Synopses & Reviews
Although the siege of Wake Island was not one of World War II's biggest campaigns, it had a profound psychological effect on the course of the nation's struggle. This was the battle that first raised American spirits in the dark weeks following Pearl Harbor. For sixteen suspenseful days, 449 U.S. Marines, assisted by a handful of sailors and soldiers and a few hundred civilian construction workers, withstood repeated attacks by numerically superior Japanese forces. Although Wake finally fell on 23 December 1941, its garrison made the Japanese pay an embarrassingly high price for a tiny coral outpost. Based on interviews with over seventy American and Japanese participants, the riveting, you-are-there narrative pulsates with the crack of rifles, the stutter of machine guns, the roar of cannon, and the concussion of bombs. This is a military history from the bottom up, an unforgettable reading experience told from the perspective of enlisted men and junior officers who served on the front lines.
Review
"Gregory Urwin reports this story with impressive technical thoroughness, placing it in the framework of the Pacific War's early months. . . . Facing Fearful Odds is a well-organized and extremely well-written piece of history."--Sea History. (Sea History)
Review
"Distinguished by thorough historical and technical detail, and rich in human color throughout, this is a masterful narrative of 16 grim days and nights when the American spirit gleamed forth."--WWII History
(WWII History)
Review
"An excellent work of military history, Urwin's book should be the last word on the subject for quite a while."--Choice. (Choice)
Review
"Emphasizing individual accounts, the narrative is dramatic and well told. The desperate courage and determination of these men deserve to be remembered, as they now are. Urwin does not, however, pull his punches. Actions are analyzed and mistakes are pointed out and acknowledged, although with a realistic understanding of the situations and options.. In summary, this is a long book and an expensive one, but it accomplishes what the author intended -- to tell the stories of the men who were there, warts and all, in and engrossing style. They and their descendants will treasure this book; the nation they served should also find much of value here. Lastly, for those with a particular interest in coast defense, this is a detailed account of one of the few actual battles between coast artillery and naval ships. As such, it is particularly valuable."--Bolling Smith, The Coast Defense Journal
(Bolling Smith, The Coast Defense Journal)
About the Author
Gregory J. W. Urwin is a professor of history at Temple University. His many books include Custer Victorious: The Civil War Battles of General George Armstrong Custer, available in a Bison Books edition.