Line of Departure: Tarawa

by Martin Russ

Tarawa Atoll is a tiny dot in the Gilbert Islands of the South Pacific. In November 1943 over 6,000 men died on its 291-acre plain of confined, exposed, featureless coral sand and airstrip concrete in the most memorable battle in Marine Corps history.

After the American invasion of the Solomons, Japan woke up to the vulnerability of the Gilberts. It decided to make a stand on Betio Island in the Tarawa Atoll and heavily fortified it, garrisoning nearly 5,000 men there. The Japanese commandant boasted, “A million men cannot take Tarawa in a hundred years.” But 5,600 Marines took it in three days, and only 17 Japanese survived.

The invasion of Tarawa was the first major American thrust into the heart of the Japanese Empire. The appalling savagery of the battle shocked and angered many Americans, some of whom called for a congressional investigation. But, as the awful totals of the dead and wounded grew from battle to battle, Tarawa was nearly forgotten.

Now, in this lucid well-written book, the ordeal that was Tarawa is remembered by those who had to endure it, Japanese and American.

Genres: History, World War II, Military History, Nonfiction, Historical, War

206 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Martin Faxon Russ was an American military author, Marine, and associate professor at Carnegie-Mellon University.

Russ was born in Newark on Feb. 14, 1931, to Carroll and Lavinia Faxon Dunn. His parents were professional writers.

After graduating from a private school in Connecticut, Russ attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., but dropped out in his junior year to join the Marines. Assigned to an ordnance battalion, Private Russ made a nuisance of himself until his request for combat duty was granted.

Despite the fear and devastation he had faced in Korea and later wrote about, Mr. Russ remained “a gung-ho Marine’’ throughout his life, his sister said. Of his time on the front line, he wrote in his first book: “I’d rather be here than anywhere else in the world. Whether I’m ready for the loony bin or not is beside the point.’’

In later years, although he had no college degree, he taught writing at what is now Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Reviews

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What the Marines had won, in a day of dreadful canage, was less than one tenth of a square mile of coral, much of it blown to powder, much of it stained with blood. The rest of the tiny island was held by despeerate men who were not only willing but positively eager to die for the Emperor--to dwell eternally at the warriors' shrine at Yasakuni." (page 119)

"All afternoon the Marines had been busy smashing enemy strongpoints one by one. In a routine someone called the blowtorch and corkscrew method, engineer teams with flame throwers, satchel charges and bangalore torpedoes joined riflemen in pushing the lines ahead a few yards at a time." (page 113)

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a history of the Battle for Tarawa. The book is short (as was the battle) and to the point but doesn't go too in depth into the background of the combatants or units involved. It's a great read for someone that doesn't know a lot about the war in the Pacific or or the island hopping campaign. Hardcore military readers might find the book lacking in depth and scope but it is still an entertaining read.

[Karl Dwyer]

Well written with alot of second hand accounts in it. Maps are a nice plus

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good way to get familiar with a battle often mentioned but seldom portrayed.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the early battles of World War II in the Pacific was Tarawa. Here US Marines came face to face with the Japanese. One of the bloodiest of many bloody battles.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about a major battle in WW2