Victory in the Pacific Theater (Part 1, 2, 3)

Author: Editor of Time-Life Magazine, USA
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: MacArthur planned to use a reserve army led by professional officers and composed of trained civilians to defend the Philippines. For the U.S. Navy, this was a huge victory. In total, during the four engagements of this battle, the U.S. military only lost one aircraft carrier, two escort carriers, two destroyers, one destroyer leader, and fewer than 3,000 soldiers. Meanwhile, the Japanese military lost four of their remaining aircraft carriers, three battleships, nine destroyers, and approximately 10,000 soldiers' lives. Their navy was also crushed—their war effort would vanish from the war forever. In other parts of the Philippines, thousands of isolated Japanese soldiers, like Yamashita and his Japanese troops in Luzon, faced the same dire conditions—hunger, encirclement, and bleak survival hopes. In MacArthur's words, these Japanese soldiers had suffered "a series of complete, decisive failures."
This series consists of three volumes: MacArthur's Return, Bomber Attack on Japan, and Marching toward Tokyo. The first volume primarily uses numerous images and concise text to meticulously describe the various stages of the battle, vividly reflecting the bond between Americans and Filipinos, MacArthur's "Philippine complex," and his strategy. The second volume mainly introduces the long-range heavy bombers used in the air raids on Japan. For military researchers and aircraft enthusiasts, it holds significant historical value. The third volume focuses on the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, the two toughest battles the U.S. military faced on their path to Tokyo.
By the second half of 1944, General MacArthur finally had the opportunity to fulfill his promise, "I shall return," taking full command of the military operations to capture the Philippines. The people of the archipelago remained loyal to the U.S. and trusted General MacArthur, providing a strong popular foundation for the American offensive. The Battle of the Philippine Islands was a representative campaign in the Pacific island landings. This book uses numerous images and concise text to meticulously describe the various stages of the battle, vividly portraying the bond between Americans and Filipinos, MacArthur's "Philippine complex," and his strategy.