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WW2 Pacific Military History #3
Operation Backhander: 1944 Battle for Cape Gloucester
A gripping insight into the war for New Guinea and the operation for Cape Gloucester.
Determined to capture a pivotal island in their war against the Japanese, the US 1st Marine Division were faced with a challenging task – to land on the fortified peninsula of Cape Gloucester and capture its two vital airfields.
Taking the peninsula and the island of New Britain would give them a vital stepping stone in their campaign to push the Japanese out of New Guinea and the Bismarck Sea. Struggling through difficult terrain and enemy ambushes, the Marines fought their way to the heart of the peninsula and captured the airfields. Offering a fascinating insight into the often-gruesome battles which marked the Pacific Theater, Operation Backhander presents a captivating account of the Allies’ struggle against the Japanese army.
A must-read for fans of WW2 pacific naval history books, this riveting book sheds light on the campaign to capture Cape Gloucester, giving a day-by-day look into the beach landings, the skirmishes, and the months-long operation to force the Japanese into retreat and take this pivotal stepping stone for themselves.
Determined to capture a pivotal island in their war against the Japanese, the US 1st Marine Division were faced with a challenging task – to land on the fortified peninsula of Cape Gloucester and capture its two vital airfields.
Taking the peninsula and the island of New Britain would give them a vital stepping stone in their campaign to push the Japanese out of New Guinea and the Bismarck Sea. Struggling through difficult terrain and enemy ambushes, the Marines fought their way to the heart of the peninsula and captured the airfields. Offering a fascinating insight into the often-gruesome battles which marked the Pacific Theater, Operation Backhander presents a captivating account of the Allies’ struggle against the Japanese army.
A must-read for fans of WW2 pacific naval history books, this riveting book sheds light on the campaign to capture Cape Gloucester, giving a day-by-day look into the beach landings, the skirmishes, and the months-long operation to force the Japanese into retreat and take this pivotal stepping stone for themselves.
91 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2020
227 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Wrinn
88 books12 followersI write books and narrate audiobooks about WWII Pacific Theater history.
My focus covers three areas: the island-hopping campaigns that defeated Japan, the cultural forces that made Japanese soldiers fight to the death, and the extraordinary stories of Pacific War survivors who defied the odds.
What matters are the real experiences—the Marines on the beaches, the sailors under kamikaze attack, the soldiers who refused to surrender, and the commanders making impossible decisions.
US Navy veteran. Military history author.
My focus covers three areas: the island-hopping campaigns that defeated Japan, the cultural forces that made Japanese soldiers fight to the death, and the extraordinary stories of Pacific War survivors who defied the odds.
What matters are the real experiences—the Marines on the beaches, the sailors under kamikaze attack, the soldiers who refused to surrender, and the commanders making impossible decisions.
US Navy veteran. Military history author.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 8 reviews
April 4, 2021
A well researched but short read on a lesser known pacific battle. It does provide a lot of information for its size and you get a good sense of how brutal this pure jungle fight was on the marines.
Just note it is a dry read. I’d suggest this book as a good overview introduction step 1 for reading about the Battle for Cape Gloucester.
Just note it is a dry read. I’d suggest this book as a good overview introduction step 1 for reading about the Battle for Cape Gloucester.
August 30, 2021
One of the interesting things that runs through this series of books on the Pacific Theater in WWII is how many battles were based on the American need for runways for their planes. Once the Americans had control of the skies then Japan was basically doomed. When you throw in the American submarines that cut off shipping to Japan then that left Japan with plenty of soldiers but not enough fuel for their army or air force.
This was an attack on the island of New Britain and goes into how the Japanese there had made a mistake in assuming the Americans would land at a certain beach when they actually landed at a different one. The Japanese also had shortages of medicine and other supplies, making the situation even worse for them.
The book goes into a discussion of the trenches and bunkers the Japanese had prepared and the use of banzai attacks which was, in effect, throwing soldiers away rather then having them fight to the last man.
Another good book in this series on the Pacific Theater.
This was an attack on the island of New Britain and goes into how the Japanese there had made a mistake in assuming the Americans would land at a certain beach when they actually landed at a different one. The Japanese also had shortages of medicine and other supplies, making the situation even worse for them.
The book goes into a discussion of the trenches and bunkers the Japanese had prepared and the use of banzai attacks which was, in effect, throwing soldiers away rather then having them fight to the last man.
Another good book in this series on the Pacific Theater.
July 2, 2021
Detailed accounting of this particular campaign in the South Pacific. I think that it's good for me that this is one of several short segments of a whole as I would get lost in all the divisions and battalions of US Marines as it all came together. Well done! I listened to it with my USMC grandson.
The narrator is no-nonsense James McSorley who infuses it with controlled interest while making it clear that this is a nonfiction account.
I won this audio in a giveaway!
The narrator is no-nonsense James McSorley who infuses it with controlled interest while making it clear that this is a nonfiction account.
I won this audio in a giveaway!
October 14, 2021
Disappointed presentation
To me the book read like a transcription of regimental diaries. It was a comprehensive report but left me feeling remote from mission. The maps were useful.
To me the book read like a transcription of regimental diaries. It was a comprehensive report but left me feeling remote from mission. The maps were useful.
February 21, 2022
Another in Mr. Wrinn's series about the Marines in the Pacific. This one felt a little jumpier than the previous books. It felt a little more confusing. This was also a battle I was less familiar with, which could have contributed.
April 7, 2021
Detailed and well readable, but without much info on the context.
March 13, 2024
Concise, informative
The author tells the saga of this invasion in a concise, fast paced, and informative manner. Details are covered without bogging down the reader.
The author tells the saga of this invasion in a concise, fast paced, and informative manner. Details are covered without bogging down the reader.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 8 reviews