Charles C. Krulak, General, USMC,
Thirty-first Commandant of the Marine Corps
A truly magnificent work of art!
This is not only a book that is of interest to those absorbing the history of the US Marine Corps, it is a collector's piece. With padded covers and inset metal USMC badge the volume is sumptuously illustrated. For presentation and content the volume is a worthy entry to any nautical history library.
I am not now, nor was I ever, a United States Marine.
That out of the way, I can commend a recent book "The Marines" to the care of all Marines (who will tell you there is no such thing as an "ex-Marine" because "once a Marine always a Marine.")
Some of my best friends "are" Marines--from Corporals to Captains and Colonels--and I honestly believe most of them would want to own this book.
It is an expensive book ($60) that tells the history of the Corps, and perhaps more importantly, conveys some of the spirit and pride that go into the shaping of Marines. It even looks like a military book--with a solid blue cover, gold lettering and the Marine Corps emblem in the exact center. Inside is a well-written, easy to read overview of the history of the Marine Corps, edited by Brig. General Edwin Simmons, a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The general was awarded the Silver Star (awarded only for combat action) and Purple Heart, and was head of the Marine Corps Historical Program for 25 years.
Gen. Simmons has created a book most Marines will cherish. The photographs, art, and well-chosen words paint in broad strokes a sense of history and help provide an understanding of how a relatively small--and effective--military unit has consistently fought with honor for these United States. The book tells a story of courage and character.
But the Marine Corps story is more than its battles. That story involves boot camp uniforms, the machinery and weapons of war, and units like the Marine Air Wing--as well as the Marine Corps Band (with a history that includes playing "Dixie" for President Lincoln at the announcement of the conclusion of the Civil War). The compact biographies of the Commandants of the Marine Corps will be of particular interest to historians--even those who may not be Marines.
The book is complete enough, and honest enough when dealing with the Marine Corps mystique. It even includes a section on the Marine Corps in the movies. There is also a section on recruiting posters, showing a shift in the Corps' emphasis on goals and personnel.
I liked this book so much I arranged for presentation of a copy to the police chief of our town--a Vietnam veteran.
The editors of this handsome book state up front that their goal was to create "The most beautiful and most comprehensive word-and-picture book ever produced about the United States Marine Corps." In that they have succeeded.
The work is comprehensive in scope, with a chronology of all Marine operations, a complete history of all the campaigns, commandants, and sergeants major, uniforms, music, and weaponry, plus an account of how Hollywood has portrayed the corps, a look at the units today, and an outline of the corps' goals for the twenty-first century. It is to the editors' credit, however, that they do not overlook the Marines' initial disdain for both blacks and females within their ranks, though now both groups serve with distinction, and as general officers, no less.
The book also tells in detail how the famous Marine Corps War Memorial came to be built in Washington, D.C., including what happened to the actual two Iwo Jima flag raisers and the photographer who took the Pulitzer Prize-winning picture that Life magazine initially rejected for publication.
This sumptuous, well-bound, oversized book is everything that any Leatherneck (and anyone interested in them) could ever hope for in a one-volume study.
The Marines aims to be the most beautiful and comprehensive word-and picture book ever produced about the United States Marine Corps. The 360 page large-format book contains more than 600 photographs and illustrations, most of them in color. I am confident that one will find the book well worth the investment.
The Marines is the ultimate cruise book for an entire service, an awesome combination of informed writing, brilliant photography, and spectacular layout. If books could take hills, The Marines would be King of the Mountain.
It is all here--the history, the training, the weapons, the roll-call of heroes--everything that is part of the battle-tested spirit of the United States Marines. Richly illustrated with paintings and portraits and some of the finest battlefield photography ever collected, this magnificent volume is no typical coffee table decoration. Scholarly and insightful text ranges as far as the exploits of the Corps itself. This eloquent tribute makes clear that from the Commandant to private they have earned their pride in the title of United States Marines.
The Marines is a superb volume, as superb as the Corps itself. It will serve as our definitive legacy book.
Good history, great pictures, a tasteful and dignified format--they all add up to an imposing volume for readers with an interest in the U.S. Military and those who have served in it.