THE DEADLIEST WEAPON

by Ben Masselink ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 15, 1965

Pershing said that, ""The deadliest weapon in the world is a United States Marine and his rifle."" Paul, the central figure in this episodic novel of the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during WWII, was a marine with a typewriter. He was a combat correspondent attached to a Headquarters and Service unit. He broods throughout the book about his non-combatant status, goes out of his way to risk his hide and apologizes for his assigned role, which he finally abandons in favor of a rifle. Mr. Masselink writes vividly of unglorified war, the numb panic of men going into battle, the failures of nerve and the near mindlessness of some heroism. In contrast to the adult and juvenile books being published during that war, which were all Gung Ho and grit, this is a cynical book. This would be refreshing if Paul's psychology were made clear. What were the roots of his embarrassed rejection of relative safety? Why did he have an overweening need to conform to the Marine Corps mystique? The realism of battle and incident does not invest the handling of the major character. Though the book raises many valid questions about the cheapness of life in war and the institutionalized injustices of the services, it does so without supplying any insight.

Pub Date: July 15, 1965

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1965

Categories: FICTION