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Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission
Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission
Author: Hampton Sides
Condition: New
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On January 28, 1945, 121 hand-selected troops from the elite U.S. Army 6th Ranger Battalion slipped behind enemy lines in the Philippines. Their mission: March thirty miles in an attempt to rescue 513 American and British POWs who had spent three years in a surreally hellish camp near the city of Cabanatuan. The prisoners included the last survivors of the Bataan Death March left in the camp, and their extraordinary will to live might soon count for nothing—elsewhere in the Philippines, the Japanese Army had already executed American prisoners as it retreated from the advancing U.S. Army. As the Rangers stealthily moved through enemy-occupied territory, they learned that Cabanatuan had become a major transshipment point for the Japanese retreat, and instead of facing the few dozen prison guards, they could possibly confront as many as 8,000 battle-hardened enemy troops.
Hampton Sides's vivid minute-by-minute narration of the raid and his chronicle of the prisoners' wrenching experiences are masterful. But Ghost Soldiers is far more than a thrilling battle saga. Hampton Sides explores the mystery of human behavior under extreme duress—the resilience of the prisoners, who defied the Japanese authorities even as they endured starvation, tropical diseases, and unspeakable tortures; the violent cultural clashes with Japanese guards and soldiers steeped in the warrior ethic of Bushido; the remarkable heroism of the Rangers and Filipino guerrillas; the complex motivations of the U.S. high command, some of whom could justly be charged with abandoning the men of Bataan in 1942; and the nearly suicidal bravado of several spies, including priests and a cabaret owner, who risked their lives to help the prisoners during their long ordeal.
At once a gripping depiction of men at war and a compelling story of redemption, Ghost Soldiers joins such landmark books as Flags of Our Fathers, The Greatest Generation, The Rape of Nanking, and D-Day in preserving the legacy of World War II for future generations.
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Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Title / Author / Publication
Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission
Author: Hampton Sides
Publisher: Doubleday
Nonfiction; military history; World War II history
Narrative history of a specific special operation / POW rescue mission
Theater(s) of War
Pacific Theater
Philippines campaign (World War II)
Luzon, Philippines
Cabanatuan prisoner-of-war camp
Pacific island warfare / Japanese-occupied Philippines
Operations and Campaigns
Raid at Cabanatuan (Cabanatuan POW camp raid)
Rescue of Bataan Death March survivors
U.S. Army Rangers’ January 1945 rescue mission
Late-war liberation operations in the Philippines
Aftermath of the Bataan campaign and Death March
Main Nations and Sides Involved
United States – U.S. Army Rangers and Allied POWs
Philippines – Filipino guerrillas / local guides and supporters
Japan – Imperial Japanese Army prison camp guards and occupying forces
Allies vs. Japan (Pacific War)
Type of Book
World War II narrative history
Campaign / operation case study
Prisoner-of-war history
Rescue mission / commando raid history
Nonfiction with biographical elements of key participants
Focus and Subject Matter
U.S. Army Rangers (special operations forces)
Philippine guerrilla fighters cooperating with U.S. forces
American POWs held by Japan in the Philippines
Bataan Death March survivors and their captivity
Planning and execution of a deep-penetration rescue raid
Conditions in Japanese POW camps
Atrocities against prisoners of war
Survival, endurance, and morale under captivity
Joint operations between U.S. Rangers and Filipino guerrillas
Intelligence, scouting, and infiltration behind Japanese lines
Units, Branches, and Forces
U.S. Army Rangers (6th Ranger Battalion)
Alamo Scouts (U.S. Sixth Army reconnaissance unit)
Philippine guerrilla forces
Imperial Japanese Army (camp guards and local garrison)
Former U.S. Army, Army Air Forces, and other service POWs
Weapons, Vehicles, and Tactics
Infantry weapons and small arms used in a Ranger raid (general)
Night infiltration, stealth movement, and surprise assault tactics
Use of local guides and terrain knowledge in planning the raid
Coordinated diversionary actions by guerrilla forces
People, Leaders, and Historical Figures
U.S. Army Ranger officers and enlisted men involved in the Cabanatuan raid
American POW survivors of Bataan and the Death March
Filipino guerrilla leaders aiding the operation
Japanese camp command and guards as adversaries
Themes and Descriptive Keywords
World War II – Pacific War
Prisoners of war (POWs)
Bataan Death March aftermath
Prison camp conditions and brutality
Rescue missions behind enemy lines
Special operations / commando raids
Joint U.S.–Filipino operations
Survival and endurance in wartime captivity
Heroism and sacrifice
Atrocities and war crimes against POWs
Evacuation of POWs ahead of Japanese withdrawals
Human cost of war in the Pacific
Form and Features
Prose narrative with historical research and documentation
Includes maps and/or operational diagrams of the raid (as described in standard editions)
Includes photographs of POWs, Rangers, and related wartime scenes (in typical illustrated editions)
Extensive endnotes / bibliography (historical sourcing and references)
Suggested Classification Tags
World War II – Philippines
World War II – Pacific Theater
Prisoners of war – Japan
Prisoners of war – Philippines – World War II
United States. Army Rangers – History – World War II
Rescue operations – Military – History
Guerrilla warfare – Philippines – World War II
Military campaigns – Philippines – 1945
War crimes – Japan – World War II (with focus on POW treatment)
Military operations behind enemy lines
Book Condition: New
Book Condition: New
You’ve reached the divisional archives. Whether you are looking for the technical blueprints of a Panzer, the gritty memoirs of an infantryman, or a bird’s-eye view of the Pacific Theater, we’ve got your intel right here. Our collection ranges from technical specs and biographies to rare photo journals and historical novels.
Before you enlist a new title into your personal library, check the Condition Report below to see how much action these volumes have seen:
New: Fresh Out of Bootcamp
Flawless and untested. This book is in pristine, new condition and ready for its first assignment.
Like New: Light Combat Experience
Almost new and in great shape. It has clearly been read before and is ready to fight again, but it shows very little wear from its time in the field.
Good: A Few Scars or Shell Shock
A reliable veteran. The book might have some bent corners or a dust cover with a few scratches, but it’s still sturdy and standing tall.
Fair: Battle-Hardened
Visible signs of a long campaign. Expect some stains, bent pages, and perhaps some minor tears on the cover. It’s seen the trenches, but the intel inside is still solid.
Poor: Survived Iwo Jima
This one has been through the meat grinder. It carries noticeable damage, heavy staining, or significant wear—but like any old soldier, it would love to be read one last time before it retires.
