I am so hurt and offended by the treatment of soldiers during wartime I can't bear to turn another page. It was most definitely the most desirable book I have read about WWII history. Ghost Soldiers is expertly told by Hampton Sides. The part of his life that most shaped Pa was the years he spent on the Pacific Theater during WWII. It was the largest surrender of American military forces in history. HISTORY, by POLITICS | I am awed by what these men did and how the POWs survived terrible conditions. Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II’s Greatest Rescue Mission (2001) is a historical nonfiction book by Hampton Sides. To see what your friends thought of this book, Rather late to the question. :( I'm going to try though (june), Very engaging narrative, that covers the fall of Bataan, the 'Bataan Death March' and the internment of POWs captured by the Japanese into Camp O'Donnell, know also as Camp Cabanatuan. What an epic story of courage missing all these years from the WWII narrative. You seem to be on the same emotional roller coaster ride with the prisoners. This is a great book about a remarkable moment in American history. Ghost Soldiers book. If you talk … Ghost Soldiers chronicles the daring rescue, from behind enemy lines, of 513 survivors of the Bataan Death March. HISTORY, by I'm sorry I didn't keep notes. The time is the end of January 1945. HISTORY, by Most of the rescued POW’s were survivors of the Bataan death march. At odds with the emerging master strategy for winning the war, the remote outpost of Bataan lay doomed. CURRENT EVENTS & SOCIAL ISSUES | It shows, in a very dramatic way, how much suffering a man can endure, and the lengths that soldiers will go … While I don’t read a lot of nonfiction, this is exactly the kind that suits me. Home to 150 prisoners, under the ruse of an air raid, the prisoners were ordered into trenches to avoid an American air raid but instead of gaining shelter from bombs they were massacred with machine guns, grenades, or burned alive with aviation fuel. Ghost Soldiers is an enthralling, deeply disturbing look at the horrors of war. GENERAL HISTORY | To the Editor: David Murray ends his review of Hampton Sides's ''Ghost Soldiers'' (Books in Brief, June 10) by saying, ''Sides's effort to expand gratuitously a … It is also a testament to the human spirit, an account of enormous bravery and self-sacrifice amid the most trying conditions. Do the job. The time is the end of January 1945. If anyone can help me, I'd appreciate it. Esquire; “The untold story of an epic mission and the army rangers who pulled off the most dramatic secret raid of World War II.” Hampton Sides, Author GHOST SOLDIERS: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II $24.95 (352p) ISBN 978-0-385-49564-6 Tom Clavin. Far more worthy than the celebrity-driven narratives of recent seasons, this is an exceptionally valuable addition to the... by All Rights Reserved. Ghost Soldiers:The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission. Their mission: March thirty rugged miles to rescue 513 POWs languishing in a hellish camp, among them the last survivors of the infamous Bataan Death March. A book review of Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission by Hampton Sides. Ghost Soldier is a nominee for the 2002 Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery. If it isn't on your list, add it!! Reading the first few pages automatically hooks you on for a novel filled with adventures. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. For three years, the “ghost soldiers” of Cabanatuan lived in an earthly hell, and they would have remained there longer had an elite group of Rangers fighting with Douglas MacArthur’s invading army not planned and executed a rescue operation of tremendous emotional but doubtful strategic value—and one that could easily have ended in a costly disaster. Despite surface similarities, this is not a social history, since we get no sense of the fabric of life. They had already survived the Bataan Death March. Ghost Soldiers covers the US raid that rescued American POW’s from the Japanese in WWII. This story brings it to life. 2 Comments on Ghost Soldiers Winner! $16.99. For Howard Zinn, long-time civil rights and anti-war activist, history and ideology have a lot in common. And let's be honest, some of these scenes are rough. Although the sub-title lets us know the rescue was likely successful, it was still a bit of an adventure. The book is full of first-hand accounts and quotes from the prisoners and the men who rescued them. Ghost Soldiers, The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission, By Hampton Sides, Anchor Books, 2001, 344 Pages, 