One Square Mile of Hell: The Battle for Tarawa

by John Wukovits

Overview

The riveting true account of the Battle of Tarawa, an epic World War II clash in which the U.S. Marines fought the Japanese nearly to the last man.

In November 1943, the men of the 2d Marine Division were instructed to clear out Japanese resistance on the Pacific island of Betio, a speck at the end of the Tarawa Atoll. When the Marines landed, the Japanese poured out of their underground bunkers—and launched one of the most brutal and bloody battles of World War II. 

For three straight days, attackers and defenders fought over every square inch of sand in a battle with no defined frontlines, and where there was no possibility of retreat—because there was nowhere to retreat to. It was a struggle that would leave both sides stunned and exhausted, and prove both the fighting mettle of the Americans and the fanatical devotion of the Japanese.

Drawn from new sources, including participants’ letters and diaries and exclusive firsthand interviews with survivors, One Square Mile of Hell is the true story of a battle between two determined foes, neither of whom would ever look at the other in the same way again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593187470
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Series:	American War Heroes
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	485,493
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

John Wukovits is a military expert and an authority on U.S. history in the Pacific Theater of World War II. He is the author of Pacific Alamo: The Battle for Wake Island, as well as several military biographies and many articles for such publications as WWII History, Naval History, World War II, The Journal of Military History, The Naval War College Review, and Air Power History.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

1 "Where's Pearl Harbor?" 1

2 "Tokyo, We Are Coming" 21

3 "Have You Made Out Your Will?" 43

4 "A Million Men Cannot Take Tarawa" 63

5 "Commence Firing-the War Is On" 95

6 "We Have Nothing Left to Land" 111

7 "I Was Unprepared for This" 141

8 "A Fight in a Ring Between Two Boxers" 175

9 "Nothing Was Left-No Trees, No Buildings" 199

10 "A Requiem Fitting for Heroes So Proud" 223

11 "You Say It's Not on the Map, My Son?" 251

Notes 271

Bibliography 295

Index 313

What People are Saying About This

Herman Wouk

Wukovits writes as though he had gone ashore with the Marines...a worthy memorial to the Marines who fought there.

Jack Coughlin

best book I have ever read about the battle for Tarawa.(Gunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin, U SMC (Ret.), author of Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper)

Oliver L. North

This fast-paced chronicle of courage is a must read. (Lt. Col. Oliver L. North)

From the Publisher

Wukovits writes as though he had gone ashore with the Marines...a worthy memorial to the Marines who fought there. (Herman Wouk)

This fast-paced chronicle of courage is a must read. (Lt. Col. Oliver L. North)

The best book I have ever read about the battle for Tarawa.(Gunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin, U SMC (Ret.), author of Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper)

Editorial Reviews

Naval historian John Wukovits writes about the bloody Tarawa fight as though he had gone ashore with the Marines...a worthy memorial to the Marines who fought there.”—Herman Wouk

“This fast-paced chronicle of courage is a must read.”—Lt. Col. Oliver L. North

“The best book I have ever read about the battle for Tarawa….His vivid account of this horrific amphibious campaign is must reading for all Marines and World War II history buffs.”—Gunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin, USMC (Ret.), author of Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper

“In this remarkable book, we smell the sulfurous stink of artillery, hear the impact of bullets into flesh, and taste the bitterness of blood....We owe a debt to Wukovits for reminding us of the American hero's who gave every ounce of their strength and courage to kick open the gate to Tokyo.”—Homer Hickam, author of Rocket Boys

From the Publisher