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Liked It “I have read a lot of real ghost stories and i will surely like this one.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“I have read a lot of real ghost stories and i will surely like this one.”
Jasmine wrote this review 13 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Compelling story of prisoners and liberators in the Pacific during WWII. For WWII junkies, it's a must read.”
CBF wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book has taught me, in a manner so first-hand, things that I never would have known or imagined posisble about what your own country can do to you, and for you, in a time of war.”
Mary L wrote this review Monday, August 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Tremendous! I needed more info on the Bataan Death March for my American History class. ”
Chris P wrote this review Wednesday, July 22 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“In 1945, a small group of U.S. Rangers are send to a POW camp in northern Philippines. They are part of a larger force planing to attack Japanese forces based nearby. U.S. General MacArthur is afraid the Japanese will kill the POWs, which is the reason for this surprise attack. There are only 121 Rangers, but they are also aided by the Filipino Guerillas. It is a good book. There are many stories of heroism in World War II, but many are not known. This is one of the rather obscure ones. ”
JEREMY C wrote this review Tuesday, June 9 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Tenia F said: 5 stars
Play Book Tag Shelf wrote this review Sunday, March 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
On January 28, 1945, a new army unit called the Rangers slipped behind enemy lines in the Phillipines to rescue 513 POW's that had been POW's for over 3 years. They were the last survivors of the Bataan Death March. The Rangers had been put together and given the mission after former POW's escaped from another camp that the Japanese had killed all the POW's in. The six that survived and escaped knew it was only a matter of time before the other POW's in other camps would suffer the same fate, which is why the Rangers were sent in.
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“ Ghost Soldiers the Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission Hampton Sides
Tenia F wrote this review Saturday, March 14 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
5 stars
On January 28, 1945, a new army unit called the Rangers slipped behind enemy lines in the Phillipines to rescue 513 POW's that had been POW's for over 3 years. They were the last survivors of the Bataan Death March. The Rangers had been put together and given the mission after former POW's escaped from another camp that the Japanese had killed all the POW's in. The six that survived and escaped knew it was only a matter of time before the other POW's in other camps would suffer the same fate, which is why the Rangers were sent in.”
“I loved this book. I cried. I've realized that I am compelled to read true drama stories (which are often gruesome and gory) because there are some places where such terrible things have happened, that you ought to have the appropriate shudder when you hear the name. Bataan is one of those places. I had vaguely heard it, but didn't really have a clue what happened there. This book tackles the many nuances of the struggle in the Philippines. It's starts with nauseating details about the war in the Philippines and the Bataan Death March and the condition of the Prisoners of War held there, and then it turns into the most heroic and emotional rescue. Yeah, I really did cry and it was such a moving, engrossing, horrifying, touching and entirely worth-it read. ”
Bethany W wrote this review Monday, September 8 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Dark, but excellent. ”
Debbie S wrote this review Sunday, July 20 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Not being a WWII expert, I can't really say yay or nay on the "most dramatic mission" claim on this book's title, but I got so caught up in this book I read the whole thing in one afternoon.
quinnsmom wrote this review Thursday, July 10 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The basic outline is this: The US has decided that it's time for the Army to take Manila from the Japanese in 1945, after the landing at Leyte Gulf. There is a slight problem, however; directly in the path that the soldiers would take on the push to Manila lies a prisoner-of-war camp holding Americans and others. By this time the camp is a way station for Japanese soldiers and the road to the place is loaded with Japanese vehicles & army. Since the Japanese know that everything's coming to a close, the US fears that (as in earlier examples) the prisoners stuck in the camp are in danger of being exterminated. So the Army decides it needs a small force of men to go in, liberate the camp, and clear the way for the bulk of the troops to get on the road to Manila. This book is the story of how this was achieved.
The structure of the book is such that there are actually two alternating stories here. The main story is of course, the attempt to liberate the camp, and interspersed is the second story, that of the Bataan Death March and then life inside the prison camps, told by the survivors. The author's writing style is so good that you'll think you're reading a novel rather than history. Now comes my only complaint: my graduate degree is in History, and I cringe every time I read something like this where there are NO footnotes or endnotes. The author does say what sources he relied on in the back of the book, but I like to be able to trace exact quotations, references, etc., in case I want to follow up with another source. That's just my thing, and I would guess that the great majority of readers do not give a fig about footnotes.
Even if you know nothing about WWII, or if you're not particularly interested, any reader would find this book captivating. It is written for readers -- no bogging down with overly technical details.
Very well written and worth every second of reading time. Recommended.”
