can anyone recommend a good book (or site) about the Japanese front? i know there are a lot of them, but i'm looking for something that includes little details, like what the weather was like on the days leading up to and following an attack and maybe what the particular quirks in character were of a specific lieutenant. you get the idea. am i asking too much?
my current piece is going to be splashed with flashbacks from a battle on the Jap front (haven't decided which would best serve my purpose yet). the snippets are going to be small, but i want as much realism as possible.
i know it's a long shot, but if anyone happens to know of such a book, help!
TTFN & lol
Cosmi
Posted by Doc Brown (Member # 1118) on :
Cosmi, I love to go to Warships1 for this sort of information:
I'm assuming you mean WWII, although this website can give you information about almost any war involving ships. I just spent a few minutes looking around, and didn't see the info you want. However, it's probably there somewhere.
I bet you could go into the Discussion Board of Chatroom sections and actually get into a conversation with someone who was there.
Remember, much of the action in the Pacific theater was highly mechanized, requiring ships and airplanes. There were lots of beach assaults, air raids, ship vs ship and ship vs airplane battles. The land battles were fought over small islands, so there was nothing like D-Day or The Battle of the Bulge.
I suggest you try to find a few details about Guadalcanal, Rabal, and Savo Island.
Posted by SiliGurl (Member # 922) on :
This probably won't have as much info as you may need, but I still recommend it anyway. "Ghost Soldiers" is about the (unbelievably daring and heroic) rescue of the last survivors of the Bataan Death March by a small group of US rangers. It's such a compelling and engrossing read, it's easy to forget that it's nonfiction. Along the way, you learn a lot about the Bushido code and the driving "psychology" of the Japanese army.
Hope that helps.
Posted by Cosmi (Member # 1252) on :
thank you both. the battle of Bloody Ridge on Guadalcanal is actually one of my top choices, but i want to compare details first. i'll check out that book, SiliGurl. every little bit helps.
what i'm really hoping to find (in general) is a land battle where US (preferably) aircraft played a significant role. still searching....
TTFN & lol
Cosmi
PS: {slaps forehead} can't believe i didn't say which war....
[This message has been edited by Cosmi (edited May 19, 2003).]
Posted by Marianne (Member # 1546) on :
Many of the air squadrons have web sites and you can get tons of info as well as contacts with veterans. I found some useful sites about the 8th Air Force that was my father's Division in WWII and exchanged some emails with some fellows who were there. I also contacted a local group of WWII veterans who always love to tell their stories.
Posted by Doc Brown (Member # 1118) on :
As I recall, all three of the battles I mentioned (Guadalcanal, Rabal, and Savo Island) involved land battles with American aircraft. Technically, there were two major naval battles at Guadalcanal. Some of the same ships (and people) were involved in both battles. Very dramatic.
Posted by SiliGurl (Member # 922) on :
Marianne makes an excellent point... And being in the AF, I'm ashamed that I can't recommend a specific site for you! Grrrrr... BUT, just as an FYI, if you know the base that would have fielded the squadron you're researching, all of our websites follow the format of www.basename.af.mil-- and ALL have history links.
