Campaign #139: Guam 1941/1944: Loss and Reconquest

The island of Guam was the first Allied territory lost to the Japanese onslaught in 1941. On 10 December 5,000 Japanese troops landed on Guam, defended by less than 500 US and Guamanian troops, the outcome was beyond doubt. On 21 July 1944 America returned. In a risky operation, the two US landing forces came ashore seven miles apart and it was a week before the beachheads linked up. Only the battles for Iwo Jima and Okinawa would cost the Americans more men than the landings on Guam and Saipan, which immediately preceded the Guam operation. In this book Gordon Rottman details the bitter 26-day struggle for this key Pacific island duringWorld War II (1939-1945).

Strategies, tactics and battle experiences of opposing armies Each book analyses a major battle or campaign, from outbreak to conclusion, taking stock of the opposing forces to crucial points in the fighting. Full color 3-D 'bird's eye views, ' battle scenes and maps help you to follow the action. In December 1941, Guam became the first Allied territory to fall to the Japanese. When over 5,000 Japanese troops landed on the island, the defending forces surrendered after only token resistance--but from that point onwards, the re-capture of Guam assumed a vast political and psychological importance for America. This book provides a full account of the capture and re-capture of Guam, revealing how 2,500 Japanese lives were squandered and countless US lives saved by a series of major mistakes made by the Japanese following the 1944 assault.

Gordon L Rottman entered the US Army in 1967, volunteered for Special Forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. A highly respected and established author, Gordon has written extensively on the Pacific War. He lives and works in Louisiana.