The author takes you through the Armies' journey during WWII in the Pacific. These are the battles that they faced or shared with the Marines. You get to see all of the interactions and the problems that were happening and would slowly be worked out. The issues between different Generals and between the Navy and Army mainly MacGarthur. A good look at the overall picture of the war in 1944 and also the people that would be captured and their trials as well. Overall a good book with a lot of information.

1944 would be a milestone year in both the Pacific and European theaters for the U.S. Army. In Europe wold be invasions of Italy and France. In the Pacific the U.S. Army was still struggling in New Guinea. It had made progress among the Gilbert Islands, cleared the Aleutian Islands, and established a force in India aimed at Burma. It was the opening John McManus had set for Island Infernos, the second volume of his series on the U.S. Army in the Pacific War.

John McManus lays out the situation at the beginning of 19955 in the Prologue of Island Infernos. He then takes the reader though all the operations and activities of the U.S. Army in 1944 over the course of the next ten chapters. Operation Flintlock - the invasion of the Marshall Islands. The invasion of the Admiralty Islands of Los Megros and Manus. Fighting and more fighting in New Guinea and on Bougainville. Galahad Force left India and trekked though Burma. The Marine/Army invasions of Guam, Saipan, and Tinian that brought plenty of casualties and almost ruptured relationships between the two services. Finally came the longed for return to the Philippines by McArthur and the U.S. Army assisted by the U.S. Navy. McManus also provided a brief update on POWs and their treatment.

John McManus has continued his credible job of presenting the role of the US Army in the Pacific Theater of WWII. He works to provide details from both combat and other aspects of Army life. In one volume he managed to cover the wide range of activities undertaken by the U.S. Army over the course of 1944 for the reader to peruse and absorb.

John McManus is one of the greatest historians of the Second World War around today. His research is impeccable and his writing is very enjoyable. In what will eventually be a well-received trilogy, he explores at the US Army's battles in the Pacific against the Empire of Japan. Arguably, the US Marine Corps has received the biggest praise for their contributions to victory and the island hopping campaigns of the Pacific War, but McManus dares to tell the story of the Army's largely forgotten (and even larger) role as the branch fighting it out on land against the Japanese Army. This takes nothing away from the Marines or even the US Navy, but is a solid addition to the historiography of the war. I highly recommend this series and greatly look forward to his third and last book.

I received an advance copy of the book from the publisher through Net Galley in return for an honest review. My thanks to both.

Having read and enjoyed immensely the first book in the series, “ Fire and Fortitude” I was very much looking forward to John MacManus’ second book, “ Island Infernos”. The first book earned awards for the author as should this one. I highly recommend both to any student of WWII history.
The book covers action by the US Army in 1944, from the invasion of the Eniwetok islands to the first landing in the Philippines . Of course the area commander was Douglas MacArthur, who had vowed that he would return to liberate the former US colony from Japan. The first book described the first, difficult steps to that goal in which the largely inexperienced Army, GI’s and officers faced both the Japanese and the jungles of New Guinea. Hard lessons learned the army was moving forward again to combat.

The Army reinforced, retrained , re- motivated was taking the next steps of Mac Arthur’s goal by again attacking New Guinea, but farther up the large island chains, first by clearing the enemy from airfields that were then used by the ISAAF to attack the enemy.
The author does a good job for the reader by putting him inside the war- planning sessions. The vain, proud and often inscrutable, devious , and usually redoubtable MacArthur is determined to push his armies to his final goal and uses his vast political skills and personal charms to insure that will happen. The author’s research illuminates the General’s thought process, his any way of using and manipulating subordinate generals , the press , and the chiefs of staff to further his goals. The author does not stint on the General’ s military genius , not on his irksome traits in painting a picture of the man.
But the book is not only about MacArthur or his generals. Mr MacManus paints vivid word pictures of the nasty jungles where the vicious war was fought and more importantly of the men who fought there. The author shows great sympathy and respect for the courage and fortitude of the GIs .Acts of valor and unselfish courage are on nearly every page. Nor does MacManus neglect the Japanese soldier often starving and sick, whose tenacity in the face of overwhelming US firepower continued to attack and fight to their deaths. Descriptions of the ghastly combat and the suffering are moving and an eloquent way of honoring the sacrifices made. ( I write this review on Veteran ‘s Day, btw.)
This book ends with the Army in Leyte, poised to fight their way into the heavily defended island of Luzon. Ahead is the liberation of Manila. And then the last , horrific battle- Okinawa. I look forward to what will be the last volume in the excellent history series.
The book is assessable to all readers, not just professional military historians. The writing is clear, detailed , but not burdened with more details than necessary for historical clarity. Since I have an advanced copy, it did not have the maps and pictures that will be in the final product; the endpapers refer to both. There are also extensive end notes of the research done by the author.
Highly recommended .

The U.S. Marines' engagement in the Pacific during WWII is well documented but the U.S Army's is not as well known. Island Infernos is well written, researched and supremely interesting. Military buffs and historians will enjoy Island Infernos but so will lovers of general history. McManus has documented the how and why as well as interviews from every level of the U.S. Army who were there.

My sincere thanks to John C. McManus, Penguin Group Dutton, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing an advanced copy of Island Infernos.

Enjoyed this brief account of WWII in the South Pacific being the daughter of a Marine and granddaughter of a Navy Sailor I tend to lean toward the history of the Navy and Corps espeically with WWII and the Pacific wasn't something taught in my high school history classes.

This book is very interesting and tells the story of the US Army in its campaigns in the Pacific. From the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska to the Islands that are within striking distance to Japan. The story is well put together and the sequence of battles and their strategies is discussed. I was fascinated to read about the smaller Islands which the Army took that received no or little coverage by the news. I did not want to put this book down as the story it tells is one that IMO is not well known at all. Many of mu family members fought in the second world war and they are all gone now. Students of history or those who want to know the real stories behind the battles and inter agency strategy will do well to read this finely written and interesting book.

An interesting read on the US Army action in the Pacific during WW2. The author does an outstanding job of telling the story of the battles fought and the political/personnel in-fighting that took place as well. The use of first hand accounts really added to the enjoyment of the books. A great read for the history enthusiast.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.