Tarawa Atoll one of the Gilbert Islands in the Central Pacific was the testing ground for a new and challenging type of warfare. Before the US 2nd Marine Division's assault landings in November 1943, America's ability to take heavily defended Japanese-held islands was untested. How well these planned operations would work and at what cost, could only be discovered by trial and error. This account of one of the most savage battles of World War II draws upon the memories of Marine vetrans of those 76 terrible hours of close-quarter fighting. It is supported by photographs and the poignant drawings of a war artist who landed with the Marines, and by detailed maps and appendices.
- ISBN10 1861264763
- ISBN13 9781861264763
- Publish Date 25 February 2002 (first published 8 May 1998)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 28 September 2005
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint The Crowood Press Ltd
- Edition New edition
- Format Paperback
- Pages 160
- Language English