Underdogs: The Making of the Modern Marine Corps

by Aaron B. O'Connell

The Marine Corps has always considered itself a breed apart. Since 1775, America’s smallest armed service has been suspicious of outsiders and deeply loyal to its traditions. Marines believe in nothing more strongly than the Corps’ uniqueness and superiority, and this undying faith in its own exceptionalism is what has made the Marines one of the sharpest, swiftest tools of American military power. Along with unapologetic self-promotion, a strong sense of identity has enabled the Corps to exert a powerful influence on American politics and culture.

Aaron O’Connell focuses on the period from World War II to Vietnam, when the Marine Corps transformed itself from America’s least respected to its most elite armed force. He describes how the distinctive Marine culture played a role in this ascendancy. Venerating sacrifice and suffering, privileging the collective over the individual, Corps culture was saturated with romantic and religious overtones that had enormous marketing potential in a postwar America energized by new global responsibilities. Capitalizing on this, the Marines curried the favor of the nation’s best reporters, befriended publishers, courted Hollywood and Congress, and built a public relations infrastructure that would eventually brand it as the most prestigious military service in America.

But the Corps’ triumphs did not come without costs, and O’Connell writes of those, too, including a culture of violence that sometimes spread beyond the battlefield. And as he considers how the Corps’ interventions in American politics have ushered in a more militarized approach to national security, O’Connell questions its sustainability.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, American History, Nonfiction

381 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 2012

Reviews

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The result was constant, compulsive remembering, a reliving of events they needed to leave behind."

My 'Grandpa Ralph' gave me this book over a decade ago before he died. He was a Marine, and I knew guys in college who joined the Marines, too, so reading this gave me a greater understanding of their mannerisms and personalities. I learned quite a bit from this book, but I will say it read more like a thesis paper at times with the constant restating of the main themes.

[Rob Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book enjoyable and informative. I would recommend it to anyone trying to keep their eye on what navigates the Marine Corps through the ever-changing political and cultural landscape in America.
As a military policy analyst, I appreciate the challenge that the Corps faces: how to stay focused, intense, and effective under the most horrific circumstances while being forced to accommodate political and social agendas that subtlety undermine its combat readiness.
At the same time, Mr. O'Connell argues quite persuasively that the habits of mind that have helped the Corps survive (and thrive) may continue to serve the Corps well.
I hope to read more from Mr. O'Connell regarding the relationship between the cultural attributes of the Corps, and how it helped militarize American foreign policy. Furthermore, I appreciate his challenge to military historians to take their investigations of military culture into noncombat realms next.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

O'Connell does a great job of laying out how "The Marines’ intense commitment to their service, their ability to build coalitions, their effective but questionable political tactics, and their growing role in national defense all came about because the Corps had a cognitive style different from that of the other services." There is a lot of USMC history that is not usually found in other military history books. There is some repetitiveness in the writing and while I applaud showing the dark side of the service, I'm not sure it was necessary to include. A good read for anyone who has or will work in joint assignments, especially the Pentagon.

[Jaclyn Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting accounting of Marine Corps History. Shows the political growth of the USMC and the behind the scenes fighting that occurred to keep the ship a float. I'd like a follow up book if there are any.

[Terezi Pyrope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaron O'Connell provides a well-educated, thorough description of the propaganda campaign that ultimately saved the U.S Marine Corps and erected their character from that of radical, unfavored brutes with their only well-known statistic being their high casualty rate to that of tradition, family, and ideological indoctirnation into an elite and unanimous community. Even with their hardships of war and friction against the other military branches, O'Connell describes the Marine's public relations campaigns involving deception and manipulation to grant the Corps with an appearance of exceptionalism and superiority, as well as their expeditions with Congress to provide themselves with increased funding amongst other governmental expenditures. Readers are also enlightened with stories of the Marine's greantess in war, accounting their attacks in the Pacific Theater as well as their earlier crusades as a small group of petty amphibious assault forces in the Navy.

If you're expecting a general history of the Marine Corps and their offensives in war, this novel probably isn't what you're looking for. O'Connell exhaustively covers every square inch of the Marine Corps' enticing traditional culture and their glorious influence on media, including their rise to militarial superiority and self-promotion, but essentially only so.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I did not exactly dislike this book and part interesting and educational, it was just mostly so dang boring. Sorry Marines I have the utmost respect for you...but blah.

I was also disappointed that I didn't learn that much about what the different branches or in this case Marines do exactly. I mean it's somewhat obvious but really all the branches kind of do some of the same things and it wasn't until a patient's dad came in to the office that I got a decent explanation.

Well...I just picked it out of a jar at the library on suggestions of what to read. I did my duty and I read the whole thing.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book version of this, and the contributed to my difficulty catching the format of this book. Each chapter is played out much like a scholarly essay, i.e. tell what you going to say, say it, then tell what you said. Because I didn't realize that I was often annoyed by what I thought were unsubstantiated claims. It turned out to just be the introduction of the chapter.

That being said, I did enjoy this book. It is more a scholarly look at how the Marines developed and reinforced their reputation/culture from WW2 through Vietnam. The author includes both pros and con's to the Corps' culture, and seemed fair overall.

[Annm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided a realy different take on how the Matine corps views itself, the rest of the military, and the world in which it operates.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid book, but not much new information for anyone who has studied the history of the United States Marine Corps in-depth.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of ridiculous how biased this movie is. He accepted a grant from the Marines to write this book.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is written in an engaging style. It offers good historical information about the Marines, and the author does not seem "prejudiced" either way.

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clearly written, well organized, and interesting cultural/military history of the Marine Corps from 1941-1965.

[Maxwell M. W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information but the text needs to be edited.