While the Pacific War has been widely studied by military historians and venerated in popular culture through movies and other media; the fighting in the South Pacific theater has; with few exceptions; been remarkably neglected. Worthy of remembrance no less than Wake Island; Leyte Gulf; and Tarawa are the great unsung battlefields of Buna; Shaggy Ridge; and the Driniumor River on New Guinea; as well as the torpedo-infested waters off New Georgia; and the deadly skies over Rabaul and Wewak. Authoritative; yet written in a highly readable narrative style; South Pacific Cauldron is the first complete history embracing all land; sea and air operations in this critically important sector of that oceanic war. Unlike most other World War II accounts; this work covers the South Pacific operations in detail; including the little-known final Australian campaigns that continued until the Japanese surrender.Author Alan Rems breathes life into the major figures of the South Pacific campaigns; including brilliant and imperious General Douglas MacArthur; audacious and profane Admiral William “Bull†Halsey; and bibulous and indelicate Australian General Thomas Blamey. No less interesting are others that will be mostly new to readers; including many from the Japanese side; like the indomitable generals Noboru Sasaki and Hatazo Adachi. As for the fighting men; many of their stories are captured in accounts of the actions for which some were awarded the Medal of Honor; Victoria Cross; and other decorations for valor.South Pacific Cauldron’s story is enhanced with 16 maps and 40 photographs; many rarely seen; that were carefully chosen from official American and Australian sources. The book includes a detailed chronology to put the widely separated operations in context and a detailed bibliography for additional reading on the subject.
#1297926 in Books 2007-09-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.59 x .78 x 6.58l; 1.25 #File Name: 1611473683262 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Biography of David Demarest (1620-1695)By William LaBachThis book is an excellent scholarly study of the life and legacy of David Demarest (1620-1695) and his wife; Marie Sohier; who emigrated from Mannheim; Germany to New Amsterdam (now New York City) in 1663. He was a native of the Picardy region of France and a Huguenot (French Protestant). He first moved to Middleburg in the Netherlands by 1643 where he married and then to Mannheim. Upon arriving in the New World he settled first on Staten Island and then moved to New Harlem. His final move was to Bergen County; New Jersey where he bought land from the Indians and accumulated about 5;000 acres. The authors explain the Dutch culture in New York and New Jersey and how the Demarest family became a part of it although French. This book should be of great interest to the many thousands of Demarest descendants across the United States and to those interested in the history of New Harlem and northern New Jersey.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Useful for U.S. Colonial history and Demarest family researchers.By Judy Ann TurnerWell-researched; well-written; this book did not disappoint in its' investigation of David Des Maretz; the Huguenot founder of the Demarest family in America.. Illustrations were very useful. My only criticisms concern the sections on David Des Maretz' extraordinary qualities and the sections on Demarest descendants. The authors appear too eager in downplaying Des Maretz' exceptional; bold; visionary character and actions as a pioneer and religious emigrant. More explanation of the historical context of Des Maretz' era would clarify issues such as his decision to emigrate to New Amsterdam; and perhaps illuminate other issues as well; such as his being a possible slave-holder. The sections on Des Maretz' descendants seems abbreviated in explanations about their leaving the Hackensack and difficulties they encountered and largely overcameU. Overall; however; this is a successful; useful; highly readable book which I encourage all of Des Maretz' descendants (I am one) to purchase and read.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Good history and good genealogyBy Larry SeitsIf you are a descendant of David Demarest (1620-1693) in its variant spellings (Demaree; De Marets; etc.); and you are legion; I highly recommend this well-written book. If you descend from early Huguenots in New Netherland or New Jersey; I recommend this book as an excellent source of background knowledge of that time and place. Among the book's more useful features are its numerous maps and illustrations. In its glossary; I learned that the Dutch records' "schout" meant sheriff or public prosecutor. The Dutch records' "Schepen" meant a magistrate. And that a "voorleser" was Dutch for a literate man who could read the lessons in church services. I suspect this man read only the Old Testament texts at the sanctuary's lectern. Major and Major have given us good history and good genealogy. Also I have found these three sources useful in genealogy research of Huguenots in this time and place:1) "The Register of New Netherland 1626-1674" by E. B. O'Callaghan [Baltimore; MD: Clearfield; 2002]; reprint of 1865 original.2) Family Tree Maker's CD #11 "New Netherland Vital Records; 1600s" [Requires a computer and the Family Archive Viewer; a free internet download].3) Family Tree Maker's CD 182 "Family History: New Jersey Genealogies #1; 1600s-1800s" [Requires a computer and the Family Archive Viewer].
