Action in the East

by O.D. Gallagher

A reporter's eyewitness account of the fighting in the far east during the World War II.

324 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1942

Reviews

[David Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gallagher was one of two journalists aboard the Repulse when she was sunk (the other was Cecil Brown. See "Suez to Singapore"). After the fall of Singapore, he went to Rangoon and Mandalay. This is his story. I like the books by journalists that are published during the war. They give a sense of immediacy and any analysis of greater events is not aided by the lens of history. These reports also sometimes tend to jingoism. Gallagher typically refers to the Japanese as "Japs" and several times as "apes".

Not the best of the journalist reports I've read (I thought Brown's book was better), but a quick read and entertaining.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another library book sale find. Very easy reading as to style but content is hard to read emotionally. Mr. Gallagher brings the early days of the Pacific war to life in all their terror and frustration. Each chapter of this book could be expanded into a book of its own-so many stories just casually mentioned.

[Jimmy Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book about a Second World War adventure of an American news correspondent