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Richard Carl Bright tells the true stories of young men, now aging veterans, who endured pain for the purpose of capturing Japanese-held islands during WWII. The book island hops from one romantic pacific destination to the next: Hawaii, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Philippines, Iwo Jima. But there was no romance to be found on sandy beaches where American Marines and Army soldiers, delivered ashore by amphibious DUKWs, often died instantly, where snipers and artillery competed to destroy lives on both sides of the battle, where coral caves hid shooters, or where banzai attacks piled up bodies.
The saddest events occurred atop cliffs with spectacular ocean views. Translators using megaphones tried to persuade Japanese troops and civilians not to jump; then watched helplessly as they chose death. Why civilians? Propaganda had convinced them that American soldiers ate babies. Eventually welcome breaks in the narrative tell about the success of Navajo code talkers and of friendships shown between former enemies meeting at memorial events on the islands.
Was there justification for using atomic weapons to end World War II in the Pacific? The author personally met veterans whose stories reveal a Japanese military mindset (Bushido code service to the Emperor) that did not permit voluntary surrender. Battle on Japan’s homeland could have resulted in millions of deaths on both sides.
Pain & Purpose in the Pacific is a 557-page book performs the important task of documenting first-hand accounts, many of which have never been told. Some veterans were unwilling or unable to speak of the things they saw in the Pacific. Anyone with such a relative, will find the book extremely helpful. Detailed battle descriptions, maps, photos, and first-hand testimonies can reveal what a reticent father or uncle may have witnessed.