RAMPARTS OF THE PACIFIC

by Hallett Abend ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 17, 1942

This isn't as dramatic reading as Japan Unmasked but it is a vital survey of the field of Pacific warfare, within two months of Pearl Harbor, and as such (in the hands of the Times( most perceptive Far Eastern correspondent) it ranks top rating. Extraordinarily revealing, this might be defined as a ""Roberts Report"" in the field of journalism, for -- by the facts he presents as existing in October, 1941, the High Command stands before the bar, convicted of blindness, gross stupidity and almost more unforgivable complacency. Abend, convinced that war would come before Christmas, makes a last moment round trip including Hawaii, the Philippines (even MacArthur does not come off too lightly), the Dutch East Indies (some of this reads too optimistically today), Malaya, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, China. He does for the various sections what Gunther does for the South American countries, -- gives one a sense of the terrain, of the cities, of the tempo of the people, of the leaders, of the political complexion and of the inadequacy of the preparation for the enemy. Some of the chapters inevitably date, -- Manilla in October appeared in the very week of Pearl Harbor in magazine form; Ordeal for Shanghai and The Inevitable Clash have a slightly ""out of the barrel"" feel. But the rest seems hot off the griddle, and as timely as anything between book covers could be.

Pub Date: April 17, 1942

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday, Doran

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1942

Categories: NONFICTION