Okinawa: A Decorated Marine's Account of the Last Battle of World War II

Robert Leckie

Book cover for Okinawa: A Decorated Marine's Account of the Last Battle of World War II
Image for variant 9780140173895
Book cover for Okinawa: A Decorated Marine's Account of the Last Battle of World War II
Image for variant 9780140173895

Okinawa: A Decorated Marine's Account of the Last Battle of World War II

Okinawa: A Decorated Marine's Account of the Last Battle of World War II

Robert Leckie

Member Benefits

  • 30% Off All Books - Savings that support storytellers, not stock prices.
  • Fight Book Bans - Every membership sends a book to LGBTQ+ youth in affected states.
Member Book Price
$25.60 $17.92
Non-Member Book Price $25.60

An annual membership will be billed at $48/year.

Discount applies to first-time members only. Already a member? Log in here.

View full details

Description

On Easter Sunday, 1945, the U.S. Marines and Army launched an invasion of Japan, attacking Okinawa with 540,000 men and 1,600 seagoing ships. The closing battle of World War II, it lasted eighty-three days and eclipsed D-Day in both troops and tonnage. In "Okinawa," Marine and Pacific War veteran Robert Leckie retells the epic tale of this great battle from both sides, including the stories of the Japanese generals, who in the battle's last moments committed "hara-kiri." He especially focuses on the American soldiers themselves and their commanding officers, drawing brilliantly illuminated portraits of individuals who fought a merciless enemy in the tradition of American military history at its most splendid and terrifying.

About the Author

Robert Leckie (1920-2001) was the author of more than 30 works of military history as well as Marines!, a collection of short stories, and Lord, What a Family!, a memoir. Raised in Rutherford, New Jersey, he started writing professionally at age 16, covering sports for the Bergen Evening Record of Hackensack, New Jersey. Leckie enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor, going on to serve as a machine gunner and as an intelligence scout and participating in all 1st Marine Division campaigns except Okinawa. He was awarded five battle stars, the Naval Commendation Medal with Combat V, and the Purple Heart. Helmet for My Pillow was his first book; it received the USMC Combat Correspondents Association Award upon publication.

Critical Reviews

"Leckie's smooth narrative deals with all aspects of the Okinawa battle...and his style adds some nice touches, including autobiographical flashes that go back as far as Guadalcanal."--Washington Post Book World

Publishing Information

Publisher: Penguin Books
Pub date: 2010-02-01
Length: 224 pages

The Allstora Membership

Membership Perks:

  • Save 30% on all online store purchases
  • Exclusive access to author's content
  • You pay less, but authors still earn double

Membership Terms:

First Month: $0.00
Monthly price: $5.00
  • To access membership discount simply log in and add to cart, discount applied automatically.
  • One month free trial, cancel anytime. Membership renews on the 15th of each month.