Synopses & Reviews
The outbreak of World War II set in motion a massive expansion of the United States Marine Corps, leading to a 24-fold increase in size by August 1945. This book is the first of several volumes to examine the Corps's meteoric wartime expansion and the evolution of its units. It covers the immediate pre-war period, the rush to deploy defense forces in the war's early months, and the Marines' first combat operations on Guadalcanal, New Georgia, and Bougainville. It focuses on the 1st, 2d, and 3d Marine Divisions (MarDivs) and the provisional 1st, 2d, and 3d Marine Brigades (MarBdes).
Synopsis
The early days of the Pacific War found the United States facing an enemy who had occupied a series of islands in the South Pacific The enemy's goal in this region was to provide an outer defensive zone to protect bases from which future conquests would be launched. The enemy was Japan. This fascinating and highly detailed study reveals how, despite being often poorly equipped and sometimes fighting with little external support against a resolute enemy, the Marines evolved into a well equipped and ideally organized amphibious assault force that eventually aided in the defeat of an empire.
About the Author
Gordon L Rottman entered the US Army in 1967, volunteered for Special Forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. He was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group until reassigned to the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam in 1969-70. Gordon worked as a civilian contract Special Operations Forces Intelligence Specialist at the Army's Joint Readiness Center, Ft Polk, until 2002. A highly respected and established author, he now devotes himself to full-time writing and research.