Leathernecks: An Illustrated History of the United States Marine Corps | 
| Authors: Merrill L. Bartlett, Jack Sweetman
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
Category: Book
List Price: $60.00
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Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 451660
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 479
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4
Dimensions (in): 12.2 x 9.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 159114020X
Dewey Decimal Number: 359.960973
EAN: 9781591140207
ASIN: 159114020X
Publication Date: October 15, 2008
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Product Description
The authors of the highly regarded history The U.S. Marine Corps have written a new work that combines a lively, well-researched narrative with a generous selection of photographs and paintings, many in full color, and numerous maps to provide an illustrated history of the U.S. Marine Corps from its inception to the present day. The combination of a wealth of art, a substantial text, and a balanced perspective make the work unique in the literature of the Corps. Many of its illustrations have never before been published or have appeared only in black and white. Unlike other histories of the Corps, this one relies heavily on primary sources and original research.The authors explain how and why a force that throughout the first century of its existence seldom exceeded the strength of an infantry regiment still managed to attain a strength greater than that of many armies, and developed what is arguably the world's most potent military mystique. Because the history of any institution is the product of the actions of the individuals contained within it, the book includes cameos of some of those who made exceptional contributions to the Corps' rich heritage. An introductory chapter outlines the evolution of marine forces from ancient times to the eve of the American Revolution. Neither a rehash of old histories nor a repeat of unsupported sea stories and fictional tales, this new study brings the Corps' history fully up to date.
LEATHERNECKS ~ Gold Medal winner for Military Non-Fiction category Military Writers Society of America 2008 Awards
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| Customer Reviews:
An especially informed and informative historical overview of the Marines from their origins November 10, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
There have been histories of the U.S. Marine Corp before. But "Leathernecks: An Illustrated History Of The United States Marine Corps" is particularly outstanding because of its thoroughly 'reader friendly' narrative style and enhancements with historic black/white photographs, maps, and full color artwork illustrations. Deftly co-authored by Merrill L. Bartlett (a Marine officer for twenty years) and military historian Jack Sweetman, "Leathernecks" provides an especially informed and informative historical overview of the Marines from their origins, to their establishment as part of America's colonial fighting forces, through the 19th and 20th century American conflicts, down to the present day. Enhanced with an extensive bibliography for further studies on and about Marine Corp history, as well as a comprehensive index, "Leathernecks" is a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library American Military History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Best Marine illustrated history yet ! November 10, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
If you google "Books - Marine Corps", they provide "about 286,000 listings in 0.19 seconds." So does the world need yet one more book describing Marines heroics since 1775? The answer is a resounding YES !! if the book is as good as this one.
When one walks around the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington, D.C. he or she is treated to a history of the Marine Corps when reading the inscribed battles... the French & Indian Wars...the Boxer Rebellion...Belleau Wood...Guadalcanal...Fallujah. Authors Merrill Bartlett and Jack Sweetman have collaborated to give us the same tour around the Memorial, but with all 233 years of Marine lore added as background to those storied battles.
The difference between this book and the many others is both the depth of detail and its readability. Finding the balance between an academic treatise and an ooh-rah flag-waver, the authors present not only the Corps battle history, but the equally important story of the men who built it. Traditions are not created overnight, but are earned over generations; a fact of which the authors remind the reader with 280+ old photos, maps, and illustrations, many published for the first time.
While the casual reader likely knows of the Marine Corps 10 November 1775 founding, it's Bartlett and Sweetman's "Leathernecks" that provides the background information that the 10 Nov. act of Congress chartering the Marines "...that two battalions of Marines be raised..." was in response to a petition by the residents of Passamaquoddy, Nova Scotia who wanted to join the newly independent United States - and these same Marines were to be used to capture the British Naval base at Halifax.
While Marine Corps lore in recent years has been built on such land-locked fights at Chosin, Khe Sanh, or An-Nasiriyah, prominent naval historian Jack Sweetman has teamed with Marine historian Skip Bartlett in a way that emphasizes the sea roots of America's pre-eminent sea service. Describing the first landing (and victory) of the Continental Marines back in March 1776, when an eight ship convoy sailed to seize Nassau, The Bahamas. The Marines captured "fifty-eight cannon, fifteen mortars, more than sixteen thousand shot and shell...," as well as establishing a tradition for those hard-chargers following: the Bahamas governor complained that the Marines "helped themselves to his liquor."
Drawing on a collection of rare photographs and illustrations from the depths of Marine and private archives, authors Bartlett and Sweetman personalize the early days of the Marine Corps that makes one understand the institution today. For example, in addition to describing the April 1914 battle in Veracruz, Mexico, they have a picture of LtCol Wendell Neville, Col John Lejeune, Col Littleton Waller, Maj Smedley Butler, and Maj Randolph Berkley; all China, Philippine, and Cuba hands, sitting together on a Mexican veranda: Butler-two Medals of Honor, Lejeune and Neville -commandants, Waller -twice lost the commandant's position due to politics...what Marine today would not want to discuss counter-insurgency with these men? If it is the institutional ethos that drives the operational, it is fair to say that this was the generation - and these were the Marines - who were responsible for the birth of both.
The authors make considerable effort to present the personalities behind the battles, many of which were fought in the halls of Congress. Shortly after Gen. Alexander Vandergrift (aided by the familiar names of BrigGen Merritt Edson, LtCol Victor "Brute" Krulak, and Col Merrill Twining) beat back President Truman's and the Army's 1946 plan to phase out the Marine Corps, Gen Vandergrift tasked LtGen Roy Geiger and future commandant Gen Lemuel Shepherd to analyze amphibious warfare in the atomic age. Their report initiated the movement of the Marine Corps into "Vertical Envelopment" - helicopter assaults - which was the beginning of a doctrine that the Corps saw as the key to its future. Battles are easy to analyze, it is the men who fight the battle that make or break the story - or the battle - and authors Bartlett and Sweetman present both superbly.
"Leathernecks" ends with a discussion of the war on terror, with emphasis on the current fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. The battles and counter-insurgency operations are discussed candidly and accurately, no small feat in the middle of on-going operations.
There is an old adage to the effect of the world being divided into two groups: those who are Marines and those who wish they were Marines - and after reading "Leathernecks", both groups will understand why the adage is true; this is simply one of the finest illustrated histories of the Marine Corps published.
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