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Utmost Savagery: The Three Days of Tarawa [Hardcover]

Joseph H. Alexander (Author), Edwin H. Simmons (Foreword)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

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Book Description

Publication Date: January 1995
"The first complete and definitive account of the Battle of Tarawa."

--Maj. Gen. Mike Ryan, USMC (Ret.)

Navy Cross recipient

Green Beach, Tarawa

On November 20, l943, in the first trial by fire of America's fledgling amphibious assault doctrine, five thousand men stormed the beaches of Tarawa, a seemingly invincible Japanese island fortress barely the size of the Pentagon parking lots (three-hundred acres!). Before the first day ended, one third of the Marines who had crossed Tarawa's deadly reef under murderous fire were killed, wounded, or missing. In three days of fighting, four Americans would win the Medal of Honor. And six-thousand combatants would die.

Now, Col. Joseph Alexander, a combat Marine himself, presents the full story of Tarawa in all its horror and glory: the extreme risks, the horrific combat, and the heroic breakthroughs. Based on exhaustive research, never-before-published accounts from Marine survivors, and new evidence from Japanese sources, Colonel Alexander captures the grit, guts, and relentless courage of United States Marines overcoming outrageous odds to deliver victory for their country.

"Without a doubt the best narrative of the struggle ever produced."

--Richard B. Frank, Author of Guadalcanal

A MAIN SELECTION OF THE MILITARY BOOK CLUB

Winner of the 1995 General Wallace M. Greene, Jr., Award, awarded to the year's best nonfiction book pertinent to Marine Corps History

Winner of the Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Outstanding Writer of the Year, presented by the Navy League of the United States

Winner of the Roosevelt Naval History Prize, awarded by the Naval War College

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Alexander, a retired Marine officer and established scholar, uses a broad spectrum of fresh Japanese and American sources to present a gripping narrative of one of the bloodiest battles of WWII in the Pacific theater. At Tarawa in the Kiribati (formerly Gilbert) islands, "uncommon valor was a common virtue" on both sides. But this account is more than battle history. Alexander interprets Tarawa as a military test bed, a validation of the concept of amphibious assault against defended positions. The Marines and the Navy made mistakes but learned from them. Without the experience gained at Tarawa, America's path across the central Pacific would have been longer and bloodier, according to the author. Tarawa was a psychological landmark as well. The savage, close-quarters fighting and high casualties helped solidify the grim determination in the U.S. to prevail over the Japanese. Illustrations. Military Book Club main selection.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Colonel Alexander brings to his outstanding account of the Battle of Tarawa in 1943 a Marine Corps career largely spent with the amphibious tractors whose ancestors had their first combat test at Tarawa. He makes plain that the assault on heavily defended Betio was strategically essential but included a number of tactical mistakes, such as too light a bombardment. The marines also had bad luck with the tides and faced a well-trained, well-fortified, equally determined opponent--their counterparts in the Japanese Naval Landing Force, Alexander's account of whom draws upon Japanese sources used adequately for the first time ever. At the cost of a thousand dead, the marines prevailed. It is a tribute to Alexander that the reader sweats out every hour of the battle as if the book were a novel. Alexander's surpasses every other existing account of the battle by a considerable margin. Roland Green
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Customer Reviews

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4.8 out of 5 stars
19 reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars The Marine's Journey Through Hell Jun 7 2004
By Jeff White
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I met Col. Alexander at 50th Anniversary of Tarawa landings at Camp Lejeune. He was working on the book at that time. After reading the finished book, I realize the hell my father and his fellow Marines endured in those three days more than I ever have before. The book is clearly written with many firsthand accounts from the Marines who fought this engagement. Many of the lessons learned with their blood, sweat and tears became a part of Amphibious Doctrine. Alexander's book is a testament to the sacrifices made by the Marine Corps.
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5.0 out of 5 stars All Marines should read this book. Oct 14 2003
By JACOB WARD
Format:Hardcover
The Marine Corps as we all know takes great pride in our amphibious doctrine. We call our selves warriors from the sea, amphibious monsters and a host of other hostile and well meaning nick names. We also hold great pride in the deeds that were accomplished by those Marines that came before us and the legacy that they have provided and our steadfast determination to carry it with honor into the future. This book is not just an account of the battle for a small island in the Pacific 60 years ago. It is an account of the birth of the pride of the modern day Marine Corps. Out ability to locate, close with from ship to shore, and destroy the enemy. To Amphibiously Assault.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Analysis of battle! Jan 18 2002
By Bob Jarvis
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Yes, this guy knows his stuff & he can write, but a prospective purchaser needs to know that this book is really a tactical analysis of the battle for Tarawa, & what a battle it was! It is a text book for military historians & whilst dealing with an enormously violent military episode, it comes over curiously passionless. Tactics & battlefield problems are disected & judged with knowledge & objectivity, although I thought the tiny explanatory maps were just dreadful. Main problem for me though, was that I enjoy reading about battles from the blood 'n guts, "grunt," or platoon, point of veiw. In this book, although some pen pictures of the principle participants & some rousing accounts of personal bravery were related, these were very much a side issue. If you are a serious student in this genre, this is probably for you. If, like me, you just like a rousing battleground story, this isn't!
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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars THE book to read about Tarawa.
Utilizing his prodigious research skills, Retired Colonel Joseph Alexander has written what has to be the best all around account of Tarawa. Read more
Published on May 8 2001 by George G. Kiefer
5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful Account of an Epic Battle
Col. Alexander has produced a comprehensive and thorough account, and a brilliant analysis, of one of the toughest battles of the Pacific War. Read more
Published on Dec 7 2000 by George W. Allen
5.0 out of 5 stars rayjoy@ipa.net
I made a mistake when I ordered this book, but it was the best mistake that I ever made. The author did a superior job in researching the material for this book. Read more
Published on July 24 2000 by "roadrunner6"
5.0 out of 5 stars Issue in Doubt
Just before the fall of Wake, the Marines defending that island radioed the message, "Issue in doubt. Read more
Published on July 11 2000 by George R Dekle
4.0 out of 5 stars Tells a great story.
I really liked this book. It was my exercise bike book for a month, so you can put it down and pick it up after a day or two. Read more
Published on Jun 13 2000 by Mitch Reed
5.0 out of 5 stars Transports you to the slaughter
Col. Alexander has produced an excellent blow by blow description of the taking of the Bieto Atoll. The horror of discovering that the landing craft were not able to negotiate the... Read more
Published on Mar 31 2000 by Richard P. Mayhew
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good account of a savage battle
A very good and dedicated account of one of the most savage and bloody - but also one of the most determined battle in the history of our armed forces. Read more
Published on Oct 11 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING BOOK !!!!!
Easy to read, the book was very exciting. It walked me through the campain as if I were there.
Published on Sep 7 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for WWII history nuts
Gripping, informative, well-written. One of the first books I've read on pacific battles. I only hope the rest I read are this good.
Published on Sep 7 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars gripping,terrifying,the horror of war at it's worst!!
AS A FORMER U.S. MARINE I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INSPIRED BY THE BLOODY LEGENDS AND BATTLES OF THE MARINES.THIS IS A MUST READ!! Read more
Published on Aug 21 1999
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