16 Pages of Photos , Softcover, Amazon New From $4.15 Ghost Soldiers … The main characters of this history, non fiction … Instead of negating the one-sided histories he detests, Zinn has merely reversed the image; the distortion remains. Get out. If only it were that easy. Furthermore, although playing a vital role in events, even the Huk nationalists are left as shadowy, alien characters. Phil Keith The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 344 pages and is available in Paperback format. Those that did manage to escape the deadly trenches were hunted down in the jungle and along the beache. I might reread it. This is a story about the rescue of the final remaining 530 prisoners who were rescued after information came out that the Japanese were slaughtering POWs as the war was drawing to an end. It was called Oryaku Maru if. RELEASE DATE: May 15, 2001. A Book Review On Ghost Soldiers History Essay “Ghost Soldiers” by Hampton Sides was a phenomenal novel. I think this book is deserving of a 9 out of ten stars. Although some of the prisoners are believably portrayed, the story gives little background as regards the Japanese invasion of the islands and virtually no insight into the character of the Japanese themselves. Hampton Sides, the author of numerous books that include IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE and HELLHOUND ON HIS TRAIL, concentrates on the January, 1945 rescue of 513 American and British POWs from the hellish Japanese POW camp at Cabanatuan in. Furthermore, although playing a vital role in events, even the Huk nationalists are left as shadowy, alien characters. ‧ It was a place for the hopelessly sick an injured men of the camp. In January of 1945, 121 U.S. Army Rangers, aided by two Filipino guerilla groups and countless civilians, rescued over 500 POW's from the Cabanatuan Prison Camp. ‧ Since he thinks that everything is in someone's interest, the historian—Zinn posits—has to figure out whose interests he or she is defining/defending/reconstructing (hence one of his previous books, The Politics of History). Ghost Soldiers Book Review Genre: History Author: Hampton Sides Plot: In the early months of WWII, Japanese naval forces and infantry blazed across the islands of the Pacific. Ghost Soldiers, The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission, By Hampton Sides, Anchor Books, 2001, 344 Pages, 16 Pages of Photos, Softcover, Amazon New From $4.15 Ghost Soldiers is the account of elements of the 6th Ranger Battaion's raid to rescue 500 Allied POW's from Cabanatuan POW camp in the Phillipines in early 1945. BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | King had been left with no alternative. The United States Army is advancing in the Philippines and the retreating Japanese have already executed American prisoners elsewhere. Order Reviews by: Write your own review! Llewellyn Publications, 2014. Clavin, who has written books on Dodge City and Wild Bill Hickok, delivers a solid narrative that usefully links significant events—making allies of white enemies, for instance, in facing down the Apache threat, rustling from Mexico, and other ethnically charged circumstances. Well written and suspenseful, it's a gripping narrative. (The movie version is The Great Raid.) For people that enjoy reading non-fiction war classics, this would suit you quite well. Well written and suspenseful, it's a gripping narrative. What other similar stories of WWII heroism lie hidden? An review of the audio edition of Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission, by Hampton Sides and read by Michael Prichard. Although some of the prisoners are believably portrayed, the story gives little background as regards the Japanese invasion of the islands and virtually no insight into the character of the Japanese themselves. We’d love your help. Read 7 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Since then, I've read three other books by Hampton Sides, all of them magnificent. Zinn starts out by depicting the arrival of Columbus in North America from the standpoint of the Indians (which amounts to their standpoint as constructed from the observations of the Europeans); and, after easily establishing the cultural disharmony that ensued, he goes on to the importation of slaves into the colonies. Add the laborers and indentured servants that followed, plus women and later immigrants, and you have Zinn's amorphous constituency. This story is the account of the attempt to free over 500 American and British POW's who had spent over 3 years in the Cabanatuas Japanese Prision Camp. Many prisoners were survivors of the Bataan death march. GENERAL HISTORY | For example, Wyatt and Bat Masterson “took the ‘peace’ in peace officer literally and knew that the way to tame the notorious town was not to outkill the bad guys but to intimidate them, sometimes with the help of a gun barrel to the skull.” Indeed, while some of the Clantons and some of the Earps died violently, most—Wyatt, Bat, Doc Holliday—died of cancer and other ailments, if only a few of old age. Harrowing, poignant, and inspiring, Ghost Soldiers is the mesmerizing story of a remarkable mission. I would have to say his points are portrayed from what he saw as it was a non-fiction book. It was written intelligently well while giving facts and dates that go along with the story. The lucky winner of Keith’s latest in ebook format is…. I read this book for a … Hampton Sides brings to life the courage and strength of the POWs from the U.S. and other countries in the face of shocking atrocities by the Japanese in the Philippines during WWII. Joined: May 9, 2010 Messages: 8,488 Likes Received: 1,159. Discussion in 'The Pacific and CBI' started by belasar, Apr 9, 2012. belasar Court Jester Staff Member. Daphne. Ghost Soldiers is a remarkable book by a remarkable author. It also covered the courageous. The Great Raid on Cabanatuan: Rescuing the Doomed Ghosts of Bataan and Corregidor. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this well written account of the rescue of the POWs of the Bataan Death March and the Rangers who rescued them. That was the soldier who took charge in that Ship's Hold. ... For three years, the “ghost soldiers” of Cabanatuan lived in an earthly hell, and they would have remained there longer had an elite group of Rangers fighting with Douglas MacArthur’s invading army not planned and executed a rescue operation of tremendous … It is a great novel if you like WWII era things. Tom Clavin, by Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission (Doubleday, 2001) is a non-fiction book written by Hampton Sides.It is about the World War II … When the Philippines fell to Japan in 1942, hundreds of the Allied troops who survived the Bataan death march were imprisoned in the jungle camp of Cabanatuan. The best part of the whole vacation (besides of course the occasional nap, jet ski ride, wake boarding, wake skating, and eating great food) was getting to read just for fun. Hampton Sides writes so beautifully as he transitions back and forth between the rescue efforts, over the period of a few days, to accounting the years that the POWs experienced. HISTORICAL & MILITARY | A great read you don't want to put the book down. Swept up in their fire were Allied soldiers, largely American, who had garrisoned their island outposts since the colonial days. Wiley. Although I know this is a great book - I am really struggling through it. https://www.thefeather.com/2020/05/14/book-review-ghost-soldiers Book review. When I saw this on the table at the Library Book Sale last spring, I knew the title looked familiar. I don't have a copy of the book in front of me and I am trying to remember the name of the soldier who took control when the prisoners were herded on to a ship. Warren S. The book starts with a gripping account of the treatment of prisoners in a japanese POW camp. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Plus maybe a few details of the incident? The stories of Wyatt Earp and company, the shootout at the O.K. Zinn has no doubts about where he stands in this "people's history": "it is a history disrespectful of governments and respectful of people's movements of resistance." As dedicated readers already know, some of the best and most innovative stories on the shelves come from the constantly evolving realm of... On January 28, 1945, 121 hand-selected U.S. troops slipped behind enemy lines in the Philippines. A recent prison massacre by Japanese soldiers elsewhere in the Philippines made the stakes impossibly high and left litt. Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought Flags of Our Fathers So what we get here, instead of the usual survey of wars, presidents, and institutions, is a survey of the usual rebellions, strikes, and protest movements. Even in these dreary settings, Sides is able to introduce the occasional slice of humor to provide a reprieve from the dark details of camp life and Japanese brutality. Ghost Soldiers brought back memories of the incredible suffering of the American and Filipino prisoners of war at the hands of the Japanese. Ghost Soldiers chronicles the daring rescue, from behind enemy lines, of 513 survivors of the Bataan Death March. Sides immediately sets the tone of his narrative by describing through Private First Class Eugene Nielson’s eyes the mass burning of POWs on Palawan Island by the Japanese.