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Fighting for MacArthur: The Navy and Marine Corps' Desperate Defense of the Philippines
"Fighting for MacArthur is a welcome addition to the scholarship on the Pacific War. Gordon makes extensive use of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps archives and interviews with veterans of the Philippine campaign. This is a well-written, engaging treatment of the steadily deteriorating position of the defenders in the Philippines."--Michigan War Studies Review.
For the first time the story of the Navy and Marine Corps in the 1941--42 Philippine campaign is told in a single volume. Drawing on a rich collection of both U.S. and recently discovered Japanese sources as well as official records and wartime diaries, Gordon chronicles the Americans' desperate defense of the besieged islands. Gordon offers updated information about the campaign during which the Navy and Marines, fighting in what was largely an Army operation, performed some of their most unusual missions of the entire Pacific War. He also explains why the Navy's relationship with Gen. Douglas MacArthur became strained during this campaign, and remained so for the rest of the war.
As a result of Gordon's extensive primary source research, Fighting for MacArthur presents the most complete account of the dramatic efforts by elements of the Navy and Marine Corps to support the U.S. Army's ill-fated defense of the Philippines.
For the first time the story of the Navy and Marine Corps in the 1941--42 Philippine campaign is told in a single volume. Drawing on a rich collection of both U.S. and recently discovered Japanese sources as well as official records and wartime diaries, Gordon chronicles the Americans' desperate defense of the besieged islands. Gordon offers updated information about the campaign during which the Navy and Marines, fighting in what was largely an Army operation, performed some of their most unusual missions of the entire Pacific War. He also explains why the Navy's relationship with Gen. Douglas MacArthur became strained during this campaign, and remained so for the rest of the war.
As a result of Gordon's extensive primary source research, Fighting for MacArthur presents the most complete account of the dramatic efforts by elements of the Navy and Marine Corps to support the U.S. Army's ill-fated defense of the Philippines.
- GenresWorld War II
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
About the author
John Gordon
298 books4 followersLibrarian note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
Please also refer to:
John Gordon: Supernatural Fiction
John Gordon: Golf
John Gordon: Author of "Miss Fit" and more
John Gordon: Children's books illustrator
John Gordon: Psychoanalysis, Interpersonal Dynamics
John Gordon: English professor
John Gordon: Computer programs
Please also refer to:
John Gordon: Supernatural Fiction
John Gordon: Golf
John Gordon: Author of "Miss Fit" and more
John Gordon: Children's books illustrator
John Gordon: Psychoanalysis, Interpersonal Dynamics
John Gordon: English professor
John Gordon: Computer programs
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 24, 2024
Relatively unknown story of the Navy and Marine Corps participation in the 1941 - 1942 campaign in the Philippines.
June 7, 2024
This is a detailed account of the Navy and Marine Corps’ role during the Philippines Campaign of 1941-1942. The author adds a wider context to help the reader follow the course of the campaign, but the focus is most certainly on the smaller Navy and Marine forces. It’s very thorough, and easy to read. Given that more attention has always been provided to the Army during this campaign, this book helps fill in the blanks.
September 13, 2024
Author did a great job detailing the relatively small but impactful role of the Navy and Marine Corps in the defense of the Philippines. Well researched and easy to read.
February 3, 2017
An interesting addition to the history of the Philippine Island Campaign
This is a great book about an force that isn't talked about much in the Philippines. That is the Navy and Marines who bore most of the fighting to try and keep the sea lanes open, be that speed bump and hold the Japanese off until late into 1942. There is talk of how the gunboats fought with the inshore patrol to keep the harbor open so that submarines could bring supplies into Bataan. How as ships were sunk, bases destroyed and the patrol wings lost planes; it was the Sailors and Marines that held important lines during the land battles for Bataan. Later these folks would man guns on Corregidor and get into artillery duels with the Japanese. Finally, the author talks about how more could have bee done, but the MacArthur and his staff stymied plans, gave false information to DC and did blame shifting all around. This is worthwhile book to read since it helps to make you think of the calendar of the war in different light. Consider that it was Navy and Marine troops on Corregidor along with coastal defense forces that held out until May of1942 during what would be the middle of the Battle of Coral Sea. Then its only two more months until the battle for Guadalcanal would start in August of 1942. By which the war would start to turn for the Americans.
This is a great book about an force that isn't talked about much in the Philippines. That is the Navy and Marines who bore most of the fighting to try and keep the sea lanes open, be that speed bump and hold the Japanese off until late into 1942. There is talk of how the gunboats fought with the inshore patrol to keep the harbor open so that submarines could bring supplies into Bataan. How as ships were sunk, bases destroyed and the patrol wings lost planes; it was the Sailors and Marines that held important lines during the land battles for Bataan. Later these folks would man guns on Corregidor and get into artillery duels with the Japanese. Finally, the author talks about how more could have bee done, but the MacArthur and his staff stymied plans, gave false information to DC and did blame shifting all around. This is worthwhile book to read since it helps to make you think of the calendar of the war in different light. Consider that it was Navy and Marine troops on Corregidor along with coastal defense forces that held out until May of1942 during what would be the middle of the Battle of Coral Sea. Then its only two more months until the battle for Guadalcanal would start in August of 1942. By which the war would start to turn for the Americans.
August 8, 2013
You always hear the battles of Bataan and Corregidor from the Army viewpoint but this book is written from the Navy side. It`s an extremely good book explaining how frustrating it was to work with MacArthur to coordinate supplies and men to stop the Japanese invasion. The battle lasted as long as it did because the Navy had planned ahead in moving critical supplies onto Corregidor ahead of time before Bataan collapsed. It also tells the little known stories of the U.S. Navy gunboats that fought to the last ship. Corregidor finally surrendered because the Japanese were able to move long range guns around Corregidor and just pound her into submission. A fine tribute to the brave men and women who fought to the last bullet there.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews