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Two GIs In Tokyo: December 1945 - A Memoir
December 1945. The bombs have stopped, but Tokyo is still smoldering.
Two twenty-something GIs from Guam—armed with a seven-day pass and two hundred cartons of black-market cigarettes—land in the enemy capital they helped burn. No officers, no rules—just a ruined, wide-open city.
What follows is the most extraordinary week of the Pacific War: treasure hunts on the ashes of the Ginza, back-alley deals, dinner with the enemy, and friendships no one back home would ever believe.
Written in raw 1945 enlisted-man slang and forgotten for nearly eight decades, Two GIs in Tokyo isn’t just a war memoir. It’s a firsthand account of two American soldiers exploring and mingling freely in post-surrender Tokyo, revealing how the lines between conquerors and conquered blurred in a city still reeling—and showing a side of victory, humanity, and connection history rarely captures.
Early Reader
“Engaging and addictive—I couldn’t wait to see what the next day would bring.” - Robyn R.
“A raw, captivating memoir that turns the city we firebombed into the most unforgettable visit two GIs ever had—and proves it’s politics, not people, that make enemies.” - Don R.
Perfect for fans of With the Old Breed and Helmet for My Pillow who want to know what happened after the shooting stopped.
Two twenty-something GIs from Guam—armed with a seven-day pass and two hundred cartons of black-market cigarettes—land in the enemy capital they helped burn. No officers, no rules—just a ruined, wide-open city.
What follows is the most extraordinary week of the Pacific War: treasure hunts on the ashes of the Ginza, back-alley deals, dinner with the enemy, and friendships no one back home would ever believe.
Written in raw 1945 enlisted-man slang and forgotten for nearly eight decades, Two GIs in Tokyo isn’t just a war memoir. It’s a firsthand account of two American soldiers exploring and mingling freely in post-surrender Tokyo, revealing how the lines between conquerors and conquered blurred in a city still reeling—and showing a side of victory, humanity, and connection history rarely captures.
Early Reader
“Engaging and addictive—I couldn’t wait to see what the next day would bring.” - Robyn R.
“A raw, captivating memoir that turns the city we firebombed into the most unforgettable visit two GIs ever had—and proves it’s politics, not people, that make enemies.” - Don R.
Perfect for fans of With the Old Breed and Helmet for My Pillow who want to know what happened after the shooting stopped.
97 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 8, 2025
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5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 24, 2025
Personalized history
Reading this memoir was like sitting in a diner hearing Mel share his story first hand, truly captures the conflicting emotions of the time.
Reading this memoir was like sitting in a diner hearing Mel share his story first hand, truly captures the conflicting emotions of the time.
December 29, 2025
You should read this book for the wonderful similes alone! It is a description of a jaunt two soldiers took through Tokyo four years after Pearl Harbor was bombed.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews