John McManus has become one of if not the best historians of the ye old US Army. His focus on the unglamorous gruntwork and forgotten battles and entire campaigns, where hundreds and thousands lost their lives energizes and elevates his stories. He has also developed shrewd yet evenhanded insight into the leaders and Army leadership itself. Thanks NMPW for hosting.
The only works of Mr McManus that I have read are on the Pacific War, and I am very grateful to him for the work. Brilliant writing, evocative, insightful, great at the detail, but also he paints the big picture very well. I despair that the current and coming generations will be unaware of the sacrifices made by so many on their behalf. My father served with the RAAF 3rd Airfield Construction Squadron, attached to the Yanks for a large part of their SWPA campaigns. He always spoke of the Americans admiringly (and enviously of their food and conditions!).
My dad was a C47 pilot and often based out of Biak, great to know more about the background of taking the island. I’d love to see John do a presentation about the Troop Carriers in the Fifth Air Force - the logistical chain is an awesome demonstration of American industrial might.
Thank you, John. Very good presentation. "Bloody Biak", like so many other Army initiatives in the Pacific, is under-appreciated. It does merit a full chapter in Gene Salecker's excellent 2008 "ROLLING THUNDER AGAINST THE RISING SUN", which tells the story of Army tank battalions in the Pacific in WW II. It's a very good read.
There is a good book called Hurricane at Biak that is worth a read. The task force was called Hurricane. My Dad was there with the 34th Infantry Regiment
Whilst I understand, as an Austrslian, that an American museum would wish to promote national figures, Mr zMc Manus somewhat breezes over some key aspects of operations in SWPA. First of these is that the the Land Commander was the Australian General Sir Thomas Blamey, a vastly experienced officer in high command. For almost two years since early 1942, the Australian Army was the largest land force in SWPA, bearing the main brunt of fighting. But for its battle hardened divisions, from North Africa, US forces could not have made any substantial impact on Japanese offensives as did the Australians, inflicting the first land defeat on the Japanese in the repulse of their invasion of Milne Bay, going on to push back their Port Moresby offensive back over the Owen Stanley Range and its horrific fain forest. In the Battle of Buna, Eichelberger had to deal with the poorly prepared and trained 32nd National Guard Division stalled in front of the Japanese defences. Only with an Australian Brigade and armour in the lead did the attacks finally succeed. Blamey guided effective land operations in PNG, mainly with the much larger Australian Army, at the time, effectively becoming the premier Jungle Warfare troops in the Allies, in battalion, division, corps and army scale operations. The US historian, Professor Eric Bergerud, in his awarded SWPA history, " Touched with Fire", extensively described the combat power of the Australian Army, describing the Australian soldier, "...the best Infantry in the Pacific".
AGREED. McManus is all over, Bergerud NOWHERE = (down)UNDER E X P O S E D .. Got both of his topnotched studies, communicated once, has a ch, but nth on it 🇫🇮
The Aussie's were not part of the Hollandia or Biak operations. I think this is why he doesn't speak about them. Anyone who knows about the SWPA battles could not fail to acknowledge the Aussie's contributions. My Dad's 24th Infantry Division was trained by the Australian's in jungle warfare on Goodenough Island.
@@g24thinf IN A SAVAGE LAND is an excellent film from the 90s that happens on GOOD ENUFF ISL during the Pearl H outbreak of war days. SUGGEST WATCH RITE AWAY - came from the finnish TV 25 yrs ago. REPEAT TOPNOTCH . Oer & out 🇫🇮
@sulevisydanmaa998 I'm afraid your extremely cryptic note baffles me, a bit. Are you saying Bergerud is " NOWHERE"? Would appreciate some clarification.
@g24thinf Well aware of that emphasis. However, early in his presentation, Mc Manus, perhaps inadvertently, give the impression that Eichelberger was the land king pin in SWPA. This was far from reality. I can cut Mc Manus some slack as, in another presentation, he clearly, but very briefly' states " The Australians carried the fighting in 1942 and 1943". Thank you for pointing out the Australian Army's seminal role in Jungle Warfare tactics and training. It is a capacity still existent eighty years in and most effectively applied in the Malaya Emergency, Konfrontassi, the Vietnam War and the East Timor peace making.
John McManus has become one of if not the best historians of the ye old US Army. His focus on the unglamorous gruntwork and forgotten battles and entire campaigns, where hundreds and thousands lost their lives energizes and elevates his stories. He has also developed shrewd yet evenhanded insight into the leaders and Army leadership itself. Thanks NMPW for hosting.
