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  • Commanding the Pacific

  • Marine Corps Generals in World War II
  • By: Stephen R. Taaffe
  • Narrated by: Asa Siegel
  • Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars (2 ratings)

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Commanding the Pacific

By: Stephen R. Taaffe
Narrated by: Asa Siegel
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Publisher's Summary

The Marine Corps covered itself in glory in World War II with victories over the Japanese in hard-fought battles such as Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and Iwo Jima. While these battles are well known, those who led the Marines into them have remained obscure until now.

In Commanding the Pacific: Marine Corps Generals in World War II, Stephen R. Taaffe analyzes the 15 high-level Marine generals who led the Corps' six combat divisions and two corps in the conflict. He concludes that these leaders played an indispensable role in organizing, training, and leading their men to victory.

Taaffe insists there was nothing inevitable about the Marine Corps' success in World War II. In most of its battles on small Pacific War islands, Marine generals had neither the option nor inclination to engage in sophisticated tactics, but they instead relied on direct frontal assaults that resulted in heavy casualties. Such losses against targets of often questionable strategic value sometimes called into question the Marine Corps' doctrine, mission, and the quality of its combat generals. Despite these difficulties, Marine combat commanders repeatedly overcame challenges and fulfilled their missions. Their ability to do so does credit to the Corps and demonstrates that these generals deserve more attention from historians than they have so far received.

©2021 Stephen R. Taaffe (P)2021 Tantor

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Great summary of USMC Leadership

This volume is a companion to the writer’s excellent assessment of senior US Army leadership in World War 2. Clear and thorough, it was surprising that Chesty Puller received only a brief mention. A minor glitch was the narrator’s occasional mispronunciations. Overall well worth the listen.

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