Equaling Tarawa and Okinawa in scale and ferocity, until recently the battle for Peleliu has been regarded as the Pacific war's forgotten battle, and sadly one that should never have been fought. A massive carrier-based attack some weeks before the invasion destroyed all aircraft and shipping in the area and virtually isolated the Japanese garrison. 1st Marine Division commander, General Rupertus, made extravagant claims that the capture of Peleliu would only take three days--maybe two. But the Japanese fought a bloody battle of attrition from prepared positions an in a struggle of unprecedented savagery a whole Marine Division was bled white.
Equaling Tarawa and Okinawa in scale and ferocity, until recently the battle for Peleliu has been regarded as the Pacific war's forgotten battle, one that with hindsight should never have been fought at all. Originally planned to secure General MacArthur's eastern flank during his invasion of the Philippine Islands, the assault became superfluous after a massive carrier-based attack on the Palau Islands by Task Force 58 some weeks earlier destroyed all aircraft and shipping in the area and virtually isolated the Japanese garrison. The planners may have been influenced by the extravagant claims of the commander of the Marine Corps' 1st Division, General Rupertus, that it would only take three days--maybe two, but as the Japanese defenders abandoned their previous strategy of attempting to repel the invader on the beaches and fought a battle of attrition from carefully prepared positions in the Umurbrogol Hills, the operation became a close-quarters slog of unprecedented savagery in which a whole Marine Division expended itself and had to be replaced by Army units.

Peleliu 1944: The Forgotten Corner of Hell (Praeger Illustrated Military History)

History

Moran, Jim

Rottman,Gordon L

Military

Praeger Pub Text

From its very inception the United States Army Special Forces has been enmeshed in controversy, its mission misunderstood to varying degrees, and its very existence opposed by some of the Army hierarchy. Nevertheless it continues to serve in a highly specialised role in all manner of differing conditions. There can be few better qualified to chronicle the history of this unique organisation than former Special Forces Group weapons specialist Gordon Rottman, whose expert knowledge is clearly evident in this authoritative text. This volume also contains 12 full page colour plates by one of the world's most respected military artists, Ron Volstad.

US Army Special Forces 1952–84 (Elite)

Osprey_Publishing

Osprey's study of the ground forces of the Cold War (1946-1991). While much has been published on the armed forces of the USSR during the 1980s, surprisingly little is available on the forces supplied by the other member nations of the Warsaw Pact. Rivalling the size of the United States Army, the combined ground forces of the six non-Soviet Warsaw Pact countries totalled over 775,000 active troops, with almost two million ground forces reserves. This book examines the history, organization and uniforms of the often overlooked DDR, Czechoslovak, Polish, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Romanian forces at the end of the Cold War.

Warsaw Pact Ground Forces (Elite, 10)

Europe

Ranger - the very word conjures up visions of small, highly trained units executing lightning-fast raids on an unexpecting enemy. It is also synonymous with high esprit de corps and excellence at arms. The US Army Rangers provide units of well-disciplined soldiers who possess the knowledge and courage to operate on their own, deep behind enemy lines. Gordon L. Rottman explores the history of these unique troops, starting with the original 'Rogers' Rangers' company of 1756, whose daring operations and deep penetrations of enemy-held country laid down the pattern for all subsequent Ranger units to follow.

US Army Rangers & LRRP Units 1942–87 (Elite)

Whether referred to as web gear, TE-21, TA50, LBE or LCE, the American soldier's individual combat equipment was seldom praised – except by its developers. Nevertheless, it has always been, and will continue to be an essential part of the fighting man's burden. With the aid of plenty of contemporary photographs, diagrams, and eight full page colour plates by Osprey veteran Ron Volstad, Gordon Rottman's text unearths a wealth of information on the changing nature of US combat equipments from 1910-1988.

U.S. Army Combat Equipments, 1910-1988 (Men-At-Arms Series, 205) (Men-at-Arms, 205)

Americas

When conscription was eliminated in the early 1970s, the US Army found itself with a very different kind of soldier. While the personality of the Army remained the same, the organization of its higher levels of command and combat formations, and the internal structure of its units underwent major changes under the 'Army of Excellence' program of the 1980s. This book explores the US Army of the late 80s, including the training methods, weapon systems, Reserve Components, organization and uniforms of one of the world's most potent fighting forces. The text is illustrated with numerous photographs and eight colour plates.

Inside the US Army

There exists among the world's armies a proliferation of special forces groups. Today's smaller armies, especially those of developing nations, demand maximum efficiency in force structure and employment. Mountain, jungle, arctic and desert areas require special purpose units trained, conditioned, and equipped to master these environments. This volume by ex-weapons specialist in the US 7th Special Forces Group, Gordon L. Rottman, details the insignia of a myriad of special forces groups from all parts of the globe, from Portugal's Commando Regiment to the North Yemen 'Al Mithalaat' Brigade, with a wealth of illustrations and photographs, including 12 full page colour plates by Simon McCouaig.

World Special Forces Insignia (Elite)

Osprey's examination of the US Army's airborne division in various conflicts, such as World War II (1939-1945) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The first 50 years of the US Army airborne arm is a story of continuing battles with the nation's enemies, of battles within the Army's hierarchy, of change, and of adaptation. If there is any single attribute the airborne soldier can claim as his most sterling, it is his uncanny ability to adapt – his flexibility. The very nature of a paratrooper demands this ability to adapt. The motivation and ésprit de corps it develops within these units is something not to be taken lightly. The first class pairing of Gordon L. Rottman and Ron Volstad bring to life the history of these remarkable troops.

US Army Airborne 1940–90 (Elite)

The field equipment of the German Army in World War II was closely related to that used throughout World War I and earlier, yet it was of relatively light weight, ruggedly constructed, well designed, functional, and generally of a high quality, though this deteriorated in the later war years. A high degree of design standardisation was maintained in most categories of equipment, though materials and their colours often varied widely. There were also many different specialisations for the various arms of service as well as theatres of combat, such as the Afrikakorps in the Western Desert. This title investigates all manner of German combat equipments throughout World War II, from belt buckles to magazine pouches.

German Combat Equipment 1939-45 (Men at Arms Series, 234) (Men-at-Arms, 234)

The soldier slang of World War II was as colourful as it was evocative. It could be insulting, pessimistic, witty, and even defeatist. From 'spam bashers' to 'passion wagons' and 'roof pigs' to 'Hell's Ladies,' the World War II fighting man was never short of words to describe the people and events in his life. F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition takes a frank look at the British, Commonwealth, American, German, Japanese and Russian slang used by the men on the ground, and shows how, even in the heat of battle, they somehow managed to retain their sense of humour, black though it might have been.

FUBAR F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition: Soldier Slang of World War II (General Military)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Rottman,Gordon L. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Rottman,Gordon L