Given Up for Dead

Given Up for Dead chronicles the experiences of U.S. Marines who defended Wake Island against Japanese forces in December 1941. The narrative follows the 16-day battle where American troops faced overwhelming odds in one of World War II's earliest Pacific conflicts. The book draws from interviews with survivors and military records to document both the combat operations and the personal stories of the defenders. Marine aviators, civilian contractors, and ground forces all played roles in the fierce resistance mounted on this tiny atoll. The aftermath and imprisonment of Wake Island's defenders forms a significant portion of the account. Surviving participants shared their firsthand perspectives with the author decades after the events. This military history illuminates themes of courage and sacrifice while providing context for a lesser-known but strategically important World War II battle. The narrative underscores the human cost of war through individual stories of those who fought.

Readers appreciate the detailed focus on individual Marines' experiences during the Wake Island battle, with many noting the book brings attention to a lesser-known WWII story. Multiple reviews highlight Sloan's research and interviews with survivors that provide personal perspectives on the siege. Common praise points: - Clear chronological structure of events - Balance of strategic overview and personal accounts - Documentation of both the battle and POW experiences Common criticisms: - Writing can be repetitive - Some passages get bogged down in military terminology - A few readers found the opening chapters slow Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (157 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (89 ratings) One Amazon reviewer noted: "Sloan lets the survivors tell their own stories without sensationalizing." A Goodreads reviewer commented that the book "fills an important gap in Pacific War history" but "could have been edited down by 50 pages."

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🌟 Though nearly 2,000 men were stationed at Wake Island during the Japanese attack in 1941, only 449 survived to be taken as POWs. 🌟 Author Bill Sloan interviewed more than 25 Wake Island survivors to write this account, capturing their firsthand experiences before they were lost to history. 🌟 Wake Island's defenders managed to sink two Japanese destroyers and damage several other ships despite being severely outnumbered and under-equipped. 🌟 The Japanese attack on Wake Island began just hours after Pearl Harbor, but the island's defenders held out for 16 days against overwhelming odds. 🌟 The civilian contractors who were trapped on Wake Island during the siege had been there to build military installations, and many fought alongside the Marines despite having no military training.