the planning of the attack.

His description includes all the frantic "beyond the battle" situations (the problems the commanders faced aboard the ships or directly in battle, and these were many). His best comes when he deals with the battle itself where he literally puts you there in a narrow space with death looming everywhere.

Most of the core of the book is yet another reminder of what war really is and "Utmost savagery" is definitely a must-read for studiers of WWII history.

If you belong to that group, and you've mostly focused your reading in the war in Europe this is a book that will easily shift your attention from that front and remind you in its fullest scale why it was actually a world war.

Gripping, harrowing account of one of the most merciless battles in contemporary history.

Joseph Col Alexander - Utmost Savagery

A Detailed Tactical Analysis

Col. Joseph Alexander does a great job in analyzing the battle in tremendous detail. The strategic developments leading to the battle are presented in sufficient detail to get a feeling for why the battle occurred.

Both the American and Japanese sides are presented (the Japanese record, of course, being mostly lost) which combine to make the story even more interesting. While some personal stories are told, the focus is on the tactical events of the battle.

There are sufficient maps to refer to during the course of the story telling. The obligatory photos are also present.

**Buy this book: if you are interested in the human drama of the bloody island campaigns; would like to study the tactical details of the battle.

***Don't buy this book: if you are interested in more of the strategic picture; don't want too much detail of the battle; are bored by the drama of the island campaigns.

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