Great presentation as always John! Thanks to the museum for bringing this to us.
We're lucky to have people like John McManus, Thanks to John, helping to keep memories alive
Did not know about this island… great talk, thanks Dr McManus!
The only works of Mr McManus that I have read are on the Pacific War, and I am very grateful to him for the work. Brilliant writing, evocative, insightful, great at the detail, but also he paints the big picture very well. I despair that the current and coming generations will be unaware of the sacrifices made by so many on their behalf. My father served with the RAAF 3rd Airfield Construction Squadron, attached to the Yanks for a large part of their SWPA campaigns. He always spoke of the Americans admiringly (and enviously of their food and conditions!).
Excellent Presentation
My dad was a C47 pilot and often based out of Biak, great to know more about the background of taking the island. I’d love to see John do a presentation about the Troop Carriers in the Fifth Air Force - the logistical chain is an awesome demonstration of American industrial might.
I visited the Museum this year during an eclipse tour, and am happy to now have the list of online presentations
Thank you, John. Very good presentation. "Bloody Biak", like so many other Army initiatives in the Pacific, is under-appreciated. It does merit a full chapter in Gene Salecker's excellent 2008 "ROLLING THUNDER AGAINST THE RISING SUN", which tells the story of Army tank battalions in the Pacific in WW II. It's a very good read.
❤❤❤
Excellent
WHOOAH and God bless y'all for bringing justice to my army old army OUR US ARMY
I thought he made a really trenchant point about the Japanese tactics at Biak being the precursor of Peleliu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
😎 Lauren.
There is a good book called Hurricane at Biak that is worth a read. The task force was called Hurricane. My Dad was there with the 34th Infantry Regiment
Whilst I understand, as an Austrslian, that an American museum would wish to promote national figures, Mr zMc Manus somewhat breezes over some key aspects of operations in SWPA. First of these is that the the Land Commander was the Australian General Sir Thomas Blamey, a vastly experienced officer in high command. For almost two years since early 1942, the Australian Army was the largest land force in SWPA, bearing the main brunt of fighting. But for its battle hardened divisions, from North Africa, US forces could not have made any substantial impact on Japanese offensives as did the Australians, inflicting the first land defeat on the Japanese in the repulse of their invasion of Milne Bay, going on to push back their Port Moresby offensive back over the Owen Stanley Range and its horrific fain forest. In the Battle of Buna, Eichelberger had to deal with the poorly prepared and trained 32nd National Guard Division stalled in front of the Japanese defences. Only with an Australian Brigade and armour in the lead did the attacks finally succeed. Blamey guided effective land operations in PNG, mainly with the much larger Australian Army, at the time, effectively becoming the premier Jungle Warfare troops in the Allies, in battalion, division, corps and army scale operations. The US historian, Professor Eric Bergerud, in his awarded SWPA history, " Touched with Fire", extensively described the combat power of the Australian Army, describing the Australian soldier, "...the best Infantry in the Pacific".
AGREED. McManus is all over, Bergerud NOWHERE = (down)UNDER E X P O S E D .. Got both of his topnotched studies, communicated once, has a ch, but nth on it 🇫🇮
The Aussie's were not part of the Hollandia or Biak operations. I think this is why he doesn't speak about them. Anyone who knows about the SWPA battles could not fail to acknowledge the Aussie's contributions. My Dad's 24th Infantry Division was trained by the Australian's in jungle warfare on Goodenough Island.
@@g24thinf IN A SAVAGE LAND is an excellent film from the 90s that happens on GOOD ENUFF ISL during the Pearl H outbreak of war days. SUGGEST WATCH RITE AWAY - came from the finnish TV 25 yrs ago. REPEAT TOPNOTCH . Oer & out 🇫🇮
@sulevisydanmaa998 I'm afraid your extremely cryptic note baffles me, a bit. Are you saying Bergerud is " NOWHERE"? Would appreciate some clarification.
@g24thinf Well aware of that emphasis. However, early in his presentation, Mc Manus, perhaps inadvertently, give the impression that Eichelberger was the land king pin in SWPA. This was far from reality. I can cut Mc Manus some slack as, in another presentation, he clearly, but very briefly' states " The Australians carried the fighting in 1942 and 1943".
Thank you for pointing out the Australian Army's seminal role in Jungle Warfare tactics and training. It is a capacity still existent eighty years in and most effectively applied in the Malaya Emergency, Konfrontassi, the Vietnam War and the East Timor peace